Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-11-21
MYSTERIOUS Man OF EUROPE
Has Tremendous Influence in Inter-
national Affairs.
is SIR BASIL ZAHAROFF man OR MYTH?
Strange Individual Who Has Exercised
Influence Over All Leading European
Statesmen in Behalf of Greece.


sive personality of Sir Basil Zaharoff," !"
to quote one European observers
phrase for a phenomenon which most
of them have noticed in more or less
detailed dispatches, has been catap-
ulted into the European political tu-
multi" Zaharoff, according to reports,
is classified as a Greek by birth,
naturalized Frenchman by choice, and
is reputed to be the richest man in the
world He has been likened to a
modern Count of Monte Cristo, "who
applies his immense wealth for the
manipulation of nations and dynas-
ties" Now, observes q writer in the
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, comes
so responsible publicst and editor as
Lord Beaverbrook, with an amazing
summary OF Zaharoff's international
plotting, coupled with the demand that
"this mans interference with Britain's
affairs come to an immediate stop"
The Bulletin writer goes on to give
further details, both as to Lord Bea-
verbrook's details and as to Zahoroff's
remarkable life and influence:
The significance Of this categorical
statement that zaharoff was pulling
the wires in Downing Street lies in the
authority behind it. Lord Beaver
brook, as Sir William Maxwell Aiken,
sat in the Coalition cabinet during the
World War, holding among other port
folios that of Minister of Information.
In that capacity it was his particular
business to obtain intelligence about
sinister figures in the world.
No one, therefore, can doubt that
Beaverbrook speaks by the card when
he characterizes this 72-year- old
Greek, who lives most of the time in
Paris, where he maintains a magnifi-
cent establishment. Zaharoff, he says,
owns Monte Carlo, and indeed it has
been understood for year or two that
he had practically bought out the
proprietary interests of the Blanc
family in the Casino. He had been for
many years a large stockholder, and
the final purchase was facilitated by
the disastrous effects of the war on
the gaming establishment. Roulette,
baccarat or other games do not in
trigue him, though the enormous revc-
nues from the Casino, now that the
goddess of chance reigns at Monte
Carlo as Of yore, doubtless furnish him
with some of the means for his vastly
more hazardous games at the political
tables. Lord Beaverbrook says that
the dcstinies of nations are the sport
of this multi millionaire Mystery
Man" The movements OF armies and
the affairs Of governments are his es-
pecial delight.
"Hc can hardly estimate his own
wealth." says the article which Lord
Beaverbrook is believed to have
written or inspired, because 'it so per-
meatcs the financial arteries Of Europe
that every move of the political ner-
vous system reacts on his fortunes"
To understand this and other allus-
ions TO Sir Basil it is necessary to re-
member that while he is ostensibly a
banker, having supremely important
national connections, he is also large
ly interested in munitions and ord
nance enterprises in different countries.
These include i'm England the famous
Beavcrbrook article goes on to declare
that "in the wake of war this myster-
iOus figure moves over the tortured
areas of Europe" statement that in
wolves the most sinister implications.
Specifically he is accused Of having in
fluenced Lloyd George to back the
Greeks in the Near East, and to have
been the real wire -puller in recent
British policies which brought the En-
pire to the verge of a war with Turkey
and a rupture of the entente with
France. This would be the logical Sc
Quencc of his rcputed manipulation of
Grecian affairs in the past ten years.
During the Balkan war Of 1913 he is
said to have granted Greece $2,5O0NCO
year. During the World War his
donations to the national treasury
amounted to half that sum. No doubt
is felt that he was the financial backer
of Venizelos and the Venizelst party,
and his continued subsidies for the
Greek armies in Asia Minor are certain
beyond conjecture.
What manner of man, asks the
writer, is this mystery monger. the
parallel Of whom cannot he detected in
the pages Of authentic history and
must he sought in glowingly imagina-
tive romance? The reply runs:
The place and date of his birth are
not definitely known, but 1850 is as
signed as his natal year. His full
name is said to be Zacharie Basilc-
ZaharOff \ fashionable suburb Of
COnstantinoplc. Athens, Russia and
London arc all mentioned as places
whore he was born. but he is claimed
iE Athens as Il nGtive-bOrn Greek. He
is tall and slender, straight Of figure,
distinguished i'm bearing and address,
with ron-gray hair ana a silv"ry mus
tachc and small imperial. He is an un-
ostcntatious dresser, rather inclined 20