The Dominion. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER , 1916. CHAOS IN GREECE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2867, 4 September 1916, Page 6

The Dominion. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER , 1916. CHAOS IN GREECE

If we may judge by the volume of .news sent in to-day from London, the situation in Greece is the most absorbing topic of the hour amongst the Allies. It was expectca, and with some reason, that tbe action, pf • Rumania in entering the war on- the.-si do of. the Entente Powers would prove the deciding factor in. .settling the differences which exist between the rival factions in Greece: It was hoped, in'deed, that Greece would seize the opportunity to throw off the influence of the' German element \vhich has- dominated the Court and the Government,* and range herself with her old allies, Serbia ancl Rumania, in the fight for the freedom of the smaller nations from the menace of Teutonic overlprdship. .: That hope must be deferred, but the situation in Greece nevertheless, grows increasingly interesting. Judged by the cable messages to hand, it presents a most, amazing tangle of conflicting views and uncertain prospects, but there are one or two outstanding features which specially deserve attention. The first of these is the weakening influence of the King. - Kixg -Constantine throughout the war has professed an attitude of friendly neutrality to the Entente; Powers. It has been demonstrated beyond doubt that his sympathies are pro-German. His wife is the sister of the Ivaisee, and whether it is her influence or that of the Geiman emissaries _ with which he has surrounded himself which has swayed his actions is immaterial. The fact remains that it was through his effort? that M. Venizslos, ".who wished to range Greece on the side of the Entente, was forced from office; he was tho person mainly responsible for tho shameful betrayal by Greece of her obligations to Serbia; his was the hand that controlled the policy and actions of the successive makeshift "Governments which have sought to embarrass, the Allies during their occupation of Salonika; he it was who' packed the Grecian army with German officers so that he might strengthen his position should . ho need the backing of the army in case of conflict with the will of the people. At the beginning of the war he was probably the most popular man in Greece, rivalled' only by 111. Venizelos in the affections of the people. To-day he is still popular, still a great influence; but less so than two .years ago, No section of tlie public two years ago would have dared to openly arraign him as the Venizewsts arc now doing. His reported illness is no doubt a cover undo: - which he hopes to gain time— a means to escape unpleasant questioning; an'excuse to. avoid the denjands- for action. It is a sign of weakness, an indication that matters are getting beyond his control. . . Tho revolution is another factor of impomnce. At the moment there is nolhing to enable a.confident judgment to -be formed as to its extent or the feeling behind it. It is plain that a section of ho revolutionaries are .yifo-Eiitcnte, but whether- any considerable body of the people- feci " strongly -enough about the matter "to participate in

'the revolutionary movement, is not indicated. There is this, however, to be said. The Greeks as a nation hafco the Bulgars, and whatever the l*rcek Government may say, the invasion of' Greek territory by the Bulgarian army will be bitterly resented by the people of ( Greece. [This., fact will act. to the prejudice of the .Government, and.also will stir the' people in favour of reprisals. The action of Rumania in joining the Entente will be regarded as a further evidence of prospective victory for the .Allies; ana in j-'that event" Greece will feel that she has missed her opportunity for that, expansion of her Empire so ar.dpntly longed for.- The King and Government will necessarily be loaded with the responsibility for keeping Greece from friendly asso■ciation with the ; conquering armies of the Allies, ■ -and this 'will assist to fan the flame of ' resentment against those., now in authority. M. Venizelos arid his'friends can be ; relied on to make the most of the. changed conditions in t-ho different theatres of war.to turn .public feeling still : further against -the ItiNG and his, Ministers. The spectacle -presented by Greece is not a pleasant one. The signs seem to poin't-to'the i downfall of King Constantine, not because he has 'done great wrong to his people, but 'because he made, the .mistake of backing, the.-losing nations in the war. Outside a narrow ciple there does not appear to be any sense of gratitude in Greece for the great services -rendered a hundred years ago by. England, France, and Russia which sectored her . her independence; '■ Few of her people are concerned .to-day. over'the betrayal of her. pledge .to The shameful part, she -has- played in connection with this war would be played out ■to the end but- for one Central Powers plainly are losing; their position is going from bad to worse. Even King Constantine admits that Germany cannot how - win the war. That admission, made some months ago," probably marked the real beginning in the waning influence of the- King -of -Greece.- ..The story of his abdication- is contradicted today-; it may be confirmed to-mor-row. It would be the simplest and easiest way out of an impossible situatiou.' The arrival of the Allied Fleet off the Piraeus may help him to"realise, that' the time for trifling lias--passed. '