The San Francisco call., 1897-03-08
LOCAL GREEKS RESPOND
One Hundred AMI Fifty Ready
to Return and Fight Against
Turkey.
All Ovr the United States Subj cts
Promptly Volunteer to All
King G,orge.

From the Atlantic to the Pacific the
Greek residents of this continent are in-
spired by one ail-powerfui desire, and that
is TO respond without delay to their coun-
try's appeal for the assistance of her sons
whether at home or abroad.
Nowhere, perhaps, are the Greeks more
eager to obey the call than in this City,
though as stated in Yesterdays issue a
dearth OF ready money prevents the ma
iority from Immediately returning to their
native land. But the leading members
of the colony, in the persons of M. d.
VanvaIes, Z. Vrettos, Demetrak, Damiara-
kis. Fundas, the brothers Demetriadis and
Kosta, as we'll as the Hellenic Society as a
whole, are determined to overcome this
seeming obstacle with as little delay as
possible, and the fact that yesterday was
Sunday did not deter them from taking
energetic action.
Early in the afternoon Messrs. Vrettos
and Fundas called upon August Gous-
tiaux, the acting Greek Consul at this
port, and after brief consultation between
these gentlemen it was determined to COM
municate with Hon. D. N. Botass, the
Greek Consul-General at New York, and
inform him Of the situa lion in this City.
Vrettos, who is member of the Grecian
army reserve and recognized leader Of
the local patriotic movement, stated au-
thorltatively thar, in the event of trans
portation being provided. at least $50 Of
his countrymen In San Francisco would
in the recruits who are fastening to New
York from all parts of the United States.
Acting Consul Goustiaux fully coincided
with the suggestions OF Vrettos and Fun
das, and ten minutes later the following
laconic but significant message was speed
ing along the wires to the Consul General
at New York:
Hon. d. N. Bottassi, Greek Consul General, New
York: About $50 Greeks intend to return.
What do you advise?
AUGUST GoUsTIAUx, Acting Consul.
Vrettos feels confident that the Consul
General will lose no time in arranging
with the railway companies to transport
the recruits to New York at special rates,
and that if sufficient funds cannot be
raised locally the home Government will
see fit TO defray part at least of the ex-
pense. II the assistance of the Greeks in
this country is worth having at ali it is
certainly worth paying for, and there is
no logical reason to doubt that the home
Government is prepared for contingency
of this nature.
The excitement among the Greeks in
this City is now raised to fever heat.
Vrettos, himself man of massive proper
tions, weighing 265 pounds. and like most
persons Of his avoird upois ordinarily
rather phlegmatic, found it difficult to
express his feelings.
Already" said he, 1.-THE Greeks in
New York have started to leave for
Greece and we chafe at the unavoid a. Bile
delay here. The Greek paper, Atlantis,
helped to defray the cost of transporta-
ton by raising special fund of $1,000.
Unfortunately our countrymen. here are
comparatively poor and we are likely to
experience some difficulty in paying for
our own passage. But am satisfied that
the Consul-General will act immediately,
because the number Of recruits available
all over the West will certainly make 1t
worth his while to do so. We were pretty
well excited before, but a direct appeal
from our king has aroused US to pitch of
enthusiasm which no temporary difficult
ties can quell."
Acting Consul Gonstiaux has occupied
that position since 1884, when the former
Consul, Paviides. left San Francisco. Mr..
Goustiaux is Frenchman by birth, but
is none the less ardentiy in sympathy
with the cause of the Greek and Cretan
patriots.
II have just been reading THE CALL"
ne said yesterday, land am greatly inter-
este in the news that the Consul General
s communicating with the Greek Consuls
IN every part of America. As yet, how
aver l have not received any instructions
from headquarters.
Necessarily, 1 am strongly in sympathy
with the Greeks in their proje cted strug-
yle against Turkey and would like to see
Ireece and Crete united. Several years