M. VENEZELOS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 72, 24 November 1915, Page 4

M. VENEZELOS.

A correspondent of the London Times contributes an interesting account of the part played by M. Yenezelos in Greek affairs, but concludes his article with a note of warning concerning the attitude of King Constantine. It was at the moment of the accession of M. Yenezelos to power,”' he says, “that I was enabled to gain an insight into the views of the Greek Royal Family. Recognition that Yenezelos' had saved the country and the dynasty hardly availed to neutralise their apprehension lost a politician of alleged Republican leanings should betiaj th dynasty, or, at least, lest the Grown should suffer an irreparable diminutio capitis by entrusting him with power. I cited the example of Crispi and 6f many another Italian ex-Republioar who had done notable service tp. the House of Savoy; but the conversation left upoiuny mind an abiding impres sion to the difficulties that may ep countered even by upright and phtrio tic statesmen in the service of tin Crown, when their political theories cannot be compressed beforehand i»t< orthodox monarchical formulae.” The correspondent, at the time of writing did not look at all hopefully at th position. “On the outbreak of the European war,” he says, “Yenezelo; saw that the welfare of the Balkan* in general, and of Greece in particular was bound up with the triumph o f the Allies; and, last March, he sought to, seize the occasion afforded by thf operations in the Dardanelles to link the fortunes of Greece definitely with those of England. France and Russia. His Sovereign differed from him at the critical moment, and he was compelled to abandon office. Pressure o 1 public' opinion alone prevented him from retiring altogether from public life. M. Gounaris, who succeeded him, dissolved Parliament and, adopted a policy of temporising neutrality, under which German influences and intrigue gained the upper hand at Athens. Nevertheless, in June, when elections ffor a new Chamber could: nc. lon gey be postponed, the country he!turned a majority of Venezelisis, with iiwhosp support their leader resumed office, in, August. Though the* situation wa s appfjrbhtly * compromised beyond redress., IM. Yenezelos adhered tenaciously to his convictions, and promptly. mobilised the GtAek • array on the morrow of the Bulgarian mobilisation. The landing of Allied troops at Salonika in support of Greece and Serbia seemed to have set the seal of sue cess upon his courageous policy. Yet once again, his Sovereign, who is a brotherdn-law of the German Emperor, withdrew Royal sanction and left him no choice but to resign. The sequel, which cannot now he long delayed, may-show whether his patriotic efforts are destined to remain solely ak arp,isolated episode in modern Greek liistorf to remind future generations of Hellenes what their country flight have been.”