The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4. THE GREEK MUTINY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 231, 4 November 1909, Page 2

The Daily News THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4. THE GREEK MUTINY.

The situation in Greece is exceedingly interesting. Some weeks ago, at the dictation of the insurgent army ollicers who took up their positions with guns outside Athens, the Prime Minister and House gave way ami required all tiie Royal Princes to retire, temporarily at all events, from their positions in the Army. The success that followed the demands of the Military League, how-

ever, has happily not been repeated when they were imitated by the Navy. The." causes that contributed to the triumph of the military had ceased to operate when Lieutenant Typaldos induced thr more youthful among the naval oiliccis t(. issue an ultimatum to the Government. When the Army put forth the': - demands, unconstitutional and mutinous

a h their conduct nvas, they had practically Ihe whole of the people behind tinm, and llley carried through their atritalion wtih firmness and modcratioi. The country was ripe for a change. Under a regime of political corruption and the maladministration that is bora of self-seeking and the betrayal of national trust, large sums of public money that should have gone to improving and strengthening the Army hd been squandered. Leagues were formed, not alone

of the military, but also of civilians, in every important city, and petitions poured in from all parts to the King. It was the illegal intervention of the Army, however, that precipitated lh.' crisis. ■ The military were smarting under the peremptory tone adopted by Turkey in her eonnmmications respecting the Greek evacuation of Crete, and their indignation, coupled willi the general dissatisfaction of the citizens, Ic.l their officers to request an interview with the Premier. This he refused, and his resignation followed hard upon his refusal. The Army revolted, the Gnveinment fell, and a new Ministry faced the Chamber, which in s'llenee passed those administrative reforms that had bce.i demanded at the point of the bayonet. Throughout the crisis there was Milk' or no hostilitv sbow:i to King George (who is 11 brother of Queen Alexandra* and the members ~f his family, although it was part of the demands of the Military League that all the Royal Princes - should resign their commands; in fact. simultaneously with the popular agila tion for reform, there were several en thnsiastic demonstrations in honor of the Crown Prince. It was. indeed. n«"iiL' to the good sense ami conciliatory policy of the King that the mutineers wev.' .lie to carry through tlieir programme. Ife advised 1 lis- passage of the reform* requested by the League, and he approved the resignation of his sons. A slight had been put upon tlit Royal House, the crnstilutional and liiwfullv appointed Government had been ovithrmvn. and mi'itary rule had. tempo-r-ivily at least, usurped that of Parliv nifut. Obviously matters could not red where they were. The resentment of the more powerful European monarchies, to whom the Royal Family of Greece are related by ties of kinship and marriage, and the unrest and apprehension that followed on the coup d'etat, have, brought about a situation ominous of danger not to the Throne but to tin.Military League, who have insulted the Throne. The Great Powers are ranged solidly behind King George and the present Royal dynasty, while England. France. Russia, and Italy are reported to have gone as far as to intimate to tin League (hat they will intervene if furt'jier forcible anti-Government or antidynastic measures are attempted. It ma*' have been this warning, or it may lave been the instinct of self-preservation that threw the inllnence and services of I lie Military League on (ho side of the constituted authorities when Lieutenant Typaldos sought to open rcliellion to compel the Government to grant the concessions lie and his supporters asked few The mutiny ended disastrously. After seizing four delrnycrs and a cruiser, and taking brief possession of the powder magazines and naval stores at Leros and Kyra, the lunliiniers were bombarded from the shore and compelled to aVcindon their spoil. Tlieir defeat and flight proved even more pitiable and le«s heroic than those which befell the Russian Black Sea mutineers, to whom th",y have been compared, of a few year's s nee. On reaching dry land, whatever of dignity an,! principle mav have ennobled their cause was discarded in favir of wanton acts of brigandage. These proved as useless as the r were desperate, and the majority of the rebels arc now under arrest. The outcome, it is raid, mav he n military dictatorship, bill a dictatorship controlled and directed by he Government. The Military League took grave risks both to their leaders and to the co.lnlrv when |!,..,. s „, )sti . tuted government hv to;,-,, for »„,•*,-„. uieiit bv the .accredited of the neoplo. and. Ihou-h immediatcl.snceessfnli,, the necomnlishnicnf of 11 "I'iccfs. it is doubtful whether thcT yi-' tory has not been too ,]carly ]nmh .,, ol]