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Monday, September 29, 2008

King Constantine gives final interview as king




September 26, 1922 (delayed). 


"On the eve of the crisis confronting him, King Constantine of the Hellenes met with an Associated Press reporter. The King was joined by Queen Sophie and other members of the royal family in the garden in their summer palace at Tatoi. Queen Sophie and the other ladies were knitting, and Crown Prince George "stood apart, clear pre-occupied, and talking with officers" who had brought in dispatches "disclosing the fast-developing situation."

 The interview with the king took place only several hours before his abdication. Constantine "spoke rapidly, in English." The reporter found it difficult to ask the king if he were pro-German or would abdicate. The king himself "helped the interview along by asking questions himself." 

The King wondered: "Is America and the outside world really interested in me and why? I was driven from my throne by the powers and then recalled by my own people. Yes, all but 10,000 of those who voted asked me to come back and I came." He added: "until my people revoke that summons I shall abide with them, fighting their cause and suffering with them if need be."

 Constantine acknowledged that if the Greeks told him: "Now go, we have had enough of you," he would abide by that request. "Does the world know that the Allies are still at war with Turkey? For peace was never signed with the Ottoman empire. We went on with the war as one of the Allies, and mind you we went on alone under the mandate of the powers." There appears to be a tone of bitterness as the king continued: "Our valiant army fought on terrific odds and under disheartening conditions." He said that he could not see how the interests of Europe would see the advantage "of allowing the Turks to occupy both sides of the Dardanelles and the Bosporus. History speaks for itself. Will the Turks, excited by victory and by flattering treatment from the powers, be any different in the future, and will the neutrality of the Dardanelles, and the safety of Europe, be assured thereby?" 

The king did not think so. "What about the 200,000 Christians who have perished or been massacred in Asia Minor by the Turks? No punishment, but a reward, banded out graciously to their war-time enemy. Europe is making a terrible mistake." Constantine said that he had always "admired America." He expressed a desire to visit the USA. "Perhaps someday. I cannot understand why America has not recognized me. America is a democracy, and the people of Greece in a plebiscite summoned me to come back as King. It was the voice of the people, which America loves so much to listen to. I have some impression that America's recognition of me has something to do with the European powers recognizing President Obregon of Mexico. The European powers say that if the United States recognizes me, they in turn with recognize Obregon. It is either that or some other way around. There is some connection anyway."

 The Associated Press reporter ended the interview with a final question: "To sum up, your Majesty, you propose to remain as long as the people want you." The King, with his "pleasant smile," answered" That's it. As Bernard Shaw would say, 'I'll stay until I'm spoofed.'" 

 In less than 24 hours, Greeks demanded the king's abdication. He complied.

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