The Dominion WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1920 THE VENIZELIST DEFEAT

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 45, 17 November 1920, Page 6

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1920 THE VENIZELIST DEFEAT

The outcome of. the elections in Greece reported to-day, in some detail, is unfortunate lor that country, and at the same time is far from improving the international outlook. On the figures given, the defeat of M. Venizelos and his party is not overwhelming—iti is .stated that about ICO of his supporters have been returned, and tho strength of tho Greek Chamber is now I)32—bub it is apparently decisive for the time being, and the Government; has alrcadv announced that it will vacate office without waiting for the opening of the new Chamber. It) is a startling victory of reaction over the spirit of progrcs.to Venizelos is the well-tried champion of democratic and constitutional rule in Greece; He ia at the same - time the one Greek statlesman who has shown himself capable of leading his country forward on lines of progress, which promise; or promised, to revive (something of its ancient glories. It is a national tragedy that such a man should bo cast aside and supplanted by obscure time-servers, whoso one positive aim seems to bo tho restoration of the discredited Oonstantine, and it may well be believed that "tho Gounarists are bewildered at their unexpected success." Had they retained the upper hand during the Great War, Greece would, have joined Bulgaria in degrading vassalage to Germany, and as a Greek writer observed recently, would have descended tfhe last steps of defeat and dishonour. It is due to the indomitable courage with which M. Venizelos pursued an enlightened policy that she was not only preserved from this miserable fate, bub was enabled to double her population and territory by the redemption of her kinsfolk from tho Turkish yoke. 1 The record of the Gounarists is. plainly written From the outset they have striven by every device of intrigue and conspiracy, and. on occasion by violating the Greek constitution, to destroy the statesman by whom these things were accomplished, and it is self-evident that in every attack on Venizelos they were undermining the welfare of the Greek nation.

Tho result? of the elections is only to be accounted fcuc on the assumption that tho moral fibre of the nation has weakened dangerously in the stress of after-war 'conditions. In the campaign of vituperation which was directed agaimit Venizelos in his own country before tho election, his enemies had little to say about his policy in its' broad aspects and results. _ Thfey relied largely upon an insidious appeal to • popular discontent, occasioned by war burdens and economic dislocation, and strovo to revive and fan tho hatreds engendered in tho internal struggle which ended in tho expulsion of Constantine. Cheap sneers at Venizelist idealism, and poisonous suggestions, that it was a disguise covering unworthy designs were their customary weapons. Any statesman concentrating wholeheartedly in difficult tiir.es on tho task of building a great future for his country is of necessity more or ■less exposed to such attacks, and it may bo true, a's one of to-day's cablegrams suggests, that in their policy and actions, some of the colleagues and associates of Venizelos fell considerably short of the standards set by their leader. In this respect, the lengthy absence of Ai. Venizelos on his mission to Paris— an absence lengthened b$ tt;e despicable attempt made upon his life by partisans of the ex-King—seems to have involved unfortunate consequents. Ho has made it fully evident, however, that he is as sincerely bent on furthering internal reform and development as on crowning tho great work of. national expansion which will give him a permanent place .in history. National issues apart, his expulsion from officc at this stage threatens seriously ■to complicate international problems which are already of a grave aspect. So long as they were taking effective action against the Turkish insurgents under Mustapha Iveiial, the Greek forces in Asia Minor were ►assisting to suppress an upheaval which threatens, unless it is dealt with, to spread widely throughout the Moslem world. It is already re- : ported that disaffection amongst the Greek troops has enabled Mustapha Kemal to launch an offensive 4in which he has obtained a measure of success. Hopes of an improvement in this state of affairs are nbt brightened by the rejection of the one statesman in Greece who has worked heart and soul with the Allies in establishing world peace! In the adjustment of- affairs in the Balkans also, and amongst the smaller countries of Central Europe, the loss of tho wise initiative in which M. Venizelos _ lias never been found wanting, is greatly to be deplored. More than o.nce in his career, M. Venizf.i.os has returned to office in strengthened authority after such a check as he has now suffered, but his defeat at the present juncture Is none the less a serious misfortune for bis own country and for all that are labouring to re-establish settled peace.