Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-05
GREEKS OF PRESENT DAY
THEME OF LECTURE By CON-
SUI GENERAL HORTON.
Progress of the Race Intellectually
and Materially-Views Of
City Of Athens.

That the present inhabitants of Greece
are the descendants of the ancient race
at one time dominating the then known
world. and that they are not unworthy
descendants. was brought out prominently
in lecture by George Horton, consul
general to Greece, given last night in
Hubbard Memorial Hall to the members
and guests of the Washington Society OF
the Archaeological Institute of America
His topic was THE Greeks of Today"
The attendance was large, many being
unable to reach even the door Of the au-
ditorium.
The lecture was enlivened by the pre- IS
ence of a delegation of about twenty-five
of the Greek colony of this city, headed
by Rev. Joachim Alexopou!os. the pastor
of the Greek Church of St. Sophia. and
Constantine G. Dracopoulos, president OF
the Greek community in Washington.
When, in the course of the lecture. Mr..
Horton threw a picture of the King OF
Greece on the screen, the Greeks ap-
plaudcd. and at the recital in Greek OF
the Hymn OF Liberty they again ex-
pressed their appreciation.
After being introduced by ex-Secretary
| OF State John w. Foster. the speaker be-
gan his lecture by declaring that the
| modern Greeks believe they can trace
their lineage back to the ancient Greeks.
and after eight years of residence in that
and. the sp aker said, he had beco me
convinced that Greeks really do inhabit
Greece"
Traders Of the Orient.
About 1900 600 people speak Greek, the
speaker declared. These people. he said,
have become the traders of the orient,
heir stores line the Nile and the Sudan.
are found in Asia. Russia, America and
in all the corners of the earth.
IF / wanted living Esperanto to use
among the people in the four corners OF
the earth" declared Mr.. Horton. Il think
should take Creek He explained that
it was not the language spoken by the
largest number of people, but cont ,nded
that those who use 1t have scattered more
widely than have races using any other
language.
Consul General Horton made the point
that the Greeks Of today are not a degen-
rate race. In that connection he pic
tured on the screen the homes, the
schools, the University of Greece, the
great mus UNI. the hospitals and Other
similar institutions at Athens. He told
of the charity of the modern Greeks, say.
ing they have fed thousands of refugees
from Crete. Armenia and other places
and have given them shelter for months
at time.
Athens has politics that resembles that
of an American city, stated the speaker.
He showed a bulletin of election, the post
RS resembling those seen in American
campaigns. The incumbent was running
.or reelection. and his call for votes was
on his works. His opponent appealed
FOR votes with the motto, Let US have a
change" In point, also, the speaker told
of an incident with his garbage collector.
He remonst 'ated with that employe of
the government regarding slackness OF
work. bat the garbage collector replied
that he had done all the work before
lection.
Notes Of Progress.
Since obtaining their freedom in 1921
the Greeks have made great progress in
tellectually as well as materially. Mr..
| Horton spoke at length of the spiritual
and intellectual progress o. the race in
recent years, and showed numerous
views of the many educational institu-
lions with which the city of Athens is