CONSTANTINE'S ABDICATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1726, 16 June 1917, Page 2

CONSTANTINE'S ABDICATION.

THE new “King of the Hellenes,” Alexandres, as he is called in Greece, is the second son of Constantine, having been born on August Ist, 1893, and is therefore nearly 24 years of age. He is three years younger than the Crown Prince George. The new king is not married. Tin* Greek Constitution requires that within two mouths of his accession the sovereign must convoke (he Single Chamber, which shares the legislative power with the king. Since Greece became an independent kingdom under the protection of Britain, Prance, and Russia, by the convention of March 7th, 1832, she has lost three successive sovereigns from causes other than the natural order of succession. The lirst, Prince Otto, of Bavaria, who was antagonistic to the national desire for constitutional rule throughout his reign of 21) years, was deposed by revolution. He was succeeded by the Danish Prince George, a brother of Queen Alexandra, whose wise and liberal rule for nearly 50 years was closed by the hand of a maniac assassin in Salonika on March 18th, 1913. He was succeeded by the Crown Prince Constantine, and in his turn the latter has been forced to abdicate by the accumulation of circumstances arising from causes analogous to the despotic instincts which deprived King Otto of the throne. Constantine was born on August 3rd, 1808, and married in 1889 to Sophia, sister of the Kaiser. Prom the outbreak of war the attitude of Greece was benevolent to the allies. In September the Prime Minister, M. Venizelos, intimated to Britain and Prance that, should the necessity arise, they might count on tho certain assistance of his country. But, swayed by his relationship with Germany, the King insisted on neutrality, and in March, 1915, he forced Venizelos to resign by withholding his support at a ‘moment when the Greek statesman- would have definitely linked the fortunes of Greece with those of the Entente. German inlluences and intrigues quickly gained the upper hand in Athens, but the country retained its confidence in Venizelos, and as a result of the elections he returned to office in August. He tenaciously adhered to his determination that Greece should not be false to her treaty obligations towards Servia, and a majority of the Chamber supported his policy. The landing oQßritish and French troops early in October at Salonika on their way to help Servia seemed to have set the seal of success upon his courageous policy. But once again Constantine withheld his sanction, and he had no choice but to resign. Since then there Ims been no constitutional Government in Greece, Though Allied demands have forced frequent changes, the Ministry has always been either directly proGerman in sympathy or sufficiently dominated by the Court party to secure the maintenance of that “neutrally,” which was actually hostile to the protecting Powers and their allies, and willing to sacrifice Greek interests to the service of the Kaiser. The surrender of Port Rupel on May 2(ilh, 1919 to Bulgaria, the hereditary enemy of Greece, an act' in which (he Athens Government connived, stirred the national patriotism to its depths. A revolutionary movement was inaugurated in' Salonika, and in September M. Venizelos formed the Provisional Government which has become the centre of Greek nationalism. Por a long time, he hoped to win Constantine to a realisation of his errors, but lately even Venizelos has declared that Constantine must leav/i (he throne. Cnder the Royal protection German intrigues has flourished, and Greece has been a menace to the rear of General Sarraifs army. Drastic measures were taken by the Allies —the Greek fleet was seized, (he army was ordered to withdraw to the Peloponnesus, and a blockade was established. The events on December Ist proved that treachery to the allies only awaited opportunity for its expression and the freedom with which Greek officers organised bands of irregulars against Sarraifs communications showed that the Palace still looked for a German victory and watched Berlin for guidance in its policy..