The Next Stage in Greece
SIR,—Whatever opinion one may hold about the acts of the Metaxas dictatorship. Mr. Athanassoglou's attempt to belktle Metaxas's role as the leader of the national resistance to the foreign aggressor is pitiable in the extreme. A great leader is one who, at a critical moment in history, rightly interprets the will of his nation ; and no one can deny John Metaxas the credit of having made that decision on that fateful morning of October 28th, 1940. I should like to quote the fine tribute which Mr. Compton Mackenzie, no friend of dictators, pays to the memory of
Metaxas in Wind of Freedom (page 124). After saying that Metaxas's name should always be surrounded with honour in Greek history, he concludes: Obror 'Altelaaproo selpou a rat /3outi4t
'ESSets iXetOtpiar Isaepiteero arieparov.
(This is the tomb of that Adeimantos through whose counsels Hellas put on the crown of freedom.)
Mr. Athanassoglou speaks of fresh elections as though he is proposing something new. The mandate of the present Greek Parliament ends in four months, so new elections will be held anyhow. As for his sugges- lion that the United Nations should "insist " on a " caretaker " govern- ment replacing the present coalition in the intervening period, surely the Greek Parliament itself is the only constitutional authority competent to decide on such a purely, domestic matter. I am Surprised that Mr. Athanassoglou, who is always saying that there is too much interference in Greek affairs from outside, should now be urging the most flagrant
interference of all.—Yours faithfully, A. A. PAU.Is. Greek Govermnent, Department of Information, 39 Hyde Park Square, W.2.
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