New-York tribune., 1921-10-22
5000 Greeks
Give Venizelos
Royal W elcome
Wartime Premier and His
Bride Arrive OH Aquita-
mia; Will Depart for
California Next Week
Greeted by Small Fleet
Declines TO. Discuss Inter
national Affairs; Insists
He Is Here ON No Mission

EIeutherios Venizelos, wartime
Premier of Greece and the most talked
o. statesman of the Levant, came here
Yesterday with his bride on the Gun
ard liner Aquitania from SOUTHAMPTON.
Those who had observed him in pic
lures that drifted this way during the
war encountered a much younger look
ing man than they had anticipated.
The fu,- Lite beard that gave him
patriarchal look was shaved down his
ruddy cheeks and trimmed closely on
his chin, giving him the appearance of
man just turned fifty The former
Premier has bright eye and a pleas
ant smile. He is taller than the aver
age man, moves and answers questions
in quick and decisive fashion.
He had the impression when the
Aquitania started up the bay from
Quarantine that he could slip quietly
i:.to the country, but before the vessel
had passed Robbins Reef light it
dawned upon him that those of Greek
birth in this city were prepared to
make his arrival here a tumultuous
one.
Hailed by Greek Argosy
The first Greek argosy to hail him
encountered the Cunarder as she
passed the Statue of Liberty 1t was
composed of small power boats led
by the sightseeing steamboat Nassau
filled with men of dozen Greek or
ganizations
Shouts of "venizelos!" and din of
voices that seemed endless brought
him to the side of the ship, where the
Nassau was trailing along, and there
his eye caught q long banner, bearing
welcome in English, which read:
Welcome, Venizelos, Creator of a
Greater Greece"
Some one informed him that this
was but a forerunner of the demon
stration that was awaiting him on the
pier and he remarked that he would
rather come in unobtrusively No one
was able to draw from him an express
sion of political or diplomatic nature,
and there was an air of fnaljty in his
simple declaration that he could say
nothing of international affairs
II have not come to this country in
the interest of the League of Nations"
he said; "nor am ] hare in relation to
any problem Of international policy
AS an ordinary citizen of Greece 7
nave come to America as visitor to
and Lincoln, and to see for myself the
beauties and the greatness of the land
of which | have heard so much. Ny
wife and / expect to remain in New
York for four or five days and then we
will start for Santa Barbara, in Cali
fornia, where we will stay for two or
three months"
5000 There to Greet Him
A score of Greeks who managed to
get within the customs barrier rushed
up to him with salutations, one of them
kissing his hand. His baggage was
promptly disposed of by the inspectors
and with quick steps the Greek states
man strode toward the exit of the pier.
Couriers ran ahead of him down the
stairs and into the farm" where no
less than 5000 men and women Of
Greek birth or citizenship were wait
ing for him.
But the lively stride of Venizelos was
not fast enough to keep pace with tho
impetuous crowd in his wake. His fol-
lowers nearly jostled him down the
long stairway in their enthusiasm to
brine hiv before the throng outside
the pier.
The first thing the Premier saw when
he was showed out upon the pavement
was file of men who spoke his tongue,
arrayed In the uniform of the Ameri-
! can Expeditionary Forces. Some leaned
on crutches, some were minus an arm
or a leg and at sight of them the great
Venizelos lifted his hat and cheered
them. Small flags of Greece swished
over the heads of the cheering throng
and here and there was the flag of the
United States.
Some one in charge Of the arrange
ments contrived to put the Premier's
car long way off from the pier en-
trance, and the police, despite their
strength of numbers, had hard tus-
sic to keep the Premier on his feet.
The statesman's bride, who was Nine.
Helen Schilizzi. of Athens, became sep
arsted from her husband, but finally