The power of the financiers has become so great that they are now able to dictate the policy of Europe. Behind the will of kings and emperors is the will of these financiers. If the moneyed men refuse to lend their gold to a country, they may prevent its going to war, the erection of fine buildings, or the doing of many things that are necessary to keep up its proper position as a nation. When Greece, enraged that her Christian brothers should be under the thraldom of the heathen Turk, went to the rescue of Crete, all the brave men of Europe applauded the gallant little country for her pluck. But the brave men of Europe did not represent the money of Europe. The financiers who were at the back of the various Powers distinctly disapproved of the war. If Greece succeeded in whipping the Turks all the money invested in Turkey might be lost. In was well understood that Greece could not succeed in the struggle with Turkey unless some of the Powers came to her aid, and so the financiers warned the statesmen that Greece must not be helped; and because of the power of the financiers, and for the sake of the money involved, Greece was sacrificed, and Turkey permitted to be the victor. The whole situation was thoroughly understood by the Sultan, who laughed in his sleeve at the dilemma the Powers were in; and knowing that he was perfectly safe, and that they dare not declare war against him, he delayed the peace negotiations for months, and settled his army in Thessaly, to destroy the prosperity of the country. The position of Greece is now something deplorable. When she has given her consent to the terms of the treaty she will no longer be a free and independent nation, but a slave to the countries that control her treasury. While she still has her King seated on the throne, his power is no longer what it was. He can carry out no great schemes for his country's good, for he can enter into no plans, that involve the spending of money, without the consent of the Powers that are to manage his affairs. The plan that the Powers should control the treasury of Greece was not agreed upon until Germany, prompted by the financiers, insisted that Greece must lay money by to take care of her old debts, as well as of the new war payment. This is the story of the Greco-Turkish war. The great Powers stood quietly by and let Greece be sacrificed, and then insisted upon a shameful treaty, that will bring ruin and distress to a sister country, because the financiers were unwilling to lose money they had invested. The Powers are, however, by no means satisfied with the result of their fifteen weeks of deliberation and discussion. They feel that the Sultan has got much the best of them at every point, and even though he has agreed to do so, they are uncertain whether he intends to keep faith with them about either Crete or Thessaly.