DOWNFALL OF VENIZELOS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20057, 14 March 1935, Page 9

DOWNFALL OF VENIZELOS

REGARDED AS TRAITOR IN GREECE United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received March 13, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, March 12. The Rhodes correspondent of “The Daily Mail” says: “Before taking his

departure, M. Venizelos testified his bitter disappointment at the failure of the revolt. He declared: “I am finished politics. Greece will never see me again. My only wish was to unite Greece and Crete in an enduring friendship and the highest level of prestige. I did not promote the | revolution, but it was the only hope of achieving the great future I dreamed for Greece. I hope to take refuge with friends in France and England.” The Rome correspondent of “The Daily Mail-” says: The Italian authorities interned M. Venizelos and his party, but they will probably be liberated after the establishment of identity and complying with other formalities, as Italy does not usually extradicte political prisoners. M. Venizelos, who is now at Rhodes, will be tried in absentia. His property will be sold and his private house will become the residence of the Mayor of Athens. Martial law will be enforced until the courts-martial are completed. It is expected that 300 rebels will be tried. M. Venizelos’s attempt to constitute a Government in Crete received little support. It is reported that the Averoff landed M. Venizelos, his wife and rebel officers on an Italian island of Cassos, after which the Averoff proceeded to the Salamis arsenal near Athens with the intention of surrendering. Quest For Interview The French journal “Le Soir,” in the hope of securing a scoop despatched 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. They, however, shot down the aeroplane at Canea, in mistake for a Government machine, the pilot skilfully landing without injury to himself or the passengers. The reporter promptly wirelessed that the population suffered little and no blood was spilt. She added that the rebel leaders, prior to departing on the Averoff, looted the treasuries of Candia and Canea. This statement received an immediate official contradiction. Mademoiselle Titayna, of “Le Soir,” actually secured an interview with M. Venizelos aboard the Averoff, but the text is copyright-.

APOLOGY TO ITALY RECKLESS FIRING BY GREEK FORCES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright ROME, March 12. General Tsaldaris apologised to the Italian Minister for the Greek warship shelling the Italian consulate at Kavala. The captain of the Italian steamer Sorrelli Leoni, discloses that the Government forces fired on her leaving Salonika. A Greek minelayer explained that this was a warning. The captain protested and resumed the voyage.