The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-18
U. s. CITIZENS ARE. BEING FORCED ID
 JOIN GREEK ARMY
Americans ForcibIy Taken From Homes and From Vessels and Compelled
 to Serve In Army
By Associated Press


 Smyrna, June 17.-American citizens are being impressed into the Greek army by agents of the Athens government and George Horton, United States consul gen. eral here, has made vigorous pro- test to Governor General Steriades against the continuance of the prac- tice. For many months past, Americans, even men who served in the army in France, have been forcibly taken from their homes or from vessels arriving from the Uni ted States and compelled to join the Greek forces.
 There have been scores of such cases In Athens, Smyrna, Patras and saloniki, and only those able to es- cape and get into communication with American consular officials have obtained redress. In many in stances they have been stripped of their clothing and passports, and other papers have been confiscated. When they have protested. 1t IS charged that they have been hand cuffed, thrown into iails and mis- treated
 Consul General Horton declares ttis action by the Greek authorities is in fragrant violation of existing agreements between the United States and Greece granting military exemption 10 persons naturalized as American citizens prior to February l, 1914, and those who although na- turalized since that time have served with tho American army or navy
 Disabled Veteran Seized
 One case is cited as typical of many. Private James Haftel of New York city, who was cited for bravery in the American campaign and who has been receiving disability al lowance of $50 month from the United States government. was re- gently arrested by Greek authorities at Mitylene. He came to Greece as an American citizen to be married, but was brought to smyrna under 2QdTu. TIC 6SCdpCN SdtfSAAioAASN esNAN appealed to the American consul gen oral here, whose energetic action re- suited in the mans immediate re- lease. Haftel is now returning to New York city with his wife.
 Governor General Steriades has repeatedly promised to remedy the situation. and has repudiated the ac- tion of minor Greek officials in de- tafninr American citizens, but despite his efforts arrests of Americans c3n- ti4ue MT. Horton has appealed to Washington to make g peremptory demand upon the Greek government to discontinue this breach of the agreement existing between the two countries.
 REPRESENTATIONS MADE
 TO GREEK GOVERNMENT
 Washington, June 17--lnforma, representations against the impress n.cnt of naturalized American elti- zens into the Greek army have been made to the Greek government by the American legation at Athens.
 The matter also has been called to the attention of the Greek legation here, but it was said today at the state department that because of what appeared to be a sincere desi- of the Greek government to not con- tinue such a policy no direct repre- sentations have been made by the department to the foreign Cffice at Athens. Ii was said at the depart ment that thus far no appeal had been received from George Horton, the American consul general at smyrna. fer the dispatch of peremtory de- mand that such violation of American rights be stopped. Barton Hall, the American charge at Athens. has re- ported, it was said, that the number of naturalized Americans impressed into service by the Greeks did no- ex- eeed 20.
 The contention of the Greek gov ernment, it was said, is that under the Greek law no citizen of Greece has the right to renounce his citizen skip without the consent of his gov ernment and that with possibly few exceptions the men seized have taken o'it naturalization papers since the beginning of the World war. In all such cases, it was claimed, the for e;gn office had yielded promptly to the representations made by the American legation.
 The only men held, it was asserted, are few in which the claims Of American citizenship have not been Cteariy established