END OF REVOLT

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1935, Page 5

END OF REVOLT

ATHENS CELEBRATES FLIGHT OF THE LEADERS MANY PRISONERS TAKEN VENIZELOS GOES TO ITALY FINISHED WITH POLITICS By Telegraph—Press Assn. —CopyrightRec. 8 p.m. Athens, March 12. When General Kondylis, hero of the victorious drive against the Macedonian rebels, returned to the capital to-day the citizens greeted him with delirious enthusiasm. . His . laurel-bedecked car moved slowly through a dense throng whose cheers were punctuated by the report of rifles and revolvers fired by soldiers as a feu de joie. The Cairo correspondent of the Times says the Egyptian authorities are faced with an awkward diplomatic problem with the presence of the ship Kerkyra, manned by a second-lieutenant and four rebel seamen placed aboard by the cruiser Averoff. She arrived at Alexandria in quest of provisions for the insurgents in Crete. The Greek Minister has requested the authorities to arrest the crew as pirates, necessitating handing them over to the Greek consul, with incalculable results, as the influential Greek colony at Alexandria is overwhelmingly in favour of M. Venizelos. The Egyptian (Government, anxious to avoid trouble, ordered the Kerkyra to depart at noon without cargo. The crew, doubting the revolt’s chances, refused to leave.

Before his departure, says the Daily Mail’s Rhodes correspondent, M. Venizelos expressed bitter disappointment at the failure of the revolt. “I have finished with politics,” he declared. “Greece will never see me again. My only wish was to unite Greece and Crete in an enduring friendship with the highest level of prestige. I did not promote the revolution, but it was the only hope of achieving the great future I dreamed, of for Greece. I hope to find refuge with friends in France or England.” VENIZELOS INTERNED. Italian authorities interned M. Venizelos and his party, says the Daily Mail’s Rome correspondent, but they will probably be liberated after the establishment of their identity and their compliance with other formalities, as Italy does not usually extradite political prisoners. The Daily Telegraph’s Athens special correspondent, Sir Percival Phillips, reports that Greece emerges from the revolution with a casualty list on both sides of 10 dead ano 90 wounded. “M. Venizelos has been annihilated as a political entity,” he says. “His closest friends are ruined. The end came when a telegram was received stating that the rebel officers had abandoned the stolen warships, the crews of which awaited the Government’s pleasure. “The best joke of the crisis is published in an interview that M. Venizelos has given'a French journalist, in which the ex-Premier said: ‘I have definitely retired from politics for ever.’ M. Venizelos took a large sum of money. “The censorship has already been lifted. It is expected there will be a general election in the near future, at which an overwhelming vote in favour of the Government is assured. If he cared General Kondylis might , assume the mantle of a dictator. When M. Tsaldaris appeared on the balcony of the ex-Premier’s house and demanded the death penalty foy the arrested rebel leaders the crowd endorsed the demand with prolonged cheering.” “SEEMS TO HAVE BECOME CRAZY” General Kondylis, commanding the Government forces in Macedonia, told the British United Press special cerrospondent with the victorious Government troops occupying Serres: “The campaign may be considered finished with the occupation of Serres, because it is the key to the whole situation from a military standpoint. No further armed resistance *is expected on the mainland.” General Kondylis’ reference to Crete said: “If the rebels continue their resistance we shall first negotiate pacifically. Unfortunately, however, M. Venizelos seems to have become crazy. I deliberately delayed the opening of hostilities to prevent needless bloodshed, in which I have been highly unsuccessful.” Major Sampson, the British military attache at Athens, who has arrived at Serres, speaks highly of the conduct of the campaign. Interviewed by the British United Press correspondent after crossing the Bulgarian frontier, General Kamenos, a rebel leader, admitted that the effort to overthrow the Tsaldaris regime must, temporarily at any rate, be considered lost. General Kamenos’ staff has been disarmed and will be sent to Sofia. The News-Chronicle’s Athens correspondent says that two rebel officers, besides the chief of staff, Colonel Panyagiopoulos, committed suicide in the field. General Kamenos and his officers took £112,000 from the Serres bank before their retreat.

Cavalry and bombing planes completed the rebel rout. The remnants of the rebel troops will be hemmed in and are expected to be disposed of in a day. The Daily Mail’s Athens correspondent says it is estimated that the rebellion cost tiie authorities £12,000,000, consisting of currency confiscated by the rebels, military expenditure, damage to warships and property, and loss of business. The Paris newspaper, Le Soir, in the hope of securing a “scoop,” dispatched an aeroplane to Crete with a wireless operator and a woman reporter who entered an urgent plea that the rebels should be instructed not to shoot. However, they shot down the aeroplane in Carena in mistake for a Government machine. The pilot skilfully landed without injury to himself or his passengers. The reporter promptly wirelessed that the population had suffered little and no blood had been spilt. She added that the rebel leaders, prior to departing on the Averoff, looted the treasuries of Candia and Canae. This, however, received immediate official contradiction. /The woman reporter, Mademoiselle Titayra, sepured an interview with M. Venizelos aboard the Averoff, but the text of it is copyright. President Zaimis has issued a message to the nation, thanking the armed forces for their loyalty. Athens is brilliantly en fete as a result of the national victory, involving the surrender of thousands of rebels, the majority of whose high officers have fled abroad. The streets are crammed with people singing patriotic songs. Trades unions are parading with banners and bands. Crowds gathered at the residence of M. Tsaldaris, Prime Minister, whose address was enthusiastically acclaimed. The British pleasure cruiser Letitia, arrived with 375 tourists, who were welcomed by the British Minister, Mr. S. P. P. Water.l ow, who assured them of their safety. Aircraft will resume flying over Greece to-morrow, Imperial Airways reverting to the original schedule. General Papoulos, ex-commander of the Anatolian rebels, has surrendered. General Anagnostopoulos, commander of lerres, fled in a motor-boat with five

officers. General Kamenos will be interned at Carlovo with his companions.

A Rome message says that M. Tsaldaris has apologised to the Italian Minister for a Greek warship shelling the Italian Consulate at Kavala. The captain of the Italian steamer Sorelli Leoni discloses that the Greek forces fired on her when leaving Salonika. A Greek minelayer’s crew explained that this was a warning. The captain protested and resumed his voyage.

A Paris message says that General Plastiras is taking refuge in a village in the Department of Var under an assumed name.

M. Venizelos will be tried in absentia and his property will be sold. His private house will become the residence of the Mayor of Athens. Martial law will be enforced until the courts-martial have completed their work. It is expected 300 rebels will be tried.

The British United Press’ Athens correspondent says the Government has asked Bulgaria to extradite General Kamenos and his staff on the ground not that they are political refugees but that they are the possessors of stolen money. It is alleged at Athens that the rebel officers seized a total of £600,000 from in areas they controlled for a week. Madame Venizelos is alleged to have paid £300,000 to officers at Helle to support the revolt