Dollars For Relief Diverted To Arms

Northern Advocate, 7 January 1948, Page 5

Dollars For Relief Diverted To Arms

U.S. AND GREECE . . .

WASHINGTON, Tue. (10 a.m.)—The State Department announced today that the American Mission in Greece had been authorised to divert an additional $15,000,000 from economic reconstruction funds to finance increases in the Greek armed forces. It was the second time the United States had diverted money from reconstruction to military projects.

The original $150,000,000 appropriated l'or the military programme had been exhausted and a total of $24,000,oC*,i had now been taken from the reconstruction account. The. State Department said that a thorough invesigation by the American Mission had shown that more aid was essential if the Greek Government was to combat the guerilla forces effectively and maintain Greece's national integrity. The latest diversion of funds followed a disclosure that Britain had given a blanket authority to transfer any or all of her lend-lease equipment to the Greek Army. 42.000 MOKE TROOPS The Prime Minister of Greece <M. Sophoulis) announced last night that the United States had agreed to an increase of 42,000 men in the Greek armed forces because of the seriousness of the present civil war, says the Daily Herald's Athens correspondent. The Daily Herald’s correspondent says that both M. Sophoulis and the Greek Foreign Minister (M. Tsaldaris) saw the head of the American Mission (Mr Griswold) yesterday, and were told that not only did the United States agree , to this enlargement of the Greek forces, but was considering still further increases. “This American agreement.’’ said M. Tsaldaris, “is a sign that the democracies are ready to take decisive steps in the Greek civil war. “It is the answer to the formation of the so-called Markos Government and the help it is receiving from out-

respondent. | Bitter lighting continues in difficult i territory. The rebels apparently hope to keep ' up continual strile, and keep the Gov- | eminent forces stretched to the limit : and drain away the Greek economy, destroying the benefits which could ! come from western supplies and credits.

side. INTERNATIONAL FORCE? It is authoritatively stated, says Reuters correspondent in Athens, that the nations represented on the United Nations Ealkans Commission are discussing the despatch of an “international force” to Greece. The United States, Britain, and Greece’ are the nations mainly concerned. The force would seal the northern borders of Greece if the situation deteriorated as a result of the Slav countries’ aid to the guerillas, or even if they recognised the IVlarkos Government. A Foreign Office spokesman denied American Press reports that the United States had asked Britain to cooperate in establishing a great new military base at Benghazi to meet the threat of Communist encroachment in Greece. RUSSO-U.S. CLASH UNLIKELY The Greek situation is not likely to provoke a serious clash between America and Russia. Moscow instead will probably shift the pressure to the West and Far East. This opinion is given by C. L. Sulzberger, roving correspondent of the New York Times. He says that Moscow not only docs not want war, but dare not risk it. It is.- therefore, most unlikely that Greece will ever become another Spain or that Greece will be “Communised.” The situation in Greece will cool, at .least temporarily, when Moscow sees that its game has been checked. “This optimistic conclusion,” he adds, “is drawn from what I feel to be a well-founded assumption that America will react strongly to the establishment of the Government by the Greek rebel leader Markos. TRIAL BALLOON The Markos Government venture is a trial balloon and expendable from the Soviet point of view. “It is probable that the Markos Government will eventually be recognised by Albania and Bulgaria, and probably by Yugoslavia and Rumania, but not by Moscow —that is, not until it looks like a super bet for success. “When it is seen that the Truman doctrine is not necessarily limited to its original concepts, and that furher aid may be graned to Greece. Markos may vanish .from the historical picture. “One might predict that the Greek situation will be stabilised without wai this year, after a difficult few months and that Soviet pressure will then be shifted to the West and Far East.” Although the Greek rebels have railed to capture Konitza, Government forces have not yet decisively won the battle, says The Times diplomatic cor-