King Country Chronicle. Saturday, August 25, 1928. GREECE’S GRAND OLD MAN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXII, Issue 2619, 25 August 1928, Page 4

King Country Chronicle. Saturday, August 25, 1928. GREECE’S GRAND OLD MAN.

One of the most interesting figures in modern history is M. Venizelos, the Greek statesman, soldier, and scholar, who has been elected Premier of the Greek Republic by an enormous majority. The late President Wilson of the United States said that M. Venizelos was one of the greatest statesmen of the day, but he has not fared well at the hands of the unstable people of his country. It was M. Venizelos who was responsible for the organising of the Balkan alliance to stem the tide of Turkish aggression; he remodelled the Greek Army enabling, it to take a -brilliant part in the campaign of 1912-13. As President of the Council of Ministers he was mainly responsible for roads being formed throughout the country, shipping increased under his administration, and public finances placed on a vastly better footing. It was owing to M. Venizelos’ influence that Greece was prevented from coming under German dominance in the Great War. King Constantini was proGerman, but the personality of M. Venizelos prevented Greece taking up arms against the Allies. . Owing to this breach between the King and himself, M. Venizelos resigned office, but after the deposition of King Constantini in 1917 M. Venizelos again returned to power, but was defeated in 1920, and it was considered that he had given up politics for good. The call of country has been too strong for this patriotic statesman, though he has no cause to be pleased at the treatment he has received from his own countrymen. On more than one occasion he has been mobbed in the streets and his house assailed by the tools of his political opponents, but when his country wanted him he has always been ready. Greece has suffered through want of political stability the last fourteen years, and other countries keep clear of her through this. M. Venizelos played an important part in European history during the war of 1914-18, for it was due to his efforts that Greece was prevented fighting against the Allies. He is the only man that can ensure economic stability to his country, but the Greek people are a very uncertain quantity politically, and the new Premier may be sacrificed again to unsound principles.