KING'S COLD STARE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11729, 20 June 1916, Page 4

KING'S COLD STARE.

M. VENEZELOS BACK. ATHENS EXCITEMENTS. Mr J. M. N. Jeffries, writing from Athens, on April 14, says:—TJu' great event of tho first fortnight of April in Athens has been the return to action of the Vcnezelist party. This retunv "-'lnch, of course, lias been nil intended, started most appropriately on the day of the Greek national feast, April 7 in our calendar. On that day the Te Deum was sung in the cathedral in tho presence of tho King and the Royal Family. The scene was striking enough. Never perhaps have so many opposing forces in direct conflict been gathered so closely together as in the small sanctuary of that church. On one side wero tho diplomatists of the Allies, clad in all their civil of tho huraauer world—and the British military attache, unobtrusive in our simple khaki; while immediately beside them was an absolute phalanx of Germans and Austrians, all their Ministers, secretaries, and so-called commercial adjuncts, steel-helmeted, spurred and belted. Facing these, a few paces away on the other side of the chancel, was M. Vcnefcelns. wearing tho blue ribbon of the Order which entitled him to be present. Ho was standing a little aloof, pale but looking firmly at. tho opposing ranks before him. Only the .Archbishop's throne divided him from an op-pressed-looking group of Ministers—M. Goimaris, M. Skouloudis, and the rest. THE KING'S STONY GAZE. Between tho two ranks, with tho Quean beside him, stood the King, as pale as M. Venczelos, his gaze as fixed. The two never looked at each other. 'The King gazed fixedly at the altar, a tall, erect figure, his head square and abrupt, like the head of a hammer. None could find much religious significance in the scene. All parties stood as if at some formal presentation before tho battle. .«.,..' j. The tension in tho air found its outlet presently when the le Deum was ended. Tho King drove off followed by tho cheers which are never warning when he passes and proves his popularity. But the cheers when M. Venezelos's carriage appeared coming up Hermes Street, leading from the csuhedral to the Palaco Square, turned mto a roar. The noise rose and spread to the people, on the balconies and terraces all around. The police then grew angry —one wonders why—and began to seize and struggle with the demonstrators. * There was a, wild scuffle at one corner of tho street, and, seeing a carriage wherein were officers, several Venezelists rushed to it, begging protection. One man had had his hand cut open with a sable stroke. With the passage of M. Venezelos's carriage; the tumult subsided. At the corner or Bucarest Street some soldiers unwittingly barred the progress of the carriage, which was followed by a crowd of running people. Bystanders and followers turned -to the soldiers and cried, " Why are you stopping the carriage of the saviour of Greece?" Abashed/ the soldiers let the carriage pass. SOLDIERS' CHEERS. Before M. Venezelos's house, which is near this point, many people were waiting, but the police prevented' a real crowd from forming. I myself saw soldiers arrested and rapidly led off merely for crying '•'Long live Venezelos I One officer was doing nothing but watch for these soldiers and motion them into the hands of the police. The most arbitrary idea of the liberty of soldiers prevails here/ They seem, to be regarded, in the German fashion, as packanimals without a right to a political opinion. It is clear from all these events that M. Vtnezelos's popularity and ascendancy are as great as ever, and flint he is. the one statesman the Greeks lelieve in and' honour. Further proof ef this was given by the great meeting held in the Municipal-Theatre last Sunday. The theatre was filled in even; tier, though the police made entry difficult, actually searching entrants for arms. As an example of their methods, a barber who had his razors in his pocket was not allowed to take them into the building with him. When M. Venezelos's name was first pronounced from tho stage there was wave after wave of cheering. The speakers stigmatised as fatal the meaningless policy of the Government, one saying that M. Skouloudis applied the term "benevolent neutrality" to Greece as parents give grandiloquent names to children who never afterwards do anything in life. Each reference to France brought a round" of cheers, and a hum of agreement followed the speaker's bitter comment that as a result of the present policy tho only countries that now loved Greece were Turkey and Bulgaria. GREECE'S REAL PLACE. " Our place." this speaker added, " is by the side of fhe really Great Powers —England and France." (Loud cheers and er:es of "Down with Schenk!" tho German bribery agent <ifc Athens.) When the speeches were over the crowd dispersed in an orderly way, in (pite of tho provocation of the military forces. I do not think > there is any doubt that M. Venezclos will finally carry the country. But he cannot come quickly back to power. If, supposing that the present Cabinet were removed, that an intermediate Cabinet such as that .of M. Zaimis were to have its turn, that tho King finally became reconciled—if M. Venezclos were actually in power and all had gone for the best, even then he would be only at the beginning of lib difficulties. Greece is not what she was in Jauuary, 1910. The country's governmental machine, has been thrown out of order, its finances are exhausted, its army is not in the condition it was in. Besides, the country at large, having experienced two wars, is naturally not burning to engage in a third "without a marked preponderance of numbers in its favour. I