GREECE: The Hungry Ones

“I have saved Greece,” said tall, gaunt George Papandreou one day in 1944. There was pride in his voice, for his temporary Liberation government and British forces had just put down Communist rebellion in the streets of Athens.

“I haven’t got time to wait,” said a gaunter, older (72) George Papandreou one day last week. There was apology in his voice, for in his sweat to be Prime Minister he had just joined forces with Greek Communists.

Less than a month remains before the elections. Papandreou and partners are out to unseat Premier Constantino Karamanlis, young, vigorous, stoutly antiCommunist, pro-American.

Good King’s Choice. Karamanlis was just a junior minister (public works) when good King Paul* picked him to succeed Field Marshal Papagos when the old hero died 16 weeks ago in the midst of troubles. Karamanlis took over with surprising effectiveness. With the old marshal’s death, Papagos’ big Rally party (holding 200 of the 300 seats in the Parliament) threatened to break up, but Karamanlis managed to piece together the remnants. With any kind of good break before election day, such as a concession from Britain in the Cyprus dispute, Karamanlis stands a good chance.

Still, Athens’ old political pros, long frustrated by the old marshal’s dominance, smelled opportunity. And, as an Athenian explained, “Eine pinasmenl

[They are hungry].” They were so hungry that they were willing to sup with the devil.

Ever since the civil war days of 1947, the Communist Party has been outlawed in Greece, but everyone acknowledges the E.D.A. party to be its chosen instrument. Not only did Papandreou make common cause with E.D.A., but so did others who also should know better. Among them: the mayor of Volos, Greece’s fifth largest city, a millionaire freshly returned from a starry-eyed visit to the Soviet Union; Sophocles Venizelos, bridge-playing politician son of a statesman, and leader of a current neutralist campaign.

Ambassador’s Victory. The deal was cooked up and served to the startled public last week. This six-party coalition, apologized old George Papandreou, was “purely pre-electoral,” and the non-Communists made no “ideological commitments” to the Communists. But in the streets, cafés and foreign embassies, it was received quite plainly as a victory for the Communists. It was a great coup for Russian Ambassador Mikhail Sergeev: for 2½ years he has been backslapping through the Grecian hinterlands, working to efface the bitter anti-Communism of civil-war days.

Said a disillusioned young army captain after digesting the news: “We kept the Communists out with our guns and our blood. Now Papandreou wants to let them back in through the ballot box.”

*Handsome, strapping (6 ft. 3 in.) King Paul, 54, inherited the battered Greek crown from his late brother George II in 1947 when Greece was bleeding from the civil war, and with his vivacious Queen Frederika, toured the country by jeep and muleback to restore confidence in the throne. He reigns with a minimum of pomp and with a warm public following.