The Washington herald., 1922-09-25
GREECE RUSHES
TROOPS STODEFEND
CLAIM TO THRACE
Occupation by Turks May
Overthrow Government
At Athens.

ATHENS. Sept. 2i.-The possibil-
ity of the very existence of the
Greek government hangs on the
powers decision regarding Thrace-
The Paris conferences decision to
permit the Turks to take Thrace
undoubtedly will precipitate dis
aster and chaos.
The occupation of Thrace will
complete the decentralization of the
army and also flood Greece with
100000 Thracian refugees. in ad-
dition to the 100000 Smyrna refu-
gees already here.
VIII Fight 10 Hold Thrace.
Greece is rushing troops toward
Thrace. where 1000 Greek troops
are already under command Of
Gen. Victor Dousmani Athens de-
clares it will fight TO a finish any
attempt to take over Thrace.
Gen. Papoulas former general
issimo of the Greek army. has been
appointed governor general Of
Thrace.
Jugo-Slavia is concentrating in
fantry on the Macedonian and Bull
garian frontier in order to assist
Greece should Bulgaria support the
/ Turkish claims. Gen. Tetro is re-
ported to have small bands Of Bull
garian irregulars ready to raid the
frontier.
The mixed population OF Turkish
minorities with age-old hatreds in
this barren mountainous frontier
wilderness present a most inflam-
mable situation with the possibility
of embroiling the Balkans in re-
newed warfare
Troops Tagged by War.
1t is understood that 150. 900
troops who had done ten years serv-
ice in constant warfare since 1912.
now have been demobilized and
placed in reserve, but an equal
number of Greeks are still under
arms. All trains moving in Greece
are crowded with hundreds of de-
mobilized soldiers. hanging to the
running boards and camping on
/ the roofs of the cars. eager to get
( home. The men are tagged out and
! disguised with war. and are anN-
! ious to return to their native farms
/ and doff ragged secondhand Amer
lean khaki uniforms and get busy
harvesting tobacco and cotton crops
The government is preventing
these men from crowding into the
cities. SO there Is no disorder. al
though Athens is nightly patrolled
with armored cars and sentries
against banditry.
L. :. wheat Averts Famine.
Greece. which the first part of
this week had only three days sup
| ply of black bread. has STAYED off
i famine conditions precipitated by
the influx of refugees by a loan
from Athens bankers. which has
| enabled il hastily to buy American
| wheat. The first consignment was
| rushed from Marseilles and other
| shops are now en- route from the
United States, but the total brought
will be only enough for three
weeks.
About 100000 Near East refugees
fleeing from the Turks have been
dumped pell NELL from schooners
freighters and launches on tiny
Greek islands in the Aegean Sea,
/ where they are threatened with
famine.
| Starve for Three Days.
About 125.0OO have been dumped
onto Chios in addition to the normal
population of $4,000 and have been
without bread for three days, al
Though the Greeks are rushing food
from their own scanty supplies
The Greek government Is giving the
refugees doles of two drachmas
Cfour cents) each daily. but II is
doubtful whether 1t can even con-
ltinue this pittance.
About 1000 Americans. who fled
Smyrna with only their clothing or
their backs. are living in a mansion
near Piraeus. allotted to their use
Iby the Queen OF Greece. Other
Americans are housed aboard the
ship Acropolis. In Piraeus harbor
The American colony in Athens has
formed a relief committee to assist
these who are penniless.
\ Now refugees are arriving daily
They declare a reign OF terror ex'
lists in Smyrna, the Turkish troop
massacreing fleeing Christians.
i (oopyrisht. isfa.)