VIOLENT ACTION

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21580, 6 December 1944, Page 3

VIOLENT ACTION

GREEK PARTISANS DEPLORED BY ALLIES ENFORCING AUTHORITY (11 a.m.) LONDON. Dec. 5. In a statement iiv the House of Commons, on the occurrences in Athens on Sunday, Mr. Churchill said that on the evidence so far available he was not prepared to say who started the firing.

“It is deplorable that' an event like this should happen in Athens, scarcely a month after the city's liberation,” said Mr. Churchill:' "Greece is faced with the most desperate economic and ’.financial problems, apart from the civil war which we are trying to stop. We and our'American Allies are doing our, utmost, to give assistance, and our troops are acting lo prevent bloodshed. (Cheers).

“The main burden 1 falls on us. The responsibility is within our Allied military sphere. Our plans will not succeed unless the Greek Government and the whole. Greek people exert themselves on their own behalf. Pending a .general election the authority of the constitutional Greek Government must be enforced throughout the country.' Whether the Greek people form themselves into a monarchy or a’republic, whether they form a Government of the Right or of the Left, is for their decision. Until they are in the position of deciding, we shall not hesitate to use the considerable British Army now in Greece, and being reinforced, to see that law and order is maintained.'

“We are continually, working lo assist the Greek people in every possible way, but we cannot do this if the tommy-guns which we provided for use against the Germans are now used in an attempt to impose by violence a Communist dictatorship, without the people being able to express their wishes.”