In point of fact, as soon as the Athens Government heard of the catastrophe--and it did not hear of it until after the arrival of the first detachment in Germany--it addressed to Berlin a remonstrance, disavowing the step of Colonel Hatzopoulos as contrary to his orders, and denying Germany's right to keep him as contrary to International Law: "for Greece being in peaceful and friendly relations with Germany, the Greek troops can neither be treated as prisoners of war nor be interned, internment being only possible in a neutral country, and only with regard to belligerent troops--not vice versa." The dispatch ended with a request that "our troops with their arms and baggage be transported to the Swiss frontier, whence they may go to some Mediterranean port and return to Greece on ships which we shall send for the purpose." [14] Berlin answered that she "was ready to meet the desire of the Greek Government, but actual and effective guarantees would have to be given that the troops under German protection would not be prevented by the Entente Powers from returning to their fatherland, and would not be punished for their loyal and neutral feeling and action." [15] This because the Entente press was angrily denouncing the step as a "disgraceful desertion" and asking "with what ignominious penalty their War Lord has visited so signal and so heinous an act of mutiny, perjury, and treason on the part of his soldiers" [16]--the soldiers who went to Germany precisely in order to avoid committing an act of mutiny, perjury, and treason. Truly, in time of war words change their meaning. [1] See _Constantine I and the Greek People_. By Paxton Hibben, an American journalist who took part in these diplomatic transactions, pp. 281-90. [2] See Crawfurd Price, Athens, 1 Sept., in the _Pall Mall Gazette_, 15 Sept., 1916. [3] Paxton Hibben, p. 289. [4] "_La question de la dissolution de la Chambre fut ecartee. . . . De plus tout faisait supposer que de nouvelles elections ne seraient pas favorables an parti venizeliste, dont la cause etait si intimement liee a la notre._"--Du Fournet, pp. 121-2; Paxton Hibben, pp. 278-9, 306-7. [5] Zaimis to Greek Legations, Paris and London, 20 Aug./2 Sept.; Rome, Bucharest, Petrograd, 29 Aug./11 Sept. Romanos, Paris, 20 Aug./2 Sept., 22 Aug./4 Sept., 25 Aug./7 Sept., 26 Aug./8 Sept. Gennadius, London, 22 Aug./4 Sept., 25 Aug./7 Sept., 1916. [6] The _New Europe_, 29 March, 1917. [7] Romanos, Paris, 31 Aug./13 Sept.; Zaimis, Athens, 1/14 Sept., 1916. [8] Paxton Hibben, pp. 313-19; Du Fournet, pp. 119-21, 129. [9] Zaimis to Greek Legations, Paris and London, 20 Aug./2 Sept., 1916. All his dispatches are marked "strictly confidential and to be deciphered by the Minister himself." The replies are to be addressed to him personally, and for greater security, must be prefaced by some meaningless groups of figures.