TO FREE WOMEN

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3292, 26 July 1943, Page 3

TO FREE WOMEN

A GREEK APPEAL DOCUMENT FROM WOMEN A National Organisation of Greek Women recently smuggled an appeal to the free women of the world out of their country to the Greek Government in London. The following are extracts from a very moving document :—

“It is now almost two years since our country fell under the most tyrannical yoke ever known. Tens o p thousands of our children, brothers and husbands have been victims of mass

executions before our eyes. Our sav-

age oppressors execute hostages, burn down villages, torture us to make us

betray our secret organisations. We may starve, we have become human shadows, but we bear our hunger with pride. We see our children pining away: our hearts are torn, but we will not give in.

“Sisters, free women of all the world, in this, great, and terrible hour of our martyrdom. w T e feel the need to address ourselves to you who have the good fortune to breathe the pure air of freedom, and to draw from you strength to face our ordeal. You, too. suffer. Your people fall in battle, many of you assist in these campaigns. and all of you are hard at work forging the weapons of victory. We want you to give us a great promise: Promise that to-morrow when the hour of victory shall sound, all of us united shall demand, nay, shall insist, upon the creation of a new world free from wars and destruction, a world based upon the freedom of the individual and on social and universal justice. Listen to our voice coming at it were from the grave. Strike wholeheartedly at barbarism, prepare a new world of liberty and justice,. We give you this promise: However much we suffer, we will never deliver our souls to the barbarians, but if necessary will make the sacrifice of our lives for the freedom of our country and of mankind.”