METAXAS DEAD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 January 1941, Page 5

METAXAS DEAD

GREECE LOSES .NOTABLE LEADER

1 INSPIRER OF RESISTANCE TO ITALY. i I GREAT PART IN MOMENTOUS EVENTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrights LONDON. January 29. flie deiith is announced of die Greek Prime Minister. General -John Metaxas, in bis seveiil iel ii year. It was earlier reported in private advices from Budapest that General Metaxas was seriously ill. though a slight improvement was reported after an operation on Saturday and a subsequent blood transfusion. General Metaxas came into power in August. 1930’. when, with opponents and supporters cf Venizelos ’ almost equally divided, he was invited by the recently restored King George to form a Government. He did so. and persuaded the King to dissolve Parliament. Thereupon General Metaxas, by abolishing political parties and imposing a rigid censorship, made his position secure. It became more so with the arrest of many of his political opponents following the discovery of conspiracies against him. In 1938 he made himself Prime Minister for life. His Government has not been democratic. but economically the country has prospered under his rule. As a soldier General Metaxas built up a considerable reputation. He was trained in Berlin, being called "Little Moltke” by the Kaiser. News of the death of the Greek Prime Minister. General Metaxas, has been received in Britain with profound regret and with the utmost sympathy for the Greek people, the 8.8. C. states. General Metaxas died in Athens on Wednesday morning, after an operation for a throat affection. General Metaxas was the Inspirer; and chief leader of the Greek people j in their heroic resistance to Italian 1 aggression, and planned the measures j in which the Greeks first repelled the j Italian invasion and then threw the ■ enemy back in a series of smashing de-! feats in Albania, Genera! Metaxas assumed office In j 1936 and took a prominent part in the < restoration of the monarchy. He inter- i estod himself actively in reforms, the i encouragement of commerce and par-; tieulai'ly in education. He promoted a ! youth movement with cultural andpatriotic aims. With the 'King, lie reorganised the Greek Army and established a scheme of frontier fortilica-: tions which vras named the Metaxas ■ Line. When the present war broke out j General Metaxas proclaimed the neutrality of Greece and maintained (hat I policy until Greek neutrality was via- j kited by Italy. THE NEW PREMIER I ALL MINISTERS TO REMAIN IN OFFICE (Received This 'Day, 10.13 ama | RUGBY. January 29. , The unexpected news uf the death ; of General Metaxas has increased the feeling in Britain of sympathy wills the j Greek people in th<? of their le.ider

y Keen disappointment is felt that he s should have died wf-.•re wemg the ■ successful fruit rd his great efforts. General Metaxas's successor us i Prime Mmis'er. M Alexandre Corizis presided at a mcctmg of Mmist.-r-- ail ‘ of whom are remaining in otliw, and ■ tlue.' Il ok the i.stih of an.t.'gKUK."e. llie gnvf-str;M;<m Greek ye- pie, who v. numti d a i« •. > : i>e:< -1 b. <ii• < '. tax a ■;' s d>•t•. • r n; ■i u d i •i ’ d Ln. • --1 t!: • * ■-. to ■ a'ton after rwcivinK the ludiim .i- ; | turn on Oelober 2d, remain calm and I united with rumjdete <.wnikhrire m J the ; K ing .nd G *e i mu ;i‘. and ■ > ■ • determined to pursue the war to a Vic- ; ’<• torlcus wndma m General IMpaims lemahT U-.nwm• t L dor-; !> .Chi th GREEKS SADDENED BUT ■ DP-diEARTI N"D !b i D.,y T .< m ■ '-. IIi!■ NS 1 ;o .o ■■ i s < M< ■ • „• i . r. •, r Si. X ;ie'' • j !■;< -.dt-mio | I )■. •* — ( ■;; rh th. i • • hw '4l 4 h» ■ *. i ■- i’. .* ‘ ’ ' • - - ■ : I i. • . ■ 1d,,.. '■ D .■ . • A., a. d Tr--I'.-- ■ . ■ : . i i’reirni r 1 : . .. . - I uro ' W..■: 'l' : . ■■ - : !I, ' ! ■?.<- ■' ’.. -■ • ; : ■ i ' -.-. A -i >t ’ - ( ’ t ■