Trial Balloon

Greece's 31-year-old King Constantine has lived in exile since 1967, but his throne has been protected by a constitution proclaimed in 1968 by his country's ruling junta. Any public suggestion that the monarchy be abolished is a crime, punishable by at least five years' imprisonment.

Or so it seemed until last week, when three Athens newspapers--all of whom support the junta--simultaneously blossomed with editorials questioning Constantine's continued role. One even called for a new constitution that would make Greece a presidential republic. What was going on? Apparently the regime was trying to find out if the King was still popular. If so, the junta could only have been encouraged by the apathetic public response to the editorials. The colonels' evident goal: a republican system, with an army man--probably Premier George Papadopoulos--as President.

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