The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-02

That is why Greece is today a British who keep King George in power. The king and Dictator Met axes are said to be bitter enemies. But the king fears that without the military support of the dictator he would lose his throne, while Metaxes feels that without the king and the British there would be revolution. So they get along as best they can. WHISPER WHEN
 YOU SAY 'METAXAS"
 The name of Metaxes is mentioned, if at all, only in whispers. He is feared by all, hated by many. Critics are discouraged by Metaxas' whimsi- cal habit of locking them up in cells filled with four feet of water, or causing less serious offenders to lie naked on blocks of ice.
 Though British influence is still dominant in Greece, German com mercial penetration is greater this year than ever. Germany buys Greek tobacco, olive oil and fruits. In return the Greeks get imitation wool sweaters, harmonicas, cheap watches, fountain pens, and the Tyrolean hats with which the Bal kans have been flooded this year. You can map German commercial penetration into the Balkans by fol- lowing the trail of these hats down the Danube.
 If Greece is dragged into a war, it will be done by north Europe, not by her traditional eEemy, Turkey. Improvement of relations between Greece and Turkey is shown by the evident and sincere sorrow expressd in Grece at the death of Renal Ata- turk. The work of Renal in wiping out ancient enmities was well-known to Greeks.
 In fact, in some ways Greece lotks more like Turkey than Turkey itSslf. Ataturk did such thorough jolf of undermining in IStanul that if 1t were not for the mosques and palaces one might take 1t for any European city. But in Crete, for ex- ample. peasant women almost al- ways have cloth or scarf drawn over the lower part of the face, and the men wear a sort of turban BORIS IS
 TRAIN FANCIER
 Of all the Balkan countries, Bull garia immediately impresses one as tho most progressive. King Boris, whose hobby is railroading, and who likes to drive the engine of his own train, is apparently trying to mod ernize his country as fast as pos sible.
 Bulgaria is the only Balkan country with real minimum wage, a fairly high standard of living, and a thoroughly modern school system.
 King Boris has a fine collection of all the latest types of locomo- lives, and a special strip of track on which to try their speed.
 But this is one of the things you don't talk about. Bulgarians are sensitive about their kings hobby. In Rumania you do well not to dis cuss Madame Lupescu or Bessarabia. In JugoSlavia, Prince Paul's German leanings are not to be mentioned, nor is it we'll to discuss the fate of CzechoSlovakia.
 In Greece people find it unwise to discuss politics at all, and the only comment could elicit from an Athenian student about King George was Our king is not hated, but neither is he beloved" In a coun- try where the government is threat ened by possible revolution it is best to speak softly. In Greece there are two such possibilities.
 There are the Republicans, follow CTS of Venizelos. Many have been exiled to barren little islands of the Aegean, but each has 8 large and powerful family back in Greece waiting eagerly for the revolution. And Germany would like nothing better than revolution in Greece that would oust the present gov srnment and put in one favorable 70 Germany.
 NEXT Albania, where just
 when you think you've found local
 color, the native greets you with "Hi, buddy, how's thing in Gary?"