E.A.M. POLICE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21618, 22 January 1945, Page 4

E.A.M. POLICE

CAUSE OF RUPTURE MR. EDEN~ON GREECE BALLOT BOX FAVOURED LONDON, Jan. 19. Dealing with the situation in Greece, Mr. Eden said some members had painted to themselves a picture bearing no resemblance to reality. It had not been suggested that the E.A.M. did not include numbers ol' men who had joined for purely patriotic reasons, but it was equally clear that from the early days the leaders of the E.A.M. were not prepared to tolerate rivals in the political fields. The situation could not be explained on the ground that the E.L.A.S. was purely democratic. The E.D.E.S. was purely reactionary. Even before the German withdrawal we had reason to think it the ambition of the E.L.A.S. to seize and control the country by force. The British Government had never been opposed to the E.A.M. becoming the Government in Greece, but what it said now was that it had no right to do so except through the ballot box. Many within the E.L.A.S. itself did not like the ambition to seize power. When fighting broke out in Athens all the more moderate elements flaked away. The E.A.M. did not now exist at all except for the Communist remnants. Parliamentary Mission Mr. Eden said within the last ,24 hours the Government had suggested the party of British Parliamentarians now in Italy should go to Greece to get information about the situation there. The Government was also, quite ready, as the opportunity offered, for a further delegation from the Commons to visit Greece. The Government had nothing to hide about the situation. In fact, if the members had seen what Mr. Churchill himself had seen, a lot of criticism in the House would never have been made. Mr. Eden said the E.A.M. went back on the agreement it had signed for the disarmament of ail guerrilla forces and later refused to sign the draft decree circulated by M. Papandreou to his colleagues providing for the disarmament of the E.A.M. police. The E.A.M. ministers refused to ratify the decision and resigned. “It is my contention that it was over this issue of the E.A.M. police that the break occurred, and it was these police which were largely responsible lor taking hostages and for the methods of their custody.

During the long negotiation about a truce, when every effort was being made to get . an. agreement, the E.L.A.S. representatives said they could not release the hostages because they could not answer for the action of the E.A.M. police who had taken these hostages. Position Regarding Arrests

“As far as any arrests we made in Athens are concerned, the decision has been taken as a result of the agreement between General Scobie and the Greek Government that all civilians arrested by the British forces for bearing arms against us should be released, except those who will be exchanged to fulfil the agreement reached with them. As far as th arrests by the Greek Government are concerned, it has already been made clear that prosecutions would be instituted against those who violated the penal code or rules of war, and those who were charged with such crimes as murder, rape and looting. In other words, the bearing of arms against the State would not itself be regarded as a crime and woukl not be punished. There was no question of hostages being held either by the Greek Government or ourselves.

“We have not got one. I know the demand in the name of all the parties in this House is that the E.L.A.S. shall release those hostages forwith,” declared Mr. Eden.

With emphasis on the question of warrants having been issued for the arrest of prominent E.L.A.S. and E.A.M. leaders, he explained that the story had been shown to have been due to an error by a police interpreter. Our Ambassador obtained from the Greek Foreign Minister a personal assurance that no such warrants would be issued. Mr. Eden said General Plastiras had specifically authorised him to tell the House that he confirmed his earlier statement that action would be taken only against those guilty of crimes against the penal code.