GREECE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1916, Page 5

GREECE

A DOUBLE-HEADED STATE. REMOVING A fiTAIN. VENIZELOS' DETERMINAIIOy. Received Oct. in, 10 p.m. London, Oct. U. • ?' r ' PriC( , who is ftt Salonika, interviewed M. Venizelos, who stated ■that Hie Provisional Government will collect and raise and equip troops. Tlie kingdom of Greece had not ceased to exist, It was still a democratic state with a King at its head, hut there were twe Governments, whereof the provisional one was supported By the majority of tha people. Speaking to M. Venizelos in Septembar, 1915, King Constantine said: "In international relations 1 consider mvself alone responsible." SI. Venizelos replied: "You are enunciating the doctrine of the divine right of kings.'' M. Venizelos continued: 'This lies at tlie root of the 'King's attitude. He regards the kingdom of Greece as his own personal property. As a result we tore up tlhe treaty with Serbia and lost touch with our old friends, England, France, and Russia, and our hereditary enemies invaded Greece. ''We intend to establish ourselves at Salonika and exercise the functions of a duly-constituted Government and use th< name of the kingdom of Greece in our writing. Gradually what authority remain* at Athens' will melt away.' Meanwhile we desire to fight on the Jdo of the Allies and help fcerbia, and so remove that stain upon our honor. Later we may issue a loan,. We have cot yet asked recognition by the Powers, hut I cannot see why that requisition should be withheld." MOBILISATION* SHORTLY TO BE DECLARED. Received Oct. 13, 1.1 p.m. Athens, Oct, 13. ■M. Venizelos announces that lie will shortly declare the mobilisation of the islands and othei areas adtierins to the Defence Committee. ALLIES STRONG MEASURES. London, Oct. 12, T:m Athens correspondent of the Morning Post states that the Entente Powers are taking strong measures against the Hellenic Government. Admiral Du Fournet proceeded to Athens and, in the name of the Allies' demanded the surrender of the torpedo flotilla, the disarmament of the, large ships and shore batteries, also the transfer of tili Pirac.us-Larissa railway, the policing of the Piraeus harbor and the Salamis arsenal. The Government handed its formal acquiescence to the British Legation. Other Athens messages state that the ultimatum was due, to the necessity of securing the safety of the Allied fleet in view of the activity of the pro-Ger-man societies in Greece. The forts the surrender of which were required, commanded the moorings of the French and British fieeis.