THE GREEK CRISIS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17281, 23 September 1916, Page 8

THE GREEK CRISIS.

Onb of tho correspondents in Athens, discussing the amazing crisis, declares that' the fate of the monarchy depends on tho decision of Britain. The reader whoso notions of modern Greek history are hazy.will probably bo puzzled by the events that are now occurring, but when tho whole episode is reviewed calmly by future chroniclers, in the light of all tho facts, there will bo uo room for doubt as to the basis of tho Allied interference in tho internal affairs of Greece. King Constantino owes his throne to Britain, Franco and Russia, and the Powers that gave him that throne may take it away. Their approval, in fact if not in theory, was necessary beforo a constitution could bo drawn up for the country, and they are still, as they were then, the protectors of the nation. They have the right to challenge the interpretation placed on the constitution by the King, and it is on that right that their intervention is based. It was to tho "Throe Protecting Powers" that Greece owed her freedom in 1827. "It was the three Powers who offered tho throne of Greece," writes Professor Burrows, an eminent authority on Greek affairs, " first in 1830 to Princo Leopold of Saxo Coburg, then in 1832 to Prince Otho of Bavaria, and it was by a treaty between them and the King of Denmark that King Constantino's father received tho throne in 1863. Nor has this protection been limited to isolated acts of king-making. Moro than once during the reign of Otho England used all her influence on the side of freedom, and ' Constitution Square,' which faces tho Royal Palace in the centre of Athens, records tho bloodless revolution of Septomber, 1843, when Lord Aberdeen and Sir E. Lyons gained for Greece her first Constitution." With tho fall of Otho in 1862 the people, by plebiscite, decided almost unanimously to have tho Duke of Edinburgh for their king. This remarkable expression of Greek gratitude seems to have embarrassed tho British Government, for it had no desire to be involved directly in the dynastic problems of Europe, but a substitute was found from the royal house of Denmark. That was how George of Denmark camo to ascend tho throno ot Greece. He was to bo a constitutional monarch, and tho now Constitution was drawn on the model of the British Constitution. That was tho intention of the Protecting Powers. " What wo have a right to demand," Professor Burrows says, "is that this Constitution shall be maintained, in the spirit as well as in tho letter. It is difficult to express on paper our limited monarchy, and an Article of the Greek Constitution, which gives the King the power of choosing and dismissing his Ministers, has been interpreted by King Constantino in a way that was never meant either by us, when wo gave the Constitution, or by his father, when he received it." That Greece has been governed in defiance of the Constitution is obvious, and yet tho Allies maintained an attitude of exemplary patience. They stood by whilo the Greek King and tho Greek Government permitted German agents to stir up agitations against the Allies. They did not interfere, although those agents persuaded the Government to discriminate against the Allies in important particulars. It is not generally known that tor more than three weeks after the Jutland battle not a single newspaper from Allied countries was allowed to enter Greece. The German claims in regard to that battle wore distributed broadcast and were given a free run, while the only British news that got through was the original pessimistic communique, subsequent cable messages being subjected to censorship. This was obviously part of a deliborate plot to persuade the Greeks that the Allies had suffered a grave defeat. But tho whole course of Greek policy was really hostile to the Allies, tho failure to prevent' the supplying of German and Austrian submarines being only one example of its operation. Tho crisis is, however, approaching a solution, and the messages imply that if Britain decides for drastic action King Constantino will be deposed. Russia has stated that she leaves the question to tho decision of her Allies, and Franco, presumably, prefers tho removal of the pro-Gorman monarch. The revolutionary movement is spreading. Crete, as a whole, has joined it. As yet it lacks the direct approval of tho Allies, but their pronouncement cannot be long delayed, and if it is against Constantino no power will be able to save the throne for him.