The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1905. THE FATE OF CRETE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 45, 22 February 1905, Page 4

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1905. THE FATE OF CRETE.

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The recent history of Crete is in some respects parallel to that of Macedonia, though the Cretans have been more fortuna than their brethren on the mainland who are still subject to Turkish rule. The island was nominally conquered by the Turks in the seventeenth century, but the inhabitants never really submitted to the Moslem invader. For more than two centuries they have held J out against their oppressors, suffering meantime all the horrors that Turkish despotism has invariably inflicted upon enslaved Christian States. No man's life ox property, and no woman's honour, was safe in Crete during all those years, and at last, in 1895, the indignation oi the civilised world was bo far roused by the monstrous excesses of the Turks that the Powers, for shame's sake, were compelled to intervene. The usual polite remonstrances were addressed to th« Sultan, and the usual futile scheme of reforms was drawn up. But two years later the state of the island was as bad as ever, and at last the Greeks made their ill-advised though heroic attempt to free the Cretans from the Turkish domination. A Greek fores landed in Crete in 1897, but the Powers at once expressed their disapproval of this step, and ordered its withdrawal. However, the action of Greece so far forced the hand of the Powers that they felt compelled to offer to the Cretans a form of autonomy on condition that they would submit to the nominal authority of the Sultan as their suzerain. The Cretans, who had hoped for union with Greece, were constrained to accept this scanty measure of grace, the Turkish troops were withdrawn from the island in 1898, and Prince George, the second son of the King of Greece, was appointed High Commissioner to organise the government of the country. In 1901 his term of office was renewed for three years, and therefore came to a natural end in December last. In spite of some mistakes, Prince George has been very successful in his management of the island. But the Cretans, though they have now practically the self-government that they have always desired, and they enjoy a security for life and property quite unprecedented in the annals of the island, are still anxious to be united to their brethren on the mainland, and they have once more petitioned the Powers to allow them to become an integral part of the Kingdom of Greece.

The position of the Cretans is from the constitutional standpoint satisfactory enough. There are about 33.000 Moslems on the island, and about 270,000 Christians, and the political power is practically in the hands of the majority. There- is an Assembly consisting of 74 deputies, only four of

whom are Mahometans; and of these deputies Prince George nominates ten, while the inhabitants elect 64. There is aa executive Council of three to assist the High Commissioner, and By all accounts they have succeeded in arranging the judicial and financial affairs of the island on a very creditable basis. But as we hare said the Cretans refuse to be content until they are united with their brothers in blood and in faith voder the King of Greece; and Prince George has done his beat to give effect to their wishes. In 1901» M. Venizek), the Foreign Minister, worked up an agitation for the complete freedom of Crete, intending to prepare the way for annexation by Greece. The Powers -were strongly opposed to this source, and M. Venizelo was dismissed from office. But his party is still strong in the Assembly, and toward the close of last year Prince George personally approached the leading Powers and submitted to them a petition from the vast majority of the Cretans, praying for union with the rest of the Hellenic race. Unfortunately, though the racial impulse at the back of this movement is natural enough, Prince George has not been able to find any better argument for his cause than "national aspiration." It would be obviously inconvenient for England and several other Powers if national aspirations were accepted as a ; feasible excuse for political changes of this sort. Cyprus, for example, would certainly employ the same argument, and a very dangerous precedent might easily be created. At present there does not seem to be any sound reason for annulling the Turkish suzerainty. The Cretans have all the benefits of autonomy, and they no longer suffer from the tyranny of the Turk. On the other hand, if Crete were annexed by Turkey, not only would the rights of the 33,000 Moslems on the island be ignored, but the extension of Greek power would lead to bitter jealousies among the Balkan States. It is well known that Bulgaria is bitterly opposed to any enlargement of the Greek j kingdom; and the Greeks themselves, much as they hate the Turks, have carefully refrained of late from showing sympathy to the Macedonians, lest they should be aiding in the aggrandisement of Bulgaria. The Cretan problem, in fact, is by no means ao simple as Prince George and the Cretans seem to believe; and Crete is not likely to realise its most cherished ambition for a long time to come. But it should never be forgotten that the Cretans have a just claim to absolute freedom from the Turks, and that they, like the Ma-eedomans, to suit the convenience of the Powers, are being treated merely as pawns in the great game of international diplomacy.