Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-04-20
GREEKS TO SERVE
UNDER TWO FLAGS
Military Company Formed Here
Swears Allegiance to
United States.
PLAN TO LlBERATE BROTHERS
VIII Not Garry on Revolution. but
VIII Fight To Rid Greeks OF
The Turkish Yoke

Declaring that the statement Of
young Greek as published in Tho
News last night. was filled with cr-
rors y. p. Smthakos of the Greek
community Of Utah this morning gave
The News a fun statement Of the pur-
poses of the organization here of
Greek military company The COM
pan, says MI. Stathakos ls formed Of
Greek Americans who have already
sworn a dual allegiance to the flags OF
Greece and the United states. MI
Stathakos said:
There are 100000 young Greeks In
America. Greek-Americans, many of
them young men who left their native
land under age and before thoy had
served the two years i'm the army, which
the laws OF the nation provide. Conse-
quently they are not informed in milt-
tary matters and yet they are sturdy
Young men who win make good soldiers
II they are taught Many Of the Greek
Americans are men who have served
their two years In the Greek army, as
1 did myself several years ago, aud
these men will be the non-commis-
stoned officers Of our military company
instructing those who have never
served.
we want this country Go know that
our Greek military companies VIII be
available for service under the stars
and Stripes IL our adopted country ever
needs us In the Spanish American
war there were several thousand
Greeks on the American side and there
are thousands Of them In the United
states navy today and many are now
serving enlistments In the army. We
expect 10 have $4,000 men in the mill
tafy companies from Boston Co san
Francisco In almost every city OF im-
portance I'm tho United states We
now have 81 men ON our rolls ana cN-
poet TO have great many more before
long We may have three companies
in a short time.
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE TAKEN
Last sunday ia the Greek church I'm
this city a very affecting ceremony was
performed when these So young Greek
Americans stood up and with hands
raised they took the oath OF allegiance
10 the sister flags. the Greek ana Amer
lean emflems This followed the hrst
steps In the organization Of the com
pany taken By John Demost and Gust
Kare iiannis who first suggested the
organization here. The captain or the
company will be Nick y. kondyles, VINO
served as "A on-Uommissioncd othcer IN
the Greek army FOR several years, ana
the tiumpeters viii be Eleftherios Vent
zelos and James FotopOulos. who served
in that capacity i'm the standing army
of Greece. There are, Of course, many
otbar positIons 10 be filled with cN-
rarienced men and We viii complete our
organization as soon as Ve are able tp
select them We have talked Win OF
Rcers OF the army at Fort Douglas ana
with national guard officers, and they
have promised us much assistance In
this matter We viii probably OBTAIN
our rifles from the United states gov
eminent and take steps Co secure iaDiIi-
ties for target practise. We viii tiy
40 make our company am efficient orr
eanization of good Greek American sol
diers.
TO FREE THEIR BROTHERS.
.I have explained one motive iu the
organization Of the company Sow lcl
me explain another. There are 2,'yoou'
Greeks who are independent Ihefe
are between 100000 and FoooN'j VINO
are under Turkish rule Aside from
u
enemies. an instance being the Mace
DOMAIN massacres OF about one year
ag0 Other small European nations Hr,
casting their eyes on Greece and tho g.
900 900 independent Greeks are NOT
strong enough 10 carry out the program
OF iberating the Greeks under turkish
rule. and we propose 60 have a STRONG
and well instructed army s1rmed ih THIS
country TO some day strike the blow
IF.sT Ia q
now under the yokes that are SO gal
ling We viii shed our last drop of
blood 20 carry ont this program aud W'
will enter into the fight 8s soon as Vv
gain the strength.
NOT ANARCHISTlC
81 want TO say hat there is nothing
revolutionary DO this movement, nom
inc oparrbIstic I've love our King,
MIC throne of Greece IFS one OF the most
stable i'm tho eastern hemisphere ANA
.tbe raopIe of Greece are devoted subjects
of King George. We Will rally about
his standard whenever hr calls as anu
too. we will rush 60 the defense of tht
American flag if we are ever needed
FOR that purpose inc l'". pu, M
our organization may be summed up
in this short sentence: We are ready
81, hear arms under the Greek Nnlpri
am under the American hag ana %"
make our services Intelligent we are
organizing into companies 90 learn now
To- soldier In the right way. We believe
ZOO that the companies VIII foster
Greater love for law and order and
mako better citizens ot the Greek
Americans n win also prove oi phN
steal benefit To- the men. making thrm
straight and healthy.
An Stathakos said that plans were
being made Tor suitable Gril. haIi
ffta Hrff.H ID