GREECE AS AN ENEMY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16408, 9 December 1916, Page 8

GREECE AS AN ENEMY

That ( ireece is an enemy as far as its King can make it would appear to be beyond question, yet. there is a strange reluctance on the part of the Allies to deal drastically with its treacherous government. The three Great Powers who guaranteed Greek independence and the Greek constitution are Britain, France, and Russia ; they failed to take the opportunity which was theirs when King Constantine unconstitutionally dismissed M. Venizelos from office and commenced to rule as an unconstitutional autocrat in Prussian fashion. Since that critical period, affairs in Greece have gone, steadily against the Allies, for the Venizelists have been terrorised and discouraged, while the Royalists *' have been strengthened by the indifferent, and have organised the lawless elements under German guidance The recent massacre has followed in natural sequence. An attack of the Greek Army upon the Allies may be expected the. moment it is safe. Mr. Lloyd George can hardly indulge in worse diplomacy or weaker foreign policy than that which is responsible for (he utterly unsatisfactory position at Athens. We are, told that Greece has checked the Balkan plans of the Allies, and we shall be. fortunate if this check is recovered from without very serious difficulties at Salonika.