Vast Plot To Start Chaos In Greece

Chronicle (Levin), 10 July 1947, Page 5

Vast Plot To Start Chaos In Greece

Press Assn.-

By Telegraph

Copyright

Received Wednesday, 11.5 p.m. ATHENS; July 9. The Premier, Afr. Maximos, has announced the arrest of 1500 Left Wing Party members. Aceording to Reuter 'ss correspondent at Athens, Afr. Afaximossaid the Government aeted in fa.ee of threatened publie disorders. The correspondent says it is expected the Communists will be eharged with a vast plot to start "a campaign of chaos" in Athens in the neit 24 hourg. Afr. Afaximos- said Cabinet had refused to, negotiate with the E.A.Af . but would talk with the Communists provided the guerrillas(were 'first disarmed. Demetrios Partsaiides, the E.A.Af. general secretary, was eharged with attempt to provoke disorders in towns weakened by guerrilla aetivities. Reuter 's Athens correspondent has reported that the anti-pommunist sweep extended to the army. An undisclosed number of soldiers suspected of Communist sympathies, have been segregated.

Cabinet is reported to have taken aetion when a radio ' message from the guerrilla eommander, General Afarkos, telling the loeal Communist committee to apply "Plan F," was intercepted. The nature of " Plan F " is not disclosed. Cabinet decided unanimously on the drastic aetion at a meeting last night. The roundup in Athens began before dawn. The poliee cordoned off parts of the eity and drove off the arrested men in police vans and civilian buses commandeered on the spot. , Aceording to the British United Press correspondent, Afr.' Afaximos said the arrested men included Kostas Gavrilidis, a leader of the Agrarian Party and a member of E.A.Af. Committee, and Christos Kavafakis, assistant editor of the Communist newspaper Rizospastis. Arrests are continuing.