On Thursday week the Allies• delivered their ultimatum to Greece.
It expired at 3 p.m. on the next day. It demanded the withdrawal of the. Greek troops from Thessaly, and the transfer of a fixed proportion of them to the Peloponnesn. Allied military patrols were to be established throughout-Greece. Refusal to comply with this order was to be regarded as a hostile act. The Ministers of the Allies were already on board ships of war at the Piraeus, when the ultimatum was delivered. As we have said, the King promised to comply, and the transfer of troops to positions where they cannot threaten the Allies' position at Salotula is being carried out. The ultimatum .also demanded reparation for the recent attacks upon the Allied troops and upon Venizelists. The blockade will not be relaxed till reparation has been made. In yielding to the ultimatum the Athenian Government described itself, in language only too familiar, as being " desirous of giving once more a manifest proof of the sentiments of sincere friendship -which have never ceased to animate it towards the Entente Powers." The art of " dissembling their love" has been brought to a high pitch by King Constantine and his' professorial Prime Minister, but for the peculiar form it took of " kicking downstairs " the small Allied detachments on December 1st the penalty has yet to be paid.
Previous page
