The Galician Retreat: Greece and the War

The Galician Retreat— Greece and the War

BY DR. JOSEPH M. TANNER

The Great Military Drive

The greatest operation or drive in war that the world has ever witnessed has recently been enacted in one of the provinces of Austria known as Galicia. The combined armies of the Ger- mans and Austrians in a struggle fierce beyond all description drove the Russians step by step out of this Polish province and undid the work of the Russian army so brilliantly accomplished over a period of more than six months. What is the meaning of this drive?

First, it demonstrates the overwhelming superiority of the German munitions of war. Second, That armies cannot fight as they have formerly done to any advantage, at great distances from the base of their sup- plies that a compact army in a compact country is the army most ;

likely to win out. Third, that the Austrians themselves are no match, single- handed, for the Russians. No country in the present war has such numerous difhc-" " :

to overcome as Russia, from the fact that the base of Russian sup- plies is so far from the recent scenes of her engagements. Russia needs more ammunition and better artillery. All that will come to her. If the drive is continued until Russia is forced back more into the interior of her country, she may be in a position that will make it impossible even for the allied armies of Germany and Austria to withstand her. In the present war, the most interest- ing thing is to be found in the fact that it is the unexpected that — we may always be looking for. Think of it the modern rifle put out of date by the Maxim gun that can send a hundred messengers of death while the most up-to-date rifle is sending out a single bullet. These new rapid-fire guns are reduced in size and weight to meet the needs of infantry on their march, as they are said to be little heavier than the modern rifle. If the rifle must go, with it must go a large part of infantry tactics, and the nations are now awaiting a new era in the military powers of the world. The present tactics of the great war are transforming the

old methods of fighting into something entirely new, something that military men hardly dreamed of.

The Greeks and the War

The recent course of diplomacy in Greece has been one of the most readable chapters in the stirring events of Europe. The question is often asked, Will Greece enter the war? The decision of that country, in the matter of casting its lot with the warring factions of Europe, has really rested with one of the most — remarkable women in Europe Queen Sophia, sister of the Ger- man emperor, and the granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She has succeeded in staying the hand of Venezelos, the most dis- tinguished statesman of Greece today, a statesman who stands well in comparison with the great men of that continent. She is the wife of King Constantine, whose father's tragic death at Salonika put him on the throne. He had never been popular in Greece, and at one time was banished. He was without any fi- nancial support, and was on the eve of joining the Russian army when Venezelos, the great Greek patriot, recalled him to Greece and re-established him in his rights to the throne, and his place in the Greek army. During the recent Balkan war, the prince distin- guished himself for gallantry, and the willingness of the Greek people to reconcile themselves to his rule has made his life and that of his wife more agreeable to them at Athens. During the hours of his misfortune there was a separation between him and Sophia, and she seems, in her marriage to him, to have had more consideration for the exalted rank he occupied than for the com- panionship of a man who in most things, if not all, was her inferior. When the recent European war broke out, the majority of the Greeks were in favor of the Allies. Venezelos planned to put an army in the field at the time that the siege of the Dardanelles began. For the declaration of war, it was necessary for King Constantine to sign the order. His hand, however, was staved, notwithstanding the clamor in Athens for it. Behind him there — was a restraining influence which he could not brook the influ- — ence of a strong-minded, dominating personality Queen Sophia. She was always ready to take issue not only on great questions, but with great personages. She quarreled with her brother, the emperor, and for years they were not on speaking terms. She was the controlling factor in the social life of the ruling dynasty at Athens. One need not wonder at the remarkable persistency and ability of that woman when it is recalled that she is the daughter of the empress dowager of Germany, and the grand- daughter of one of the most remarkable women of England, Queen Victoria. Her mother, in the days of Bismarck, when his

star was in the ascendency, was often said to be his greatest rival in the exercise of the diplomatic functions belonging to the Ger- man empire. Recently, conditions have changed in Greece. Venezelos ap- pealed to the people in an election to contest the wish of the elec- torate as to whether Greece should go to war. The great premier was successful. That has put the queen beneath the shadow of pronounced public expression. At the same time, the announce- ment comes to us that the king has just undergone an operation that endangers his life. Chances of recovery are against him, and even should he recover, it is said that he will not be in a condition to reassume the duties and responsibilities of a king, that it will be necessary to appoint his son George, regent, at Athens. George was trained in the military regime of Potsdam. He belonged to the youthful military aristocracy of Berlin. In spite of this fact, he is not friendly to his uncle, the emperor. He is pro-Russian and pro-English in his views, as well as in his diplomacy. He is, therefore, in direct antagonism with his mother, and these two strong characters are now in hostile attitude toward each other. With them, the king of Greece does not count. The king is dom- inated by his wife, and opposed by his son. In the midst of all this domestic contention and rivalry, no wonder the world is curi- ous about Greece.

CUFF DWELLINGS IN RUINS