Evening star., 1936-09-06
GREECE JOINS RANKS
OF DICTATOR NATIONS
Land Where Democracy Was Born Is
Now Under Military Rule of
Gen. Metaxas.
BY EMIL LENGYEL,
Author Of Millions of Dictators." J"

spread over tne prmClpal
cities announcing the disso-
luton of the Chamber of Deputies and
the declaration of martial law. The
4 following day Gen. John Metaxas, pre-
mier of Greece. took upon himself the
ministries of the army, navy. air and
foreign affairs. and filled other min
isterial positions with men known to
have Fascist sympathies.
The land in which democracy was
born had turned to a military die
tatorship.
Following in the footsteps of other
European dictators. Gen. Metaxas JUS
titles his dictatorship with an alleged
communist menace. His dictatorial
rule will continue, he announced,
until the country is cleansed of boil
. shevism. And by way of emphasis
guns on Salonika, turbulent Greco
Macedonian city, which is said to be
. stronghold of radcalism.
Two days after the dictatorship was
proclaimed opposition leaders in
formed the King that Metaxas' pre-
texts for suspending Parliament were
groundless. George II shrugged his
shoulders and left for fortnights va
cation on the Island of Corfu. Next
day. when Metaxas posed for photog-
raphers, he wore the WIDENING collar
and dark necktie which the Athenians
associate with Mussolini and Fascist
dictatorship.
Known as Little Moltke."
Europe's most recent dictator is
known to his countrymen as the little
Moltke," after the victor of the Fran
co-Prussian War; and the greatest
army leader of the second half of the
nineteenth century He is also known
as an admirer of Hitler, and Greece is
speculating whether he will follow in
the footsteps of the German fuehrer,
becoming the father of reaction and
substituting the will of supposedly
tnfallible leader for that of a majority.
. Will the ancient Acropolis see, Atheni-
ans wonder, the rise of totalitarian
state in the land whose ancient CITY,
states first conceived democracy, and
which gave it its name, demos krateo,
the peoples rule? 1t may take some
time before these questions will be an
swered, as Hitler himself needed the
Reichstag fire and the blood purge for
the establishment of his uncompro-
missing Nazi rule. Meanwhile, let us
consider Europe's newest dictator.
Even when Gen. Metaxas Is in
civilians mutt, he strikes one as a
. soldier from head to toe, despite his
small stature, the effect of which he
seeks to counteract by wearing high
heeled shoes. His 81 years rest lightly
upon his broad shoulders; his voice is
crashing, his gaze hypnotic. His nose
and lips are heavy and the pouches Of
flesh on his cheeks tremble with fire.
quent bursts Of anger. He has few of
the graces that often distinguish
Greek statesmen, but he is said to be
one of the most brilliant officers of the
Greek army, an orator and a man Of
broad education and many accom-
plishments.
Began i'm Balkan Wars.
His life has had as many ups and
downs as a scienic railway. He be-
gan his career brilliantly in the Bal
kan wars. but instead of following up
his triumphs he began to bet con-
eistently on the wrong horse. He be-
came an emigre and later an outlaw,
but finally he staged a comeback
which now has carried him to the die
tatorship. For nearly a quarter of a
century he carried on a dramatic duel
with the most outstanding statesman
OF modern Greece, Eleutherios Veni-
gelos. Nearly always Metaxas was
worsted, but with the death of his
great antagonist few months ago the
road was open to uncontested rule.
Metaxas Is a native Of the island
Of Cephalonia. Among the Greek
mainlanders Cephalonians have won
themselves a reputation as adventur-
ers. 'Metaxa" means silk in Greek,
but there was nothin silken about the
generals ancestors and the islanders
In general. Andre Metaxas played a
distinguished role in the liberation of
Greece from Turkish rule early in the
nineteenth century, when his native
island was still under British pro-
tectorate.
dictator had made up his mind as to
his future career. AS schoolboy he
read and reread the life of Alexander
the Great, reducing several copies to
rags. He received his military educa-
ton in the Military Academy at Pots
dam, near Berlin, and, although lack
of height was q serious handicap in
the army of pre-war Prussia, he was
known as q promising young cadet.
Achieved Fame rs Captain.
It was early in the present century
that he left Germany and returned to
Greece. Prospects there were most
encouraging for young officer of his
thorough training. Never was the
Balkan Peninsula more justly de-
scribed as a boiling caldron, with in
trigues everywhere. Russia was max
ing q bid to become the big bother
Of the Balkan kindoms; Germany was
pursuing her plans for Berlin-Bag-
dad railway via the Balkans; Austria
was ready to take Bosnia and thus
give the final impetus to the World
War; Turkey was still In the Balkans,
more hated than commiserated, un-
aware that her own subjects were
about to deliver the fatal blow.
Then came the eruption and the
Balkan countries were plunged into a
war with Turkey. Metaxas achieved
great fame among his colleagues as q
gallant captain of the general staff.
This was two years before the World
War. Bulgaria was dissatisfied with
her share Of the spoils and fell upon
her former friends. Capt. Metaxas
was appointed Greek plenipotentiary to
negotiate treaty Of mutual assistance
with the Serbians. This he did with
signal success. thus annoying the
elders who thought that 40-year-old
infant was far too young to have ac-
quired diplomatic brains. Once more
Metaxas distinguished himself in war.
Greek arms triumphed, and Athens
kLa m initial of fho yyonef i'm :.