The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1915. DEVELOPMENTS IN GREECE.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 November 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1915. DEVELOPMENTS IN GREECE.

After a brief and inglorious period of office the Zaimis Ministry has been defeated on a vote of no-confidence by 147 to 11(4 votes. The downfall of this Cabinet, which was only a matter of time, for it was out of harmony with the great majority of Greek opinion, appears to have, been brought about by the accidient of a moment, in consequence of a remark made by the Minister of War, M. Yanakitsas, which M. Venizelos considered was an insult to the Chamber. As the Premier supported his colleague, the no-confidence motion was launched and carried, and the Ministry have resigned. Again M. Venizelos is the hero of the hour, and as he has declared that when next he came into office he would make war on 'Bulgaria, there is at least some tangible hope that the Serbo-Greek treaty will be carried out. That the policy of the Zaimis Ministry was opposed to, or as M. Venizelos stated, fatal to the country's interests, cannot be questioned. The King must now face the position, and either bow to the will of the people or suffer the consequences ■of his obstinacy. M. Venizelos has made no secret of his views as to the moral obligation imposed on his country to prevent Bulgarian dominance, or, what is worse, German dominance, and he rightly considers that Greece has everything to gain by the success of the Allies. It is as well that the crisis has come now, for bad it been delayed there was a danger that the landing on and passage of Allied troops through Greek territory might at any moment have led to hostile action, and as time is so precious grievous results might have ensued. The landing of troops at Kavala, which is eighty miles jn a direct line east of Salonika, imposes on the Bulgarians the immediate duty of detaching a force to cover the I roads leading to the Interior, sad It

would alsu lu some extent protect the communications of the Allies army based on Salonika. So long as King ■Constantine'a puppet Ministers controlled the policy of Greece the safety of these communications was far from being assured. It has generally been accepted as an indisputable fact that the sympathies of the Greek nation were overwhelmingly on the side of the majority Premier, M, Venizelos, and it is not unreasonable to assume that the army, being a national one, takes the same view as the people. The whole of the anxiety of the Allies is now centred on the action of the King. Well may he be perplexed, for his policy of .running with the'hare ,infl hunting with the hounds can only lead to disaster. Only this week, the Greek Minister at Rome exposed a long list of falsehoods circulated in Berlin, Vienna, and Sofia with the object of creating an atmosphere of hostility and mistrust in Greece, and well may Greek diplomatists regard this as the gravest hours in Greece's history. Yet this crisis can be easily ended. It was forced on the nation by its ruler, and it is now the duty of the nation to assert its will and protect its honor in regard to treaty obligations with Serbia. King Constantine professed, in a message sent through the Press Agency at Athens, that it was his duty to see that his country was to be preserved from the danger of destruction by entering into a general war, There is a far more potent danger awaiting his country if he persists in his present course, for it will find itself between the hammer and the anvil. The threats of German reprisals if Greece does not obey the will of the Teutonic War Lord may, and should be, treated with the contempt they deserve. The downfall of the minority pro-German Cabinet affords a plausible and forcible reason for the adoption of the policy to which Greece is pledged—the assistance of the Serbians against their invaders. It is difficult to see how King Constants can further withstand the performance of a manifest duty. He may put obstacles in the way of the new Cabinet so as to gain time, but in so doing lie will certainly be courting personal disaster, as well as jeopardising the safety and best interests of the country. The issue is perfectly clear, and the Allies will naturally await with impatience the result of the new developments, for the help of Greece, if promptly given would be a considerable factor in checkmating the' German plans and saving the brave Serbians from the ferocity and barbarism of their Teutonic foes.