EX-KING OF GREECE

Hokitika Guardian, 25 November 1930, Page 2

EX-KING OF GREECE

HOPE TO RETURN TO THRONE. LONDON INTERVIEW. Ex-King George of Greece, who since 1923 has been in exile, granted to a Press Association reporter an interview in London, where he had been Staying recently. The King, who left Athena before a plebiscite declared io March, 1924, for a Republic, was asked if he would care to discuss the persistent rumours that he was returning to the throne of Greece. He said: —

“My conviction has never wavered that sooner or later my people will call me back as their constitutional sovreign. My departure was the aftermath of painful events and internal trouble the country had gone through. It was in no way the result of a decision duly considered and endorsed by the free will of my people. Earnest appeals keep coming from Greece that I should break silence. I preferred to wait and give time, to public opinion in Greece to take definite shape. “At this time Greece feels the whole weight of the economic crisis that' sweeps over the world, and this notwithstanding the courageous efforts of her statesmen and people to meet it. This is the case not only because Greece has smaller resources when compared with larger and more prosperous countries, but mainly because real unity of purpose and thought which alone can give a nation the highest degreee of prosperity, both in the economic and the intellectual and social spheres, has not yet been achieved. The Greek people, like every people of long-standing tradition, intuitively feel as a whole the dire need of finding shelter behind a constitutional canopy such as the British Constitution has given proof to the world. “My return to Greece will not carry predominance for any single political party or faction. I shall know no victors or vanquished, my duty as a king being uppermost to achieve the advent of national solidarity. This solidarity alone can bring to the country that feeling of confidence which gives a country economic stability, attracts foreign capital, and allows the development of its natural resources. Thus only shall an era of prosperity open for agriculture, trade, and industry. A methodical co-operation between capital and labour must conduce to social welfare, especially in regard to the middle class of the population, the peasants and workmen. Moreover, this will afford the great advantage of protecting this section of the population from subversive ideas which would result in the destruction of free institutions.

“But you must not think that F propose to expound here a political programme. This is tlm business of statesmen, not of a constitutional king. My own duty as constitutional king is to watch over the faithful observance of the Constitution, which will afford the country a guarantee that it will be governed by its most able citizens. Tn mentioning public confidence I mean also international confidence, to which a constitutional king can aptly contribute within the scone of bis constitutional prr rnga tivos. ’ ’