GREECE AND TURKEY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 25 May 1923, Page 4

GREECE AND TURKEY.

General Pangalos, Commander-in-Chief in Thrace of the Greek Army, has given a picture of the preparedness of his forces reminiscent of the "Down to tbe last gaiter button" of the French generals on the eve of the Franco-Prussian war. For some time he has been rattling the sword, and as far back as last January he declared that bis army was now reorganised and ready to avenge the disaster of August. 1922, when tbe Greek front collapsed in Asia Minor. This bellicose attitude caused the French Minister at Athens to pay a formal visit to _I. Alexandria, the (ireek Minister of Foreign Affairs, and he warned him against any renewal of hostilities in Western Thrace. At that time General Pangalos claimed that he had under him 100,000 men. perfectly equipped and ready for action, nnd he said that Greece bad imported _00,000 lilies and 500 guns. The Revolutionary (iovernment in Greece is in reality nothing less than a 'military despotism. It has established ' a censorship that extends even to pri!vate letters. Out of twenty-six daily papers published in Athens before the revolution, only ten are now in existence, and these ten confine themselves to publishing official communications, making up the balance of their pages by printing other fiction in the form of serial stories. The Government itself is under the iron heel of the Revolutionary Committee, and this committee in turn is dominated by Colonel Plastiras. who came to power as the result of promising his countrymen to save Eastern Thrace. Neither the Government nor the Committee can in any way claim to represent Greek opinion, and the bulk of tbe people desire nothing more than a good meal, a warm blanket, and a solid roof. With a bank I nipt treasury, an exchange that stands! at .00 drachmas to tlie pound sterling, all loans refused, and over a million starving refugees. Greece is in no position tb wage another war with any prospect, of success. Nor is Turkey in much better case. A strong party lias arisen in favour of peace and the reduction of the terms of military service, and (his party has gained such a large measure of ! popular support that it is known as the People's party. Tbe financial situation in Turkey is critical, and tlie whole of the Chester project, by which Hie Angora Government hones to obtain American capital in return for oil and other concession . would be imperilled by another war. It is possible, however, that the j known weakness of both side- may in j itself precipitate a conflict, especially j as the Greek Revolutionary Committee j stands pledged to rehabilitate the fallen j military fortune- .it" Greece. It is certain, however, that the Powers wil! do their utmost fo prevent sue!* -i disaster.;