Evening journal., 1922-11-29
BRITISH BAN
ON Staying Of
GREEK CHIEFS
Continued Ffom Page one.)

CONTINUED Ffom Page One.)
while the Turkish attitude is stlffen.
ing in consequence.
In answer to Turkish claims the
British stand upon the agreement
between Britain and France. cover
ing the Lausanne parley. in which
France promised to support the Brit
ish in permitting no change in the
/ frontiers of the inundated areas.
The Turks are reported to have
sent an envoy to Paris in their
anxiety to discover the real situation
and their envoy returned with the
report that French "treachery is
complete"
Copyright 1922 by United Press)
ATHENS, Nov. 29.-(United
Press)-A little group of statesmen
and one soldier-formeriy a gen.
eraE in supreme command of the
Greek armies-strolled into a stone-
tagged yard early yesterday and
faced death like gentlemen.
Today. it is possible to relate. for
the first time. the story of how five
members of the cabinet that fell
with King Constantine and the man
who led the troops of Greece
against the Turks were executed by
a firing squad.
Condemned to death for treason,
held responsible for the crushing de-
feat administered to the Greeks by
Mustapha Kemal, the ministers at
first refused TO believe the govern
ment would really go through with
It. They were aware that the Brit
ish threatened to sever relations II
they were killed and other powerful
influences were called on IN their
behalf but in vain.
Finally the hour arrived. Priests
went to the Jail and the doomed
men were offered communion. They
partook kneeling in the barred
chamber-the men who once were
all highest and all powerful in
Greece, whose words moved armies
now unable TO save their own
lives.
All were on hand except former
Premier Gournaris who was too Ill
to leave his bed for the pre-death
cerem onies.
Immediately after the commun-
Ion, the condemned men were hur-
ried to the place of execution. Gour-
naris, scarcely able to raise his
head. was rolled out Of bed onto
a stretcher. placed in an ambulance !
and SO conveyed to the spot select
ed.
Six squads of soldiers. five rife
men in each, were waiting there to !
send the fallen statesmen into the |
next world. They stood like eutom-
etons. eyes straight ahead, az
as wax figures as the /
prisoners were brought in.
Gounaris was lifted out OF the am
oulance, and placed before the firing |
squad. He was too sick to pay much |
attention TO what was going on. In
different, huddled with hands thrust
ieep in his pockets, he stood there
with his head bowed until the voiley
crashed.
Gounaris dreamed Of making war
and restoring the ancient glory that
was Greece" He failed and paid
with his life.
Baltazzis, who had been a cabinet
minister under several pramiers, was
lebonnair to the last. He couldn't
conceal his nervousness, as he faced
ieath. 1t manifested itself IN the
idgety way he kept polishing his
nonocle. occasionally putting il to
lis eye to look over the preparations
or execution. -
General Hadjanetis, com mande- Of
he armies of Greece in their fatsf1l
.ttempt to roll back the Turks in
Asia Minor, was forced TO suffer mill
tary degradation before being shot
Deposed from his high Office as
-ar lord of the Greek military ma
hine. he stood stiffiy at attention
yhen some OF the very men he used !
D command approached him TO cut
he buttons off his uniform tunic and
ear his badges from his breast.
hey sawed off the buttons, ripped :
way the badges and left him dis
raced-a row of ragged holes in his
lcket where his marks of rank had
cen. Tears trickled slowly down
is grim face. |
A few minutes later his body was /
arried out.
The others were haggard, pale c
nd weary looking as they marched q
, death, but they kept their nerve s
, the finish. c
These executions practically wiped v
ut the coalition cabinet which was
/ power during the recent war with e
urkey. Z
The court martial, which con- n
emned these men stated their Of Il
nee as follows: p
They concealed from the peo-
le the danger of King Constantine's 4
turn. which they sought in order
enjoy high office under him.
hey stihed public opinion againsti
EN- by terroristic methods. and
ranged a pretended offensive
;ainst Constantinople. thereby
'inging about the enemys often
ye."