The Daily News. TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1917. DEVELOPMENTS IN GREECE.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 July 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, JULY 3, 1917. DEVELOPMENTS IN GREECE.

The deposition of King Constantine and the recall of M. Venizelos to the head of the Greek administration has been speedily followed by a severance of relations with the Central Powers, which, it :s expected, will lead to a declaration of Avar by Germany. At least the Allies will be free from the evcrpresent menace of Greek treachery. Their troops have been withdrawn from Athens, being replaced by a Venizelist regiment, and the way is now cleared for vigorous military operations against the enemv. The Greek Premier has sot .to work in a purposeful and straightforward manner auguring well for the future of Ins country and for the prosecution of the war against the common enemy. Nothing but deep regret can be felt at the woeful waste of time and opportunities over the action of the Allies in not accomplishing long since what has now been done. Constantine, like his tierroan master, ignored the conatitutionul rights of the people, tat M. Venizelos has made it perfectly ,plain to King Alexander that there must ibe no more autocracy and that neither Mimsters nor the Assembly shall be dismissed except on the vote of the peoples' representatives. Xo good purpose will 'be served by attempting to ascertain tJie cause of the Allies failure to decide ©n the action which was eventually taken. They have shown a patience and tolerance towards the treacherous pro-Ger-man ■party in Greece that cannot fail to have affected their prestige, especially as the greater portion of the Greekpopulace were friendly disposed to the Allies and their main object. Moreover the Greeks will gain a- freedom that will be 8, reality and should 'be permanent. V enizelos has always ibeen ready ;uitl willing to stand wp for the constitutional rights of the people and to further the cause of the Allies, , but Constantine practically swept him out of the political arena, and Venizelos was powerless without the aid of the Allies. Moreover he strove hard to preserve peace among the people so as to prevent the situation becoming more complicated, and it was not until all reasonable means failed that be set up a Provisional Government at Salonika and bided his time till the i-emoval of Constantine was accomplished and German intrigues repressed. It lias to ibe remembered that the Greek monarchy occupies a very peculiar position, inasmuch aa it was created ty the co-operation 01 !!us?iii, ;'rr>.af« and Britain, and was

held on condition that the political and constitutional rights of the .people were strictly conserved. When, therefore, Constantino set I,h e constitution at noiujlil liis deposition should have followed, and Serbia would have reaped the (benefit of Greek assistance. That, of course, did not suit Germany, and trouble arose, Coustantine assuming, with German connivance,, the powers of an autocrat. In all probability a revolution would have followed ad not Venizelos firmly refused to couutcnanco such a course, and his intense patriotism was never put to a better purpose. He preferred to hold the Nationalist (party as an embodied menace of revolt in order to prevent Constantino openly joining the Central Powers. It has been of immense advantage to Greece to have such an ardent and far-seeing patriot as Venizelos as a sheet anchor in her time of grave peril. His one aim was to further the 'best interests of his country and he was fully aware that to too successful in his difficult task the help of the Allies was essential. He is fully entitled to be, regarded as the su.iour of his country from a revolution that would have torn it to shreds and hindered the plans of the Allies, whose advice he invariably sought in regulating his action so as to accord with their plans. 3S T o patriotic leader has ever 'been more severely tried than M. Venfzelos and he has emerged from the ordeal with enhanced reputation as a thoroughly reliable and competent statesman. It must have bean intensely galling to him to have to mark time while the Allies vacillated, but his patience and forbearance have borne good fruit and augur well for the future conduct of Greek affairs of State. There are few, if any, statesmen who would have exhibited such remarkable courage, moderation and self control as Venizelos under circumstances which were- provocative of fiery impetuosity. The firon attitude lie has adopted in plainly placing ibefore Alexander the full meaning of a revision of the Constitution is in itself a guarantee for that freedom for which he has ! always striven on behalf of the people. Those who have followed his course of action during the recent troublous time cannot fail to have been struck with his wisdom in steering clear of the many pitfalls in his path. He had the courage to take great risks, tout was careful not to jeopardise the end in view. He was prepared to go to Thessaly, E|pirus, the Aegean and lonian Islands to raise recruits for a- Nationalist ftrnry, but ibowed to the veto of the Allies, and later field his h-wid when the massacres at Athens must have made liis blood boil with a desire for vengeance Me 'has now come into liis own, and Greece may well acclaim him as the greatest patriot in the history of the country. The liberation of Greece means much to the Allies and should have a far-reaching effect in the prosecution of the war.