WHY GREECE HESITATES.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 329, 5 November 1915, Page 7

WHY GREECE HESITATES.

WANTS A CERTAINTY. FEFECTS OF HUN PROPAGANDA. Greece’s view of the war and her disposition to take part in the great conflict are the subject of a tetter from an Athens correspondent, who, in writing to a London paper last month, «•'•!<! that the people of Greece were by j means entirely convinced of the certainty of a victory of the Allies over the Central Powers and Turkey. ‘ ‘ The military achievements of the Austro-German armies/’ he says, “look rather formidable when viewed from this neutral distance, and the possibility of a dash through Serbia or Roumania, thus creating an unbroken line from, Berlin through Vienna and Buda Pesth to Constantinople, is one which must necessarily excite the gravest misgivings in the minds of patriotic Greeks. “In some circles, therefore, it is gued that Greece would be running very great risks in taking sides against the Germanic Powers and Turkey, who, after their successes in other directions, and after establishing their supremacy ever the remainder of tin Balkan Peninsula, would probably turn j and crush the Hellenic kingdom. At such moments, when the Greek regards the prospect of German, Austrian, . Hungarian, and Turkish I hordes sweeping through the neighbouring States/ England and France and Russia seem very far ,away indeed, and the persistent efforts made in Greece to magnify German successes add to the reluctance to intervene in the struggle of giant's.

"If this feeling in Greece, which can also be found in other small neutr-, countries, were fully understood by the Allies, and not ignored as one of the unpleasant factors of the general situation, and if a clearer perception© of this frame of mind had existed at the beginning of the year, the mistakes of the Dardanelles operations might well have been avoided. Venizolos’ Great Feat.

"The doubts which exist regarding the outcome of the war are very largely due to the organised German propoganda carried on so thoroughly . since the beginning of the conflict to influence Greek public opinion. This propaganda is similar to that conducted in America, in Holland, in the Scandinavian countries, and elsewhere. There are some features of it especially adapted to Greek conditions. Contemplating the effort put forth to inspire public opinion, it is wonderful that M. Yenizelos, standing for a policy that is almost openly anti-Turkish and antiGerman, should have been able at the' recent elections to obtain such a huge majority in' the Chamber of Deputies. For German propaganda has been more discreet in these climes, and the blatant blunders perpetrated in America and Holland seem to have been avoided here. Respect for England. "The great sympathy for England has been a most important factor m counteracting German machinations. Every Greek is taught as a child to respect the part played by English sympathisers in the struggle in which Greece threw off the Turkish yoxe. But the bonds of friendship created by the century-old sympathy have been weakened in some degree by certain events which occurred in 1897. In the early part of that year, when Greece was on the verge of declaring war against Turkey in connection with the Cretan troubles, there was a remarkable demonstaration of sympathy wit*i Greece on the part of a number of British public men. A message of sympathy and support, signed by members of Parliament and other prominent men, was sent from London to Athens,

and a very general impression was thereby created that if Greece went to war with Turkey she would have the actual as well as the moral support of Great Britain.

"That expectation, created by the well-meant but unhappy protestations of phil-Hellenic English radicals, was disappointed, and in many circles in Greece England came to be regarded ■'- perhdous Albion, The memory of that period, which is near enough to be fresh in the minds of many Greeks

who lived through the bitterness of the crushing defeat inflicted on their country by Turkey in 1897, has been very cleverly exploited by German propagandists in recent months; unscrupulously, of course, since England cannot be held responsible for the eirors of a few sentimentalists, but none the less effectively. Looking for a Reward. “It has been suggested that Eng- , kind is not reliable, and that the firsr declarations made by Mr. Asquith and other British statesmen, that there will be no peace until Germany is utterly crushed, do not r.eeessa.iiiv mean j that they will be fulfilled. It has I been argued that England, after lurin Greece into a. campaign against Turkey and the Germanic Powers, may unexpected, if events shape themselves unfavourably, to leave her Greek allies in the birch. All this cleverly circulated talk has had a certain effect. The great majority of the Greek nation sympathise with the Allies, and anticipate a substantial gain to the cause of pan-Hellenism from their ultimate victory over the Germanic Powers and Turkey. “But even with this prevailing sympathy, which has defied all German a■tempts to undermine it, and with this expectation of actual gain to Greece, the uppermost feeling at the present moment is rather one of cautious reserve. There is no desire anywhere for rash adventures. Greece must be sur.of incurring no loss, and equally sure of reaping substantial rewards before her armies will take the field against Turkey. ’ /