U.S. ENVOY SENT TO GREECE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25276, 30 August 1947, Page 9

U.S. ENVOY SENT TO GREECE

FULL REPORT SOUGHT BY WASHINGTON

GUERRILLA BROADCAST CLAIMS SUCCESSES

(Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Aug. 28. The United States State Department to-day sent one ol its highest ranking officials, Mr Loy Henderson, Director of the Office of Near Eastern and American Affairs, to Greece by air with orders to bring back a full report on “all aspects” of the unsettled conditions there. ' According to an Athens. message, a Greek “Democratic Army” broadcast claimed that guerrillas had taptured over 100 villages covering the whole range of the Central Pindus mountains since August 19. It also claimed success in a guerrilla drive of over 130 miles from Fiorina in the north to Karpenisi in the south, which was aimed at completely cutting off Western Epirus from Central Greece. Greek Government sources said that the guerrillas in this region had for the first time Infiltrated east of the Acheloos river, where Mr Stylianos Houtas. the local member of Parliament, who belongs to General Zerva’s Right Wing party,, undertook the defence of his constituency and led armed peasants. Mr Houtas said he had repelled the guerrillas.