Evening star., 1935-03-02
GREECE APPEALS
TO VEN|zEL0S TO
HELPEND REVOLT
Rebels Fired Upon by Planes
Pursuing Seized
Warships.
BOUND FOR CRETE IN
ATTACK ON REGIME
Supporters of 1888 Dictator
Blamed for 0utbreak-Martial
Law Declared.

BY the Associated Press.
ATHENS. March with five war
ships loaded with rebels steaming
under pursuit for the Island of Crete
today, Premier P Tsaldaris telegraph
ed a direct appeal to former Premier
Eleutherios Venizelos on that island
to keep clear of the revolutionarieS.
1T was the first time the name OF
the powerful opponent of the present
regime had been brought into the
current revolt against the government.
There had been rumors in Athens that
the rebels. fleeing under gunflre. had
intended to pick up Venizelos at Crete
and proceed to Macedonia.
Tsaldaris wired to VeniZelos his
hope that the Liberal leader will not
sympathize with the crazy attempt of
few officers"
The government" messaged the
premier. intends to do all possible
to that end"
To Court-martiaI Officers.
Other government forces expressed
the hope that Greek forces on the
Island of Crete would remain loyal
Steps we're taken meanwhile to push
plans for court-martialing those Off
GERS already caught.
Government aircraft and destroyers
bent on quenching the last remnants
of the sudden revolution were pursu-
ing the war vessels en- route to Crete,
manned by rebels
Government aircraft located the
rebel WarShipS at midday near the
Isle of Milo, in the Aegean Sea, some
20 miles east of the extreme south
ernmost point of Greece.
They directed rain of bombs upon
the vessels. with unknown effect, and
other planes left the mainland tC
join them.
After the recapture of Salamis
Arsenal from rebel forces, the City
of Athens returned to normal life
despite martial law aimed at sup
preston of a revolutionary movement
blamed by the government on sup
porters of Gen. Nicholas PlaStiras,
dictator for a day during revolt in
1898.
The pursuit of the fleeing warShips
was accompanied by artillery fire and
aerial bombings which partially Grip
pied the cruiser Averoff, one OF the
craft manned by rebels.
Ordered to Open Fire.
Seven bombing planes from Atoi
and four government destroyers
formed the pursuit forces while fort
resses on the Island of Crete were
ordered to open fire on the rebels.
The fleeing craft were attempting TO
defend themselves. Some of the air.
craft which flew in pursuit of the rebel
vessels returned showing signs of being
we'll peppered with shot.
Two former admirals in the Greek
Navy, Demestichas and KollialeXi
were reported in command of the rebel
craft. They formerly had high rec
ords in the naval service. but were ex-
PEELED from the navy on charges of
having taken part in previous anti
government plots.
There were many arrests in Athens
among the cohorts of Venizelos, who
is a political foe of the present regime.
Former Prime Minister Papanas-
tasiou, labor party leader, was stopped
while leaving for Saloniki and held
at his home in Athens.
Martial Law Persists.
Martial law persisted with all COM
munications held in allegiance through
out Athens. Widespread arrests were
made among alleged followers of
Venizelos and the Venizelist news
papers were closed.
Former Gen. Papoulas, whose demo-
cratic defense organization, a Veni-
zelist body. was allegedly implicated
in the revolt, was reported to have
vanished.
The minister of war, Gen. George
Kondylis, said there were few govern
ment casualties on land and that
about 10 revolutionists had been
killed.
Rebels Occupy Arsenal.
The plot, which broke into the open
with startling suddenness and amidst
carnival revelry at pm. yesterday,
was discovered when the rebels we're
found to be occupying the Salamis
arsenal. A crack regiment in the
Athens outskirts and also soldiers in
a military school were partially con-
verted to the revolt.
The rebels were forced to abandon
their position under a two-hour
cannon fire.