GREECE'S DILEMMA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 66, 18 March 1915, Page 4

GREECE'S DILEMMA.

The Cabinet crisis at Athens has apparently done little to solre the awkward problem which tihe Crake have had to face >ever since the war began. The instincts and sympathies *>f the whole nation urge them to eife with the Servlaim, to whom they are aIKeS; and more especially since Turkey intervened, Greece has had a very eubstantial reaeon for Tanging herself on the side cbf England -and K.ranec.- But King Conetantuie ie etfll subject, to strong German influences, and the one fact that the Qireen Of Greece is sister of the Kaiser is enough t-o account for the reluctance of tire rulers of Greece to cast in their lot with the enemire of Germany. Yet co fix as can be judged, M. Venizelce. who has just resigned tuie Premiership, has bh* great macs of the people behind hini in fiis dreire to co-operate with the Allies, and there eeeme t>6 be no doubt that the Allies on their sidft have offered Greece substantial recomp-enee for any help that she is prepared to give them. It is easy to understand that the Greeks have been so far deterred from helping .Servia by tho ■ attitude of Bulgaria;-! Fot Serviais separated from Greece by .a. broad expanse of Bulgarian and on tJie whole the sympathies of the Bulgarian Government still eeem to tend toward Austria and Germany. • But since the Allies began their attack on the Dardanelles the situation has altered; for it is clear that the French and British warships could easily convoy a large body of Greek troops to assist in an attack on Constantinople without crossing the Bulgarian frontier. And the Allies are evidently anxious to secure assistance from Greece; for, according to M. Venizelos, they have actually offered the Greeks the rich province of - Smyrna, in Asia Minor, in return for an expeditionary force of 50,000 men. But the King of Greece and his advisers have refused the offer, apparently because they arc doubtful of the strength of the Allies, and they are still spellbound by the legends of Germany's omnipotence. This incident is in itself enough to show how thoroughly the smaller Powers have been hypnotised by the Kaiser and how difficult it is io break down the tradition of Germany's invincible strength. For it is obvious that the possession of Smyrna, one of the finest ports and largest trade centres in Asia Minor, along with the rich hinterland, would give Greece a commanding position such as she has not enjoyed among the States of Europe since Constantinople fell nearly five centuries ago. It is hard to believe that the Greek nation will allow the king to east aside such an opportunity ns this. But if the offer of the Allies is rejected, Greece, like Italy, may yet find, when the final settlement comes, tli?,t her excessive caution and her anxiety to secure herself against all conceivable risks has ruined her, prospects of expaneion' and aggrandisement for many years to come.