GREECE'S PECULIAR POSITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3260, 6 September 1916, Page 16

GREECE'S PECULIAR POSITION.

A REVOLUTION,

Many and varied have been the reports from and about Greece which have been received during the week, el crisis having arisen through" Rumania having* cast in her lot with the Entente Powers. Wo were told that the Neutral Ministry having taken no notice of the suggestion of M. Venizelos to take immediate action, he and the Liberals, would support them. M. Zaimis. the Premier, had resigned. It was reported that the pro-German members of theGeneral Staff had either resigned or been replaced by General Moschopoulis, the new Chief of the Staff, with pro-Entente officers. It was reported that the AntiVenizelists had no thought ~cf anything but the securing of his extermination, and would welcome Bulgars or Turks provided either would help them to attain their end. It was said a plot was planned that Greece should join the Bulgarians when Salonika was encircled and massacre the Vcnizelist leaders.

King Constantine of Greece was first reported to have fled from Athens, taking refuge with 300 German Uhlans waiting at Larissa. .Following this came the report that the King had abdicated after having telegraphed to the Kaiser that it was impossible to hold the country, and had appointed as regent the Crown Prince George, now 26 years of age. The report was denied by the Greek Minister in London, and no confirmation of the report was obtainable.

King Constantino's position was no doubt a trying one. He was taken ill somewhat suddenly (the Dutch press unkindly suggesting his illness was a diplomatic fiction due to the failure of the plot mentioned above); but as against this it was reported the King had to undergo a slight operation-, and it was reported on Friday that there had been a rise in his temperature, and he was confined to bed.

Meantime there were continuous proEntente demonstrations in Athens. There followed an address by M. Vonizelos, the ex-Premier, who charged King Constantino with violating the Constitution and thwarting the popular will. He boldly condemned the King's policy, declaring that King Constantino was the victim of ill-informed militarists, also of his own admiration for Germany, through whose victory he hoped to weaken the Constitution and concentrate all power in the monarhy. A deputation was appointed to wait on the King and present him with an address, hut the King's illness prevented his receiving the deputation. According to the Athens correspondent of a London paper, the paper to be presented is the most remarkable document ever offered to a sovereign. One paragraph says: "Oh I King, you have become a victim to your natural human weakness. Accustomed to admire everything German, you believed in a German victory, and dosired to concentrate in your own handa after the victory all governmental power." The deputation subsequently waited on M. Zaimis and handed him a copy of the document and also a against King Constantino's refusal to receive them. M. Zaimis begged the deoutation to defer further action, assuring them that the question agitating them would soon be cleared "PA REVOLT. A Committee of National Defence was formed at Salonika, with a colonel of artillery, a colonel of cavalry, and a Venizclist deputy as leaders. The committee distributed long proclamation _ addressed to the Greek people t>nd army, pointing out that the present state of affairs lasted long enough, and that the surrender of the Greek forts in Eastern Macedonia was a grievous misdeed on the part of the King and the Government. Tho proclamation added t "The time has come for Greece to place herself on tho Entente's side. The Entente Powers have always been Greece's friends." Tho proclamations wero frankly revolutionary, as they urged the Greek soldiers not to pay any attention to orders from. Athens, but to ally themselves with tho Entente, and assist in driving tho Bulgara off Greek soil. During Wednesday night, _ according tp Mr Ward Price, tho Macedonian troops who had joined the Committee of Do* feneo in defying the Athens authorities,' suddenly attacked the barracks at Salonika, tho garrison of which refused to join the separatists. Thero was a brisk rifle fire fo* five minutes across the parade ground. ap4 then tho attackers practically ceased flrtf until daybreak, when a, strong force of French, with guns, hurried to the barracks. Meanwhile the Maocdoniann were lying on

