Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER l3th 1916 GREECE FOR THE ALLIES?

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1916, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. AND BRUNNERTON ADVOCATE. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER l3th 1916 GREECE FOR THE ALLIES?

i'HF. resignation of the Zainiis Cabinet should go a long* way towards evolving order out of chaos iind contusion in Greece, which nation, we are informed to-day, has accepted the demands made to it by the Entente. So the horizon o T ows stendilv darker for the '['.niton-., who played for higu stakes in the Balkans and lost. The intervention of Hcmmaivin upset their calculations and brought the collapse of the conspiracy which has been in active operation against the Allies m Uj'Cece for several months past. One cannot help thinking, as a «writer in Hie Gisborne Herald pointvout, how differently things might have turned out had the Germans succeeded in breaking tlivongh the French defences at Verdun. The heroic resistance made hv- our brave Allies at this spot will in days lo come be counted as one of the deciding points of the war. The AuslroGermans round the constantly in-n-easing force of- the Allies at 'Salonika uas a threat on I heir ',,,;,-,• which could not be ignored. I The'.Central Empires had either. |to contain that force or by winding over the Greeks paralyse it •as it striking force. If the blow i against Verdun was ■> snccesstul before conditions were feasible in jthe' Balkans for troop movements [the neutrals would be properly „ impressed and act accordingly .Success at Verdun meant a .quick smash at'Russia directly weather I \

conditions permitted. • The Germans 11 ever doubt eel such a smash J would he successful. They, like * everyone else, even the best in-

formed among' the experts, believed that Russia would not be ready ami properly equipped until very late in the year. Germany jplayed for tremendous stakes at Verdun and the desperation of her onset was governed by the desperation of her case. Success ami the beginning of further successes 'againsfc Tlussin would probably bring boili Greece and Itonmania io liei' aid. 'I lie pmi tieal .si t u:i i ii>ll demanded a striking success and I In 1 Germany Relieved (luil France might make peace if she lfcist Verdun. Thev i \ pec led A'erdun to lie la.ken before the wearlur was favorable

j'di a move against Russia., 'ine gamble fuiled. Germany after ' three or four months id' fruitless effort, ami incaliMilable losses ; found herself tied to Verdun. Guns and men could not be with- . drawn in sufficient numbers to , take Ihe offensive against Russia. , Tlie Anglo-Kroneli offensive on ; the Somme opened, and the t situation been me more hazardous. 1 Roumaiiin saw this, and when her A rulers had become thoroughly as- , surer! thai, victory must go to the < Allies they brought (heir power- s fill forces into the conflict. Mean- : lime Greece had been obstructing * the Allies at Salonika by every , means in the power of the proGerman militarists who controlled the destinies of that nation. First , (here was the danger that I InGreek army would be set against the Franco-British forces to ad- 1 minister a stab in the back and i cut oft' their retreat by means of. ' the sea. The presence of British * warships off the coast, demon- , strafing the vulnerability of ; Athens and other Greet: cities. '

and an occasional suspense- of: Greek shipping trade, threatening; the country with starvation, brought the rulers to their bearings and compelled a less militant oolicy, but Iving Constantine and his pro-German Premier and militarists appear to have played their cards well. The army was demobilised and apparently allowed to run down into a condition requiring much equipment before it can again be regarded as efficient. The Jiulgars were allowed entry into Greek territory and to assume possession oi' some seventeen forts, crowded with munitions and military supplies. 'Hie promised elections which would have enabled the people to clion.se a Parliament that would represent them fairly were postponed, and finally the nominated government which has been carrying- on l lie affairs of the.country under the dictatorship of the lung Weill !o pieces. lung Constantine had a "diplomatic" illness. Tin.' ivsuJl was the selling up of a provisional government in Macedonia, a rebellion at Salonika, and the Allied landing at

Piraeus. The upshot has been the resignation of the Government, gnd, most remarkable of all, the admission by M. Zirirais that Greece must join the Allies. This is bowing to the inevitable with a vengeance. But above the present chaos and uncertainty looms the figure of M". Veni;:elos, who has dared to indict the. king upon charges of treachery Inwards national interests. II must be Yenizelos or Constantine now, and the fact that the King has gone lo lied and the mischievous Germans are fleeing' from Athens goes to show that it will be Veniy.elos. The hitter has declared that Greece will pull herself together and intervene immediately, and an appeal has been made td the people to rally round the National cause. Further developments in Greek affairs should cpiiio quickly, and we may safely anticipate that M. Venizelos'

prognostications will be realised and that the nation will come out boldly on the side of the Allies, lint, thanks to the treachery of Constaniine, the Entente Powers will probably have to find much equipment before the Greek army

is tit for service in the field, as also funds to refill a depleted Treasury: Ft will be noted that, according to to-day's cables, the Entente has agreed to do this.