THE GRECIAN CRISIS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 55, 9 March 1945, Page 4

THE GRECIAN CRISIS

be sceptical of these so-called 'Great Men.' Cheers and Hagwaving do not necessarily portray the character of these men. I may conclude by saying that there is nothing at all binding in the Atlantic Charter. Yours etc., / J. DITCHFIELD.

Sir. f —All through tlie protracted Grecian crisis there has been an at-> tempt to lead us to believe that British interference in Greece was essentially for the good of the Greek people. In opposition to this however was the fact that most people were very antagonised also a debate on the question was forced in the House of Commons after which we saw the American and British dif-» ferences on the question. After Greece had been cleared of German occupation we found that Papandean the Prime Minister had come to an agreement with other political parlies to form a government. Immediately following this in fact the next day Papandean received a cablegram from Mr Churchill stating that the lime was not opportune for any change of government. The point that strikes us most however is that Mr Churchill lias taken this opposing attitude alter his agreement with the eight points of the Atlantic Charter. The third point of this Charter is worth quot-» ing in face of the. Greek crisis. "They respect the right of. all peoples to choose the form of government under which they shall live; anil they wish to see. sovereign rights and self-government restored to those who have been forcibly deprived of them." It goes almost without saying that Papan dean's government would have had decided left policies which is distasteful to the ruling class of - Britain, and Mr Churchill is undoubtedly one of this class. We do not have to look very far back in Mr Churchill's politics to realise this his attitude to the Welsh miners in 1926 is well known. But to take things a little further on Greece by looking for a comparison in history. We look to Russia in 1916. Britain's' ally under the Czar was suffering great internal misery and was a source of anxiety to her allies. Internal strife was on the increase and Rusri sia being in an almost collaapsed con- 1 dition was looking for peace. The Soviets, eventually gained power over Nereasky's government and signed a separate peace with Germany in the Brest Litovs'k peace pact of March 2, 1918. Then in the wake followed a British expedition to Archangel and fought against the Soviets. Rumania > France Greece and Estonia all had a hand in Britain's Tire' against the Soviets who were undoubtedly for the overthrow of the Tzarist regime and the. establishment of a peoples government. It is well worth remembering too that Montgomery fought under a German General in this campaign against the Soviets. The Russian and Greece situations have a very sinister likeness. We must aiso ask: Did Mr Churchill object to the appointment of Archbishop Damaskinas as Regent who in turn appointed General Plastiras that well known dictator of Greece whose ideals of rule by military dictatorship are foul? We heard not a word of protest.

Mr Churchill's distaste for Russia is well known but is, conveniently being withheld for obvious reasons. Before leaving this subject of Greece it would be as well to have a look at King George II of •>on of King Constantine and grandson on his. mother's' side to the German Kaiser. King George II came to power in 1922 and began by executing six of Constantino's Ministers and in 1923 was suspected of attempting to overthrow the constitution and had to leave the country. He returned however in. 1936 (in. a British man of war) and over-' threw the constitution after being in the country six months. Eventually he put into power an old friend of his—Metaxas—with full dictatorial powers. Freedom of. the press was: political opponents were exiled into concentration camps on the Nazi lines. Plastiras also at one time planned a Coup-de-tat with this same. but Metaxas beat Plastiras to it by bringing off the Coup-de-tat a day earlier. King George II is now reported to have said that he will not to Greece until a free plebicite has been taken. Let us; hope that he may never return to debase the people of that country. Beware and