the pavement on one side of tho parade grounds, and the garrison behind the wall of a fruit garden on the opposite side. A section of the garrison once end avoured to como out to secure supplies, b. t the men were driven back with loss of life. A few men and a body of civilian volunteers had reinforced the Macedonians during the night, but they were not strong enough to seizo tho barracks. When 1000 French troops assembled Zimbreakakis and other leaders of tho Committee of National Dofenco allowed General Sarrail to control tho situation. General Sarrail, in tho morning, arrived on tho parade ground, when 50 Greek officers commanding tho Royalist forces camo out without their swords and met him. They announced that they were prepared to surrender to the Allies, but not to Greek adversaries. General Sarrail repligd that a state of warfare in a town which is the base headquarters could not be permitted to continue. Ho laid down certain conditions, which tho officers accepted—namely; They will remain prisoners until it is decided what further should bo done. The officers are confined in a buildingon tho parade ground. Tho men paraded without arms, and their colonel inspected them and shook hands with every man. In a speech of farewell he urged them to maintain strict discipline and implicitly to obey tho French. They then marched fo tho French camp at Zlctonlick under French officers, _ where they will remain until a further decision has boen arrived at. General Sarrail now explains the action of the French troops. Ho says: "Martial law has boen proclaimed in Salonika, and I intend to see that order is Last night shots were exchanged, resulting in people being killed and wounded; therefore the French troops were ordered to intervene and restore order." Tho Committee of National Defence are exerting their authority in a determined manner. They have forbidden all Greeks between the ages of 19 and < 45 to leave Macedonia. They arc mobilising the class 1915, men of 21 years, including Mohammedans and Jews, whom the Government had exempted, a few of whom presented themselves. The gendarmes are arresting absentees. The revolutionary commandant at Salonika has authorised soldiers and officers to wear a blue and armlet, which is the badge of the revolution, and those not wearing it will be considered as reactionaries, and will be arrested. Any soldier not in sympathy with the revolution may apply for a permit to remain in residence, otherwise ho will bo arrested. The revolutionaries have sent detachments to Voclena (45 miles west of Salonika) and other towns to encourage the enrolment of volunteers, and many are joining, even from old Greece. The Petit Parisien's Salonika correspondent states that the National Committeo of Defence have been proclaimed as a Provincial Government in Macedonia. All the troops, the gendarmerie, tho cavalry, and the artillery have adhered to the national movement. APPEARANCE OF THE ALLIED FLEET. Twcnty-threo allied warships arrived at Piraeus at noon on Friday, accompanied by transports, from Salonika. The allied squadron includes cruisers and smaller vessels, accompanied by hydroplanes. The squadron, under the command of the French admiral, continues to cruise before Piraeus. No vessel has yet entered the harbour. English newspapers interpret the presence of tho allied warships at Piraeus as an indication that the Allies are weary of tho tergiversations of Athenian politicians, and aro resolved to baffle German intrigues. Two allied warships entered the navy yard at Piraeus, and landing parties seized tho wireless station and four German Levant liners. It is reported that tho Allies demanded tho delivery of 60 suspected Germans. According to the Hcstia, Greek naval officers and men have been recalled from leave. An Anglo-French joint Note presented to tho Greek Government demands the allied control of the Post and Telegraphs, including that of wireless, on the ground that they are used to convey information to the enemy; also the expulsion of enemy agents on tho grounds of bribery and espionage, and the taking of the necessary measures against their Greek accomplices. It is understood that Greece has no objection to tho acceptance of the demands. THE KING GIVES WAY. TO JOIN THE ENTENTE. The Daily Chronicle's Athens correspondent writes: "King Constantine has expressed his belief in the expediency of Greece abandoning her neutrality. Saturday was tho eventful da,y"Tho political situation is moving towards a satisfactory solution. Both sides are taoitly agreed to give support to M. Zaimis's Cabinet, which will ms cease to bo merely an interregnum Cabinet, and become a political Cabinet, enjoying tho full confidence of the Crown and the complete support of the Venizolist party. M. Venizelos, equally with King Con-tantine, approves of the abandonment of neutrality, M. Vcnizoloa desiring the wcliiro of tho country, and thoreforo being prepared to sink self to achieve the realisation of the policy for which he has long been striving. Wo may look before long to see tho last Balkan Stato fighting on tho side of tho Allies. "Moved by _ the prevailing spirit of unrest, tho convicts at the citadel at Salonika mutinied and attacked their warders, but a few rifle shots restored order. "King Constantino gava an audience to tho British Minister on Saturday. The King, who is very ill, has asked to be taken aboard the Royal yacht. "It is understood that the Entente's Note was mainly directed to tho removal of Baron a German propagandist. Associated with him were many who have already departed. The German Minister and Count Mirbach departevi in a motor car. "Tho allied fleet has not blockaded Pirjous; tho sea trade has not been molested. The French flag was hoisted on eight Austro-Gerrnan interned vessels." Tho Daily Telegraph's Athens correspondent cables: "Baron Schlonk is apparently determined to play tho fool. He has not yet left Athens, but has barricaded hi 9 house, where is with 20 bravos and a liberal supply of hand grenades. The German newspapers are preparing

the publio for Greeoe's entry, declaring that King Constantine, in order to prevent civil war, must join the Entente.