M. VENIZELOS TAKES THE REINS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20190, 5 July 1928, Page 7

M. VENIZELOS TAKES THE REINS

NEW GREEK CABINET VETERAN POLITICIAN ANNOUNCES HIS COLLEAGUES (By Telegraph—Per Presa Assn.—Copyright ] [ Australian Press Assn. | Received July 4, 5.5 p.m. ATHENS, July 3. The new Cabinet is as follows: Prime Minister, M. Venizelos. Foreign Affairs, M. Carpands (served diplomatically in. London, Rome and Paris). Interior, M. Savitzanos (cx-Spcak-er). War, M. Sofoulis (late Speaker and ex-Premier). Marine, General Argiropoulos (exForeign Minister in the Kondylis Government). Finance, M. Maris (late Minister of the Interior). Agriculture, M. Canavos (cx-Min-istei” of Marine). Communications, Dr. Christomanos. Public Assistance, M. EmaUuclides. Justice, M. Trides. National Economy, M. Vourloumis. Education, M. Goutikas (cx-Minister of War). Cabinet will not appear before the Chamber, will be dissolved by decree on Saturday. M. Venizelos will shortly proceed to Salonika. w Fresh risen from the obscurity of his retirement, M. Eleutherios Venizelos, once the most powerful figure in Greek politics, has come again into the concentrated light of the politics of his country, forming a new Greek Ministry to save the country from a military dictatorship. M. Venizelos is a mild-mannered man with kindly blue eyes, which beam through gold-rimmed eye-glasses, successfully camouflaging the fiery and fearless fighter who at one time was as much at home behind a gun as he was upon the public platform. He has, however, been a political rather than a military leader. Prior to the Great War, he had hardly been heard of outside his own country, but during the years almost immediately following he was the bulwark of the Greek nation, though he afterwards entered into a compulsory retirement from which he has only this week issued. Once again he seems determined not to let the hotheads of the nation precipitate the kingdom into a needless turmoil which might result in untold trouble. The national honour, must, however, be upheld, and it will be since it is rest in the safe keeping of M. Venizelos. He first camo into prominence in his own country in 1889, at the time when the King's second son went as High Commissioner to Crete, and the regeneration of that distressful isle commenced. Dr. Sphakianaki refused to assume leadership under the Prince, and M. Venizelos was offered and accepted the post. He served the island with great loyalty until 1909, when he was

invited to go to Athens, and this he did. In 1910 both he and his party were returned with a large majority, which was still further increased at a later election. At one time M. Venizelos held three portfolios. He was Minister of War and of Marine and, in addition, President of the Council. In his latter capacity he showed himself to be a wise and pilidcnt as well as a courteous leader, and up to the time of his retirement some four years ago he was the idol of his party as well as of the people. At one time he was thought to be inimical to the Grecian Royal Family, but he did more to uphold the dignity of that dynasty than did its actual occupants, and had its members paid more attention to his advice theft-* might still have been a King of Greece instead of a Republican form of Government. With tffe danger of a military autocracy in sight, M. Venizelos has once more issued from his retirement to take up the cudgels in defence of democracy.