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GREEK POLITICAL SITUATION REVIEWED

NO WRITER ATTRIBUTED

eager to promote the current of indignation. Venizelos was to blame for everything of course. If he should be overthrown, demobilization would be ordered at once, the cost of living would be reduced, domestic misrule would be abolished, and the golden era would begin. The vanity of such promises is too evident already.

IV. Together with all these elements went a strong sentimental attachment of a large part of the peasantry to their "god parent", the King who had gained their love in the Balkan wars, increased by the indignant memory of the fact that justly or unjustly this king had been ousted by the help of foreign forces.

Liberal Return Likely

The opposition to Venizelos in Greece is a conglomerate of interests which in their notorious lack of leadership rallied to the exiled king as the only person sufficiently powerful to be their chief. They have no other common policy, nor common interest, except their discontent with Venizelos. As many as sixteen leaders signed the manifesto denouncing the conduct of the Liberal party of Venizelos. During the campaign and after their victory disagreement has risen among them more than once. Two cabinets had to resign, unable to cope with the situation. The present one, under D. Gunaris, is a mosaic of forces whose tendency is towards discerption rather than stability. It is a question of how long this artificial alliance can last. After all this internal cause is by far a worse enemy for the powers that be in Greece than the pressure exercised by the Allied Governments. On the other hand the Liberal party under Venizelos even if it be reduced to less than one third of the membership in the parliament, is a solid party with a definite aim, and under a tried leader. Territorially they not only represent districts that have gone entirely Venizelist such as Epirus, Thrace, Crete and the Aegean Islands but also a strong minority throughout old Greece especially the labor elements of the cities notwithstanding their failure to elect their candidates. If it comes to a parliamentary impasse which necessitates new elections it will be no surprise to see the Liberals in saddle again with a strong following. The old Athenians sent Cleon to Sphacteria acting is a moment of disastrous humor. It is a whim that brings Constantine back to the throne. But neither the Athenians doubted then Pericles' greatness and Cleon's smallness nor are the modern Greeks ignorant of Venizelos' genius. Pericles was dead when Cleon raved. But Venizelos is still living and New Greece is with him.

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