Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-01-22
WITH ITS -
10000 PEOPLE
HAS MANY PAPERS

ASSOCIATED Press Correspondence
Saloniki, Greece, Dec. 19-The
French and British troopers stationed
in Saloniki since the beginning of the
Allied Balkan undertaking never
cease to marvel at the number of
newspapers able to live in a city of,
normally. only about 10000 inhabi-
tants, of whom a very large percent
age cannot read or write. Though
the second city of Greece since it's
conquest by the Greeks in the last
Balkan war, Saloniki has never been
and is not now in any real sense a
Greek city. Indeed. a scant rs per
cent OF the population Is Greek. Yet
the city supports five Greek daily
newspapers, three morning and two
afternoon journals. Besides these,
probably the most widely read of all is
the unique daily, the Forward, which
is printed in Hebrew characters for
the benefit Of the overwhelming Jew
ish population of the place-but
ish. not Hebrew words!
The newspapers of all Greece play
a very important if not a dominant
part in the politics so much the lead
ing occupation Of the Greeks There
is no such thing in Grece as a politi-
cally Independent newspapers, in the
sense that newspaper may be politi-
cally Independent in the United States
or in France. Every Greek daily is
| either for or against Venizelos-that
being the cardinal political test. This
is true. Of course, of those in Saloniki
as we'll.
The Light, a morning, and The New
Truth, an evening Journal are the
Greek anti-Venizelist organs, though
the former in addition to being bitter
| ly opposed to the late Premier is also
pronouncedly German. The Mace
| donia and the Greece. both morning
journals, are the Venizelos organs in
Saloniki, though the Anchor, an eve
ming journal. while more militarist
than anything else, also supports
Venizelos. The Spanish Hebrew eve
ming paper, the Forward, is, as it's
name implies, socialist in politics and
pro- German.
While a mixture of Spanish and
Italian is' the current tongue spoken
/ by the great majority Of the inhabi-
tants of Saloniki. French is also spok-
en- widely. generally understood and
universally read. There are, there
fore, four French dailies published in
SaIoniki-a morning and an evening
paper for each political point of view
But in respect of the newspapers pub
lished in French, there is more parti-
sanship on the subject of the Euro
pean war. LOpinion in the morning
and independent in the evening are
the word-bearers of the Entente Pow
ers and especially Of the French,
though both are edited by natives Of
Saloniki. On the other hand, The Cour-
Ter Of Saloniki and The New Country,
both in French, are accepted, as almost
official pro German organs. The for
mer Is socialist paper closely af-
fiiated with the German socialist
party and the latter is virtually the
mouthpfece Of the Austrian Consulate
at Saloniki.
One other French newspaper Is
worthy OF mention: the Journal Of the
French warship Charlemagne, which
while not technically published in Sa-
loniki has it's circulation there. It Is
by far the newsiest sheet to be had in
salokini. for it prints all the official
communicates Of the various countries
at war. as we'll as a great deal Of in
formation Cleaned from the wireless
service Of the. French battleship. It
is distributed free Of charge to all the
Allied ships lying in the harbor, to the
headquarters and various other offices
OF the Allied armies on land, and may
De subscribed for by private in
oividuals at the rate Of fifty cents a
month.
since the arrival Of the British
troops. an English newspaper has also
oeen started and Is said to be very
prosperous. 1t IL called The Balkan
News. and is published under the
auspices OF the editors Of the French
Journals DOpinion ana LIndependent.