GREEK DICTATORSHIP

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1926, Page 2

GREEK DICTATORSHIP

PANG A LOS’S DECREE, f Australia & N.Z. Cable Association.] ATHENS, January 3. General Pangalos. Premier of Greece, announced the setting up of a military dictatorship at a banquet given by the Republican Guard in honour of himself and three other members of the Cabinet, but the Minister of. Foreign Affairs and the Navy were absent. Responding to a toast. General Pangalos eulogised the Army’s action during the last decade. He declared that the revolution of 190!) was fruitless because the Parliamentary system had caused Greek power to wane. The revolution in 1924 was only a partial success. it had failed to ensure healthy politics.

The Premier continued ; “ From tomorrow I assume the responsibility for the country’s condition and I shall confidently rely on tlie armed forces io assist my task of saving Greece.

General Pangalos is issuing a communique on the fourth of January in which lie mmoiimrs bis plans. The Government has meantime postponed the Senate elections.

The Republican Guard parades the street acclaiming General Pangalos. The “Daily Mail ” correspondent recalls that General Pangalos was President of the court martial in 1922 which ordered the execution of ex-Premier Goimnris and other ministers. During his Premiership his methods have been those of a dictator. He lias suppressed liberty of the press, and freedom of speech, and has filled posts in the State and in the Army with his own friends. He dissolved tlie Assembly because it criticised his Government. Recently there has been much speculation regarding the possibility of the ex-King returning to the throne. ATHENS, January 4. Tt is officially explained that the postponement of the Greek Senate elections sine die is due to certain party leaders persisting in giving their political completion which thus defeats the Government’s object of obtaining a cessation of increasing political tension.

General Pnngnlos announced the dictatorship at the banquet of the Bepublican Guards in the presence of three other Ministers. When he made the announcement the company jumped to their feet and cried: “Long live the Dictator!” After the speech the Guardsmen paraded the streets of '•Athens acclaiming General Pnngnlos. Interviewed by the “Daily Express” Athens’ correspondent. General Pangnlos declared : “ Parliamentary Government is the cause of all our troubles. I am at the end of niv patience with the politicians, who lose no occasion to make trouble for the country. Onr Fleet, in a few months, will he mistress of the basin of the Eastern Mediterranean and our army one of the strongest in the Balkans. For the realisation of our programme, we shall rely solely on our armed forces!”