Evening star., 1942-10-29
lauds Greeks
For Will 10 Resist
Axis Collaboration
I Promises Thot Everything
1 Possible Will Be Done
: To Speed Liberation

Z Undersecretary of State Sumner
-Welles, addressing meeting in
Ahs Departmental Auditorium COM
memorating the second anniversary
Df Greek resistance to Italian ag-
Eression, and President Roosevelt,
In a message to Ambassador Cimon
Diamantopoulos of Greece read at
the meeting. last night praised the
Greek people for their refusal to
follaborate with the Axis, implying
sA sharp rebuke to the Vichy gov
4rnment..
1 The Presidents message, read to
ahe audience of 1900 by Mr.. Welles,
6alled more significant than
Greece's initial reply to the Axis
challenge "the fact that Greece has
continued to fight with every means
at its command"
To those who prefer to COM
promise, to follow a course of
fxpediency, to appease, or to count
the cost, say that Greece has set
the example whic hevery one of us
must follow until the despoilers of
Freedom everywhere have been
brought to their just DOOM he
said.
Resistance Effective.
Mr. Welles in his speech said that
Greece "had no hesitations; no
reservations about the right; no
slightest thought of accepting an
sAxis-imposed collaboration
Describing the invasion of Greece
sby italian armies as an "act of
shameless Axis treachery of type
(which the world in recent years has
soften experienced" he credited the
sGreek people with having shat
stered forever the hypnotic myth of
xAxis invincibility"
7 He pointed out that in five months
sCreece reduced "a boastful Axis
partner to the status of German
svassar' and, with British assistance,
.'held the Nazi hordes at bay for
precious weeks. making possible the
reinforcement of the Near East and
4changing decisively, and disastrously
1or Hitler, the timetable of Hitler's
sattack on Russia
Z Important as were the direct mil
Sitary results of Greek resistance,
smore important was the regenera-
stion it brought in the morale Of the
freedom loving peoples, Mr.. Welles
ssaid.
:. 1T showed us ALL he remarked,
"that honor and resolution and
courage were neither impotent nor
stiead. 1t proved again that those
who value their liberty must be
prepared to fight for it's preserva-
ton. no matter how great the odds"
! Reporting that today the invaders
are stripping the land bare and
: leaving men. women and children to
. die of starvation in the fields and
!: in the Streets" Mr.. Welles observed:
/, 1T is hard to resist when you are
starving And yet resistance within
! Greece goes on, resistance by the
F.: guerrilla leader in the mountains,
4: by the saboteur behind the invaders
lines. by the boatmen who put out
at night from the darkened shores
, to make possible the escape of Greek
patriots so that