Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-06
ATHENS NOT
AFFECTED BY
WORLD WAR
Greek Capital is Exactly as
it Was in Pre-War
Days.

(Note: The subjotned letter from
Athens was written by a STAFF corre-
spondent Of the Associated Press who
went-to Greece after the signing Of
the armistice and who has filed sew
eral stories by cable telling sof the
great sunerings and numerous deaths
among the 100000 or more Greeks
deported from Macedonia by Bull
garians during the war and the prob
lens presented to the Greek govern
ment in providing for them now that
they r returning to Greece.)
Athens. Dec. s.A(correspondence
Of the Associated Press. Few large
cities Of the country that were en-
gagged in the war have been. less af-
fected by |, than the ancient capital
Of Greece. Free entirely from the
menace of air raids and hostile bonn
bardment, and participating actively
in the war for comparatively only q
short time, Athens Is today In all es-
sentialafeatures exactly as It was in
pre-was days.
= There is scarcely any outward sign
that the country ever was in the great
world conflict. During the entire pro-
gress of the war. all the stores, the
aters, cafes, museums and places Of
amusement in the Greek metropolis
were doing business as usual and the
Inhabitants felt only remotely the ef-
fects Of the war. Prices of food and
clothing were much higher than in
peace times but the people suffered
from no such scarcity Of these and
other necessaries Of life as did the
populations of London, Paris and
other continental cities.
The tourist, who at onO time was
one of the most abundant sources of
revenue, however, disappeared en-
tirely during the war.
h passing years appear on the
whole to have made little change in
the Athenian capital. If the visitor
who knew Athens well in days long
ago could pay another pilgrimage to
the historic city, he would e still
the same quaint sights that have al
ways made Athens appear to the
foreigner rustic and unsophisticated,
in the midst Of all its cosmopolitan
ism. He would see a number Of mich
goats roaming down one Of the main
streets, picking UP orange peel and
paper bags in the gutter, while their
owner drew the sweet warm milk
from them to fill the bottles and
pitchers of the busy Greek house,
wives who emerged from their homes
IN response to the dnkle OF the goats
bells and the hawking cry Of the
fustanella-clad herdsnan. He would
see also the countless little Greek
gamins, dirty and ragged, that are 20
much a part Of the life Of the capital
and who shine shoes End sell lottery
tickets.
Another familiar sight would be the
old women. thin, tanned and bent
with years. with black handkerchief
tied under their chins, and carrying
on their backs dilapidated hampers
of wild herbs and salad leaves, which
they dispose Of to the abrtemioua
Greek householders Of the neighbor.
hood for about % lepta Is cepts)
a quart. Greek funeral professions
in which the body of the deceased Il
carried In an open hearse, fully ex-
posed and without coffin or covering
are familiar sights.
Other cities change with times. but
Athens seems az immutable today. q
It was IN the centuries that have
gone. Three was within q decade
have altered only slightly the life
charactertstics and Institutions Of III
ancient city Of Hellas..