"Hellenic State"

King George II of Greece submitted to generous terms of abdication, granted him by the Republican Government of M. Papanastasion, and tendered by Royalist deputies. Last week a straw showed that the wind had set definitely against monarchy; prayers for the King were omitted in all church services throughout Greece, and the official title of Greece was changed from the "Kingdom of Greece" to the "Hellenic State."

This ends a three months' struggle to retain the monarchy on the part of the Greek royalists, which became desperate when the first terms of abdication were offered (TIME, Dec. 31). The King, acting on the advice of Queen Elizabeth, daughter of the ubiquitous Queen Marie of Rumania, decided to accept terms which represent a compromise between the Republicans and the Conservatives and Liberals. The latter two will recognize the republic, subject to the following conditions:

1) The King is permitted voluntarily to resign, retaining for life the title of King of the Hellenes, four-fifths of his civil list income and almost all of his estates;

2) Free elections are to be held immediately after the abdication;

3) The Royalists are to hold two-fifths of the seats in the Senate that will be created, and will be reestablished in the army;

4) A general amnesty for political enemies is declared.

The sincerity of this amnesty will be the acid test of the new Ministry. On the other hand the Royalists are suspected of ulterior motives, as the famed General Metaxas, former Royailst general in the ill-fated Asia Minor campaigns against Mustafa Kemal, and leader of last autumn's Royalist coup d'etat, is now at liberty to reenter Greek politics.

The return of Metaxas will give the Conservatives the vigorous leader whom they now lack. With Venizelos back in France, cordially hated by both Royalists and Republicans, the able Metaxas is free to work for a later return of the Gluecksburg or some other monarchy. His return will hearten the Royalists to intense activity, as he is looked upon as the cleverest man in Greece. As a military leader he is regarded very highly, both in Greece and in Germany, where he was called the "Little Moltke." Kaiser Wilhelm used to say of him: "If I had five men like Metaxas, I could conquer the world!"