THE POSITION IN GREECE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1916, Page 5

THE POSITION IN GREECE.

HOW NEW ZEALAND GHEEKS VE® IT. (From Our Own Correspondent).Wellington, September 2T< The Greek community in Wellington has been strongly pro-British in ita sentiments and utterances ever euica the outbreak of war. Its members have had several meetings for the purpose of placing their feelings on record, and they, are watching the development of tha political situation in their country with keen interest and not a little anxiety. They have scarcely any more informM tion' than appears in the daily cable*. grams, hut they understand the mo*, uientous character of the struggle that' is taking- place, with. King Constantino on tlie one side and M. Vonizelos on tha, other. "For you British people the issue ok,,' the internal strife in Greece may noti be a matter of very great importance, 1 !; said one Greek resident to your cone*, spoiident to-day. "You will win tha. war any way,'and if Greece does not! iight with you your task is merely pro«' loused a little. But for wo Greeks tha. , issue appears to bo the future of tha, I Hellenic race. If the pro-German elm ment continues to dominato the Govern* mciit of our country, then wo mus*. abandon dreams of greatness, since W«( I will have small claim for consideration when the final settlement is being made* -Look at the map, if you would UJH I derstand the position.! The kingdom ol ■ Greece occupies but a, part of the terri- : tow that is Hellenic by race and tradio tion. Large, portions of Macedonia, ore properlv Greek. The territory thai should be under our flag runs into Albania on the one side and fringes tha. coast right to Constantinople on the .' . other side. The island* of the Aegean i are all Hellenic. "We were able to «h tend our boundaries to include Salonika I and tho neighboring country after tha last Balkan war, when the Serbian* were our allies, and we were permitted by the Allies "to formally annex the native- land of M. Venirelos him* * >clf, early in the p.-esent war. Yet to* day the Greek people are compelled to watch helplessly while the brave Sew hians and the Allies fight for the freedom of the Balkan* "Letters that have reached me show that our people understand tho position very well. They tee our ancient cue? mics pressing itito Hellenic territory, and t'hev know-that the victory of tha Central "rowers, aided by the Turks and the Bulgarians, would mean disaster fon « Greece. " Wo should lose 'Salonika and! the Aegean Islands—possibly more. It would ibe the policy of the Germans to> reward the Bulgais and the Turks at. the expense of Serbia and Greece. Probably Austria would 'realise- her dream of an outlet to tho Mediterranean Salonika. That is why the spirit ol the Hellenic people is rebelling against, tho policy of neutrality imposed by % pro-German, group at the head of affairs. It is true that wo expect the-Allies to, win i« any ease. But if the Greeks have had no part in the victory, how can they hope to realise any of their ambw ■■ tiousf .„ . _ ••What the developments will J» X cannot tell. The cable messages shovf that Greek patriots are refusing lo ha bound by the dictations of the Government; it is raid that M. Ventaolos, « man whom the Greeks trust, is placing himself with the National parly, which. is giving armed support to the Allien. Hut the .-ituation is sad lor a Greek to contemplate. A nation divided against itself cannot act firmly, and time passe* swiftly. 1 do not know. ;$-<»» onlj) hope.''