MILITARY RULE IN GREECE

Southland Times, Issue 22962, 7 August 1936, Page 7

MILITARY RULE IN GREECE

Conflicting Reports INFLUENCE OF EVENTS IN SPAIN “CHECK TO COMMUNISM” (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, August 5. Contradictory reports of disorders and complete calm have filtered from Greece, with which telephonic and cable communication is interrupted. The Greco-Yugoslavian frontier is closed. Reports of serious clashes are, however, discounted. The Athens correspondent of The Times declares that there is no outward sign of a military dictatorship. The majority of the people are" tired of incessant party bickerings and appear to condone the action of the Prime Minister (General John Metaxas) in declaring martial law. The Vienna correspondent of The Manchester Guardian explains that General Metaxas has long desired to establish a dictatorship. King George was opposed to it, but apparently at last has consented under the influence of the events in Spain. He has, however, departed for Corfu in order to disclaim responsibility. The Paris newspaper Le Journal says that an official, in explaining the Government’s action, stated that the country faced an abnormal situation, as it was on the eve of a seditious movement fostered by Communist propaganda, aiming at disaffection in the army, spreading a spirit of anarchy and taking advantage of squabbles among the political parties and an unbridled Press campaign. Communism was preparing to overthrow the social regime and was breaking up Greek society, towards which the first step was to have been the present strike.