M. Venizelos Explains The part which M. Venizelos took in
the Greek revolt has hitherto been obscure. He has now explained his attitude in a statement to Athenian journalists which we should like to think has been mis-reported. He is alleged to have said that though at first he refused the leadership of the rebels, he told them that he was with them in spirit. This appears to mean that he sanctioned the revolt. He goes on to suggest that he will not accept the defeat of his party, and is actually prepared for a situation in which " we shall be at civil war for another half-century." We are not prepared to accept this, without confirmation, as the unqualified statement of so liberal-minded a politician as M. Venizelos. We should expect him rather to act in the spirit which led him to call off the revolt at the end, when it might still have been prolonged in Crete ; and to urge his followers in Greece to make their peace with the authorities, and to restrict themselves to con- stitutional and peaceful propaganda.
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