THE GREEK MONARCHY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22631, 24 July 1935, Page 8

THE GREEK MONARCHY

The ex-King of Greece is claiming a fair amount of prominence at the present time. A few days ago the Rumanian Court pronounced a decree of divorce against him, no opposition being offered by him. And now he is represented as awaiting in London a summons to return to a restored throne. Prior to a general election last month in Greece, when the Government Party under M. Tsaldaris gained a sweeping victory, it had been announced that, whatever the result, a plebiscite would be taken on the question of the restoration of the monarchy. Recent messages have suggested, however, that the public mind has boon considerably exercised over the possibility that the issue may be decided in the meantime in a more dramatic if less constitutional manner by a monarchist coup d’etat. The Mayor of Athens, who is visiting London, has discounted as absurd these rumours, which have included a report that an aeroplane has been engaged to take ex-King George back to Greece at a moment’s notice. But ho is said to have consulted with the j ex-monarch concerning the plebiscite, though to what purpose we are left

iin the dark. It was considered | that the Greek elections in June ; would constitute for all practical purposes a plebiscite on the question of the monarchy. The party of General Metaxas, the Royalist Union, gained only seven seats, but, according to one estimate, about 20 per cent, of the total votes cast. The decision of the old Republican parties to boycott the elections may have affected the position in some small degree. Obviously an all-important consideration as regards the prospects tor the j monarchy is the attitude of the Greek Government, headed by M. Tsaldaris, leader of the Popular Party, This party is royalist in theory, but has recognised the Republican regime. It was reported that after the June elections General Kondylis, Deputy Premier and Minister of War, when asked by an interviewer whether the results were to be regarded as against the out-and-out monarchist party of j General Metaxas or against restoration, replied emphatically “Against the party.” A few weeks later General Kondylis, though ‘uncompromisingly Republican in the past, made a bold pronouncement in favour of a return to. the monarchy, and repeated it subsequently in the Assembly. Within the last few days, according to messages from Athens, M. Tsaldaris has reconstructed his Cabinet, eliminating Ministers who have -pronounced themselves publicly in favour either of the monarchy or the Republic with the exception of General Kondylis, and declaring that the new Ministry will remain neutral till the plebiscite is taken. But the exception made in the case of General Kondylis is naturally regarded by monarchists with considerable satisfaction. According to General Metaxas, the only difference between the Royalist Party and the Govern'rnent Party has been that the former has made restoration its policy in a straight-forward manner. All the Government candidates at the elections, Ministers included, made promise, he declared, of a restoration of the monarchy. However that may be, the Tsaldaris Government has not chosen to regard the election vote as a plebiscite bearing on the restoration issue, and apparently intends to go through the procedure of securing a more definite verdict from the people. But the fact that General Kondylis, now an avowed Royalist, and recognised as the most influential member of the Cabinet, remains a member of the Government clearly possesses significance. The Greek monarchists may be justified in regarding as bright the prospects for the return of George II to the throne which he lost twelve years ago. On the other hand the abstentions from voting in June were considerable, aot so in Athens, and the suggestion, whatever it may be worth, has been made that the Mayor of Athens has been informing the ex-King that his chances in the plebiscite are poor. The position is certainly not free from obscurity.