Improvement in Greece
The outlook in Greece is considerably improved by the statement of policy issued by General Plastiras's government on Wednesday. The programme outlines the creation of a national army by the normal mechanism of recruitment by age groups ; the reorganisation of the police and gendarmerie with the assistance of a special mission which Britain has been invited to send ; drastic punishment of all collaborators with the enemy ; restoration to the workers of full right of association ; a general election, at which the presence of Allied observers will not be objected to, at the earliest possible moment. It is specifically added—a point of great importance— that there will be no proscription, but that persons charged with crimes against the common law or breaches of the international laws of war will be proceeded against, as they should be. The interpretation given to the definition of crimes against the common aw must be watched carefully, but as a whole the statement inspires onfidence, and there are signs already that the more moderate elements of—EAM. are ready to support the new regime. It is to "fie hoped that General Plastiras will-see his way to include some of them in his Government, thus fulfilling the hope which Mr. Eden expressed in the House of Commons for " a Greek Government broadly representative of all opinion, including E.A.M." A pre- liminary condition no doubt is the cessation of civil warfare and the surrender of arms by those engaged in waging it. That 's a military question, and the negotiations which E.L.A.S. leaders have reopened with General Scobie raise new hopes of a satisfactory settlement. General Plastiras and his government are still on trial, but the beginning they have made is good.
