“GREECE IS BANKRUPT.”

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 114, 16 May 1916, Page 4

“GREECE IS BANKRUPT.”

Greece is bankrupt! No one who has followed Greek politics since the war commenced will be at all surprised. The surprise is that she has been able to keep her entire forces mobilised up to the present time without encountering difficulty. In financial quarters Greece’s bankruptcy has been expected, and it was predicted that the Greek Government would very soon have to decide between Germany and her enemies. It was not believed that, with the Greek head held in “chancery” by the Allies, the Kaiser could come to Constantine’s financial assistance. Greece seemg now to have no choice left but to join with the Allies

in prosecuting a vigorous clear-up. Preparations for this appear to be going forward; all opposition to the transport of Serbian troops over Greek railways has been withdrawn, and the great Greek patriot, Venezelos, has once more become a member of the Hellenic Parliament, having been elected thereto by Mitylene. The day is at hand when his undoubted statesmanship will be requisitioned, and then matters will progress rapidly. It is hard to believe that the preliminary steps in an advance from Salonika have been taken without a thorough understanding with the Greek Government. The taming of Constanstine is one of the things that Britain and France have been waiting for in the Balkan campaign, and the fact that operations have now commenced is some guarantee that Greece has become amenable to the Allied views. This will remove doubts about Roumania, and it is more than probable that concerted action has already been decided upon. A powerful statesman and patriot like Venezelos cannot long remain in the Greek Parliament without making his power felt, his voice heard, and his abilities sought after, but he will without doubt withhold

his support from any course or movement that is not accompanied with oerfect freedom to carry his views to a definite and final end in assuring the future stability of his country.