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The Hellenic Crisis from the Point of View of Constitutional and International Law
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 May 2017
Extract
We now come to the last part of what one might call the Greek tragedy, which was played in Hellas during the first three years of this world war with such marvelous success under Teutonic guidance. The events of June, 1916, laid bare the whole plot, unmasked the royal actors at Athens, and compelled France and England, the protecting Powers of Greece, at last to take drastic measures.
The surrender of the “key” to Eastern Macedonia (the Roupel fortress) by Constantine to the Germano-Bulgarian forces was rightly considered by the guardians of Greece as a hostile act directed against them, demanding the adoption of appropriate measures for the security of their armies on the Balkan front. Their first measure to this end was the substitution of Allied authorities for those of Greece in the city of Salonika. The second was the refusal by Great Britain to supply coal to Greek ships. The three Entente Powers had previously warned the Greek Government that if it allowed the armies of their enemies to advance freely into Greek territory, such action would lead to serious consequences. Therefore, the Royal Government of Greece, fearing lest the Allies institute repressive measures of a more drastic character, informed the Entente Governments that the further advance of the Bulgarian troops into Greek territory would be prevented.
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- Copyright © American Society of International Law 1918
References
1 See Part IV in this Journal for July, 1918.
2 London Times, June 9, 1916.
3 Statement of Mr. Skouloudis, the Greek Premier, to the Entente Ministers, in London Times, June 10, 1916.
4 British Parliamentary Paper, Miscellaneous No. 27 (1916).
5 British Parliamentary Paper, Miscellaneous No. 27 (1916).
6 This was admitted by Mr. Tsanetouleas, the Minister of Finance in the Cabinet of Prof. Lambros, during the Parliamentary inquiry instituted in Greece in the course of the year 1917. See minutes in Greek National Herald, November 29, 1917.
7 Greek White Book, Document No. 67, Supplement to this Journal for April, 1918, p. 159; also Documents Diplomatiques, Supplément, 1917, No. 33.
8 S. B. Pronotario, The Macedonian Tragedy (in Greek), pp. 26, 27, 28.
9 Ibid., p. 49.
10 The German Minister at Athens, in a note to the Greek Minister under date of August 28, 1916, stated that the Greek troops surrendered voluntarily the forts and Cavalla, as well as the war material. Greek White Book, Doc. No. 68 in Supplement, April, 1918, p. 160.
11 London Times, September 4, 1916, and other London papers of that date. Also Crawfurd Price, Venizelos and the War, pp. 185–186.
12 London Times, September 5, 1916.
13 Ibid., September 11, 1916.
14 Ibid., September 13, 1916.
15 Official report of Mr. Benazet, communicated to the Greek Government by the French Foreign Office on April, 1918, in London Times, April 22, 1918.
16 See notes presented during the months of October and November, 1916, in London Times of October 7, 12, 13, and November 23, 1916.
17 London Times, October 30, and November 20, 1916.
18 Ibid., November 27, 1916.
19 London Times, December 2, 1916.
20 gee details of these events in London Times, December 9, 1916, and other London papers of that date. Also in he Temps, December 19, 1916, Journal des Debats, January 8, 1917, and Revue dcs Deux Mondes, March 1, 1917, in article by L. Maccas.
21 London Times, December 9, 1916.
22 See details in London Daily Telegraph, January 6, 1917, and in New York Times, of same date.
23 Le Temps, December 26, 1916, and Journal des DSbats, January 10, 1917.
24 London Times, December 26, 1916.
25 Router’s dispatch of December 13, 1916, quoted by London Times and other English papers of that date.
26 English text of ultimatum in London Times, December 16, 1916.
27 Ibid., December 18, 1916. See also supplementary note in ibid., December 26, 1916, and other London papers.
28 Ibid., December 22, 1916.
29 London Daily Telegraph, January 2, 1917.
30 This pledge to Constantine was the source of much trouble. It practically insured immunity to Constantine without any benefit to the Allies, for that crafty sovereign while deriving all the advantages accruing to himself, evaded the obligations imposed upon him. It was therefore bitterly criticized by Mr. Venizelos.
31 London Daily Telegraph, January 2, 1917.
32 Ibid., January 12, 1917.
33 Ibid., January 18, 1917.
34 Ibid., January 31, 1917.
35 The guilt of Constantine on this point is established beyond doubt in the deciphered telegrams. Documents Diplomatiques, Supplément, Nos. 61, 67 and 69.
36 London Times, May 1, 1917. See Documents Diplomatiques, Supplément, No. 79, in which ex-Queen Sophie speaks of her conversation by telephone with Falkenhausen who had then gone to Larissa by aeroplane.
37 See details in M. Jonnart en Grèce et abdication de Constantin, by Raymond Recouly.
39 Ibid., p. 116–117; London Times, June 14, 1917.
39 See Part II in this Journal,, April, 1917, and documents in Supplement of this Journal, of April, 1918, pp. 67 et seq.
40 One may, however, mention an exception to this general conduct of the late King of the Hellenes, namely, the conferring by royal decree, of the title of the Duke of Sparta upon the successor to the Greek throne, a proceeding contrary to the express terms of the Greek Constitution by which the conferring of any title is prohibited.