The Otago Witness. (WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1916.) THE WEEK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3260, 6 September 1916, Page 37

The Otago Witness.

(WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 1916.) THE WEEK.

WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE SOUTHERN" MEROUEX.

"Nunquam allutl natura, allud sapicntia dixit.** —JI'VEXAL. "Good nature and good sense must ever join."— PorE.

The Situation Irt the Balkans.

Matters are moving apace in ttte Balkans } following hard upon Rumania’s dramatic entrance upon the field of-war comes the welcome news that King Constantine has at length consented to Greece’s abandonment of her so-called neutrality and to her joining the armies of the Allies in the campaign, against the Central Empires. This constitutes the triumph of M. Venizelos, the friend of the Allies and the great states man who ever since the outbreak of the war has lent the whole weight of his influence and the full force of his energy to bringing about this much-to-be-desired consummation. When the bombardment of the Dardanelles was undertaken by the Anglo-French fleet. M. Venizelos deemed that the moment had come for the intervention of Greece on the side of the Allies, and in January, 1915, he drew up for King Constantine’s consideration two memoranda in which he set forth the necessity for Greek action, lie was above all anxious to persuade Rumania to follow a similar line of policy, and thus further an ultimate co-operation in which the Christian Balkan States would share. It was Rumania’s decision to declare war which has given M. Venizelos the lever he required to force King Constantine s decision; and it is the abandonment by both Rumania and Greece of their neutral attitude which invites the conclusion that Bulgaria may shortly sue for a separate peace in order to avert what otherwise may prove the disappearance of Ferdi- , naiid’s kingdom as a separate State. A * reference to the memoranda prepared by M. Venizelos at the beginning of last year reveals clearly the motives which lie behind the King’s decision, besides affording some insight as to the lines along which the ultimate Balkan settlement is likely to proceed. M. Venizelos represented to King Constantine that Greece was called upon to take part in the war, “ not only in order to perform a moral duty, but in exchange for compensation, which, when realised, would make Greece great and powerful to a degree, that the greatest optimists could not have contemplated a few years ago.” This great

Greek statesman pointed out—what has since been sadly realised—that if the Austro-German combination were permitted to crush Serbia, Bulgaria, on Austria's invitation, would occupy Macedonia, and Salonika itself would be threatened. He therefore urged the importance of securing the co-operation 01 Rumania, and if possible of Bulgaria also, even although the latter should involve material concessions such, for instance, as the sacrifice of Kavala. "Unfortunately, M. Veiii/elos added, "Bulgarian greed is such that it is by no means certain that any concessions, however large, would satisfy Bulgaria and induce her co-opera-tion ; but at least we ought to ensure the co-operation of Rumania, for without her our entry into the conflict would be too perilous."

Pawns in the Game of War.

The importance of pawns is universally acknowledged by experienced chess players ; indeed, it is usually by the manipulation of the pawns that the ultimate check-mate is secured. Germanv must by this, lime have gi\en up all "hope of winning the war game; but for some time past she has been skilfully manipulating the pawns, especially in the region of the Balkans. But the pawn game has now turned distinctly m favour of the Allies. When in January, 1915 Greece, at M. Venizelos s suggestion, approached Rumania with a proposal for common action in favour of berma, the reply returned by the Rumanian Government was to decline military cooperation unless Bulgaria would take part. The subsequent alliance entered into _by Bulgaria with the Central Empires furnished Rumania with sufficient pretext Vo maintain her neutrality, obviously with Vhe ultimate intention of casting in her iot with the forces most likely to be victorious in the war. For quite frankly the motives moving the Balkan States to action are purely and primarily motives of self-interest; nor have the Powers the right to expect anything else. The severe reverses recently suffered by the Central Empires in the East, coupled with the improving prospects opening up before the Allies in the West, have pressed down the balances and thrown the weight of Rumania definitely on the side of the Allies. This has given M. Yemze.os the opportunity of taking the first steps towards the realisation of his great dream the vision which he has ever kept before his eyes all through the vicissitudes of a chequered public career, to save a great proportion of the Hellenism now under Turkish sway, and to create a great and powerful Greece. In his second memorandum to King Constantine, M. Venizelos makes references to “the concessions in Asia Minor about which Sir Edward Grey lias made overtures to us,” and which “ may assume such proportions that a territory as large as, and no less rich than, Greece will he added to ns, already doubled as we have been by two victorious wars.” Coming down to details, M. Venizelos adds:—“l believe that if we were to ask for that part of Asia Minor which is situated west of a line starting from Cape Phineka in the south, and following the mountains of Al-Dag, RistetDag, Rarli-Dag, Anama-Dag as far as Sultan-Dag, and thence by Keser-Dag, Tourman-Dag, Ghesil-Dag, DumanitzaDag, Olympus-Musicus ending at Kaz-Dag in the Gulf of Adramyti—in the event of an outlet in the Sea of' Marmora not being granted to us—there would be every probability of our demand being accepted; the extent of this territory exceeds 125,000 square kilometres; it is thus the same size as Greece doubled by the Avars.”

The Hellenism of Asia Minor.

Thus slowly but surely the Kaiser’s mad dream of a great German Empire to absorb within its borders the whole of Asia Minor is vanishing " from view ; and in its stead is to be seen the kernel of what under the wise guidance and careful counsels of M. Vdhizelos may develop into a new and great Grecian Empire. “ Mow can we let slip this opportunity,” cries this great Greek patriot, “ which Divine Providence has given us to realise our most daring national ideals, to create a Greece enfolding almost all the lands where Hellenism reigned supreme during its long history, a Greece comprising very fertile territories which would ensure our preponderance in the iEgean Sea.” To which is added the following prophetic utterance : “ The course of events and the proposal that has been made us to hand over to us large territorial concessions in Asia Minor proves to me undoubtedly that the vitality shown by new Greece has won the confidence of certain Powers who consider her an important factor for reform in the East, while the Turkish Empire is crumbling away. The support of those Powers will provide us with all the financial and diplomatic means necessary to cops with the inherent difficulties of so sudden a growth. Confident in this support Greece can follow boldly the new and wonderful paths opening out before her.” Unhappily for himself and for his country King Constantine, who in January, 1915, "agreed with the foresight of his then Prime Minister, refused a month later to follow' him in his magnificent conception of a new and greater Greece, and thus opened the way to what has since proved to be a veritable sea of troubles. Now when the people were on the verge of a revolution and rumours of abdication were filling the air, King Constantine has reluctantly and tardily assented to M. Venizelos’s original proposal. To-day he will remember with regret the closing sentence of his then Prime Minister’s second memorandum, and in his sickness he will recall the words:—“Happily Your Majesty is in the prime of life not only to create a Greater Greece by your sword, but also to consolidate this military exploit by a perfect political reorganisation of the new Btate, and to band over to your heir when the time shall come, a finished work, of super-

human greatness, and such that it has been given few princes to accomplish."

After a week's experience of the "antishouting" legislation hotelkecpers in the city aro convinced that the new law operates very seriously against them in the matter of takings over the bar. It is too early yet to make a definite statement as to the extent of the fulling-off in trade, but the downward tendency is undoubted. Suburban hotelkecpers are of the same opinion, and commercial travellers who came into town at the week-end report that in the country hotels a similar fctate of affairs exists.

Unpleasant interviews with the police are in store for men who neglect to accept the advice given in regard to enrolment or reporting a change of address under the Military Service Act. For their own protection, it is suggested to Reservists that they should apply promptly to the Government Statistician for certificates of enrolment, for which purpose forms of application aro obtainable at any post office. These certificates will only bo issued on application. Employers will have an interest in such certificates, because the employment of non-enrolled men or deserters 13 prohibited. The production of a certificate is a guarantee to an employer that the Reservist has a right to work for him. Mr A. Marshall (director of King Edward Technical College) has received a letter from the Secretary of the Marine and Inspection of Machinery Department with reference to the question of attendance at engineering classes in Technical Schools being recognised as qualifying service for certificates of exemption from examination as third-class engineer. The writer states that as the chief examiner of engineers, who visited and examined the schools, has reported that he considers that two thirds of the day students' time should count as qualifying attendance up to a maximum of two years, and for night students four months' time for every year they attend the evening classes, with a maximum time of one year for such students, the Minister of Marino has approved of such attendance at the classes counting as qualifying for the exemption certificates mentioned.

A Press Association telegram from Napier states that the waterside workers at that port on Monday morning refused for two hours and a-half to accept work offered by Messrs Richardson and Co., their grievance being that they should all have a turn at the work of unloading the Tongariro at 10s per hour and 15s per hour overtime. In the end the men accepted work. Three boats were affected.

Dr Marshall, professor of geology in the University of Ota go, has been offered, and has accepted, appointment to the position of head master of tho Wanganui Collegiate School, of which he was .formerly himself a pupil. He. will take up his new duties in the beginning of the year, and, with this in view, his resignation chair in the University will bo submitted to the council at its next meeting. Irrespective of the valuable services which ho has rendered as a member of the teaching staff of the local University College, Dr Marshall will bo greatly missed in Dunedin as ho has been a very active force in tho public life of tho community, and has ungrudgingly exercised his abilities in the support of every effort that has, in his judgment, been directed to promote the progress and welfare of the district, of the State, and of the Empire. At Papakaio on Monday Constable Palmer arrested a young woman on a charge of the theft of a gold ring, valued at £lO 10s, the property of Mrs Grier, Railway Hotel, Kurow. She was brought before Mr George Brownlee, J.P., in the Oama.ru Court in the afternoon, and (says the Mail) remanded to appear before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, bail being iixed herself in £2O and one surety of £2O.

A shipping arrival at Auckland on Wednesday was the Union Company's large cargo steamer Waikawa, which came from San Francisco direct after an uneventful voyage of 21 days 17 hours (says the New Zealand Herald). The Waikawa is making her second visit to the port in the Pacific Slope trade. The vessel was formerly known as the Sehlesien, wa« owned by the North German Lloyd Steamship Company-. The first conviction under the new War Regulations relating to the social evil was recorded in Wellington on Wednesday, a woman being sentenced to two months' imprisonment on a charge of having loitered in a public place for an immoral purpose. The powers possessed by the police under the regulations are much wider than the powers provided under the old law, and tho Dominion states that steps arc being taken with the object of "cleaning up" Wellington, in tho interests of soldiers and civilians alike. Probate of the will of the late Mr Martin Kennedy was granted at Wellington on Thursday (says tho Post). Tho executors are his daughters—Anastasia Christina Kennedy, Agnes Ann Kennedy,—with Charles Pcrrin Skerrett (of Wellington) and A. A. Corrigan (of Wellington, merchant). The deceased bequeaths the sum of £IOOO to the Home of Compassion at island Jiay, founded by Mother Mary Joseph Aubert, .and the following amounts per annum for 30 years to the institutions and objects named:—

£SO, Magdala Asylum, Christchurch; £SO, St. Vincent do Paul Society, Wellington, " in aid of the. charitable purposes of such society"; £25, building fund of the Wellington Roman Catholic Cathedral, "when the same shall bo built for tho celebration

of masses for the repose of souls of myself and my wife and any members of my family who shall bo dead "; £23 for masses for himself and wife and family at the Basilica, Hill street; £25 to tho Church of St. Mary of the Angels for tho same purpose; £SO to the superioress of the Convent of Mercy, Hill street, for tho education of deserving poor pupils; £25 to the Catholic Orphanage at Upper Tlutt, " upon the condition that such orphanage shall comply the jon dition expressed in the will of my wife that such orphanage should at all times, if required so to do, maintain at least two destitute children from the Home of Compassion founded by the Rev. Mother Mary Joseph Aubert" The management of deceased's Tikitapu Estate is loft in the control of the trustees on behalf of the beneficiaries under tho will. Other beneficiaries binder the will are members of the family.