GREEK STATESMAN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 93, 19 March 1936, Page 7

GREEK STATESMAN

M. VENIZELOS PASSES. BODY RETURNS TO CRETE. HONOURS FROAI FRANCE. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received March 19, 10.45 a.m. PARIS, Alarch 18. The death lias occurred, at the age of 72, of M. the former Premier of Greece. The body of M. Venizelos will be embalmed and will be taken to Crete on.. March 28. A service will be held m the Greek Church m Paris tlie previous day. The body will be removed to tho Care Du Lyon with military honours, as lie was the possessor of the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. PICTURESQUE CAREER.

M ELeutherios Venizelos, succeeded M. Alexander Zaimis, as Premier of Greece in Julv, 1928, resigning in October, 1932, when M. Tsaldans formed a Coalition Cabinet. He was born in 1864, and in early life practised as a solicitor. He entered ' politics early, and led the “Greek” party in Crete, his native island, and in 1897 he led the Cretan uprising which culminated in tlie removal ot Turkish rule from Crete. He remained in Crete till 1909, when he went to Athens, and was instrumental in the movement which led to the calling of a National Assembly, and lie headed the poll in Athens. He revised the Constitution, reorganised the State services, including the Army and Navy, and by Alay, 1912, had established tlie Balkan League. After the Balkan AVar ot 1912 he led the aggressive Greek policy against Turkey, and in 1914 lie offered the aid of Greece to the Allies, but the then King Constantine opposed any alliance against Germany, and.ill 1915 M. Venizelos temporarily retired from active political life as a member of Parliament. In 1917 the Allies dethroned King Constantine and M. Venizelos became leader of Greece. The Army opposed him, and he dismissed 1800 officers. He obtained excellent results for Greece at the conclusion of peace, and yet at the next election his party was severely defeated at the polls, an incident typical of Greece for centuries. Constantine returned as King and M. Arenizelos went to live abroad aiid married for the second time while in England. He reappeared in politics in Greece in December, 1923, and was elected President of the Assembly and formed a Cabinet, but the Republican Party, under AL. Papanastasion, seized power and established a republic. M. Venizelos went into voluntary exile and did not reappear in politics till Alay, 1927. During the rising in Crete last year Al. Venizelos played ft leading part and subsequently fled to France, remaining there despite being accorded a pardon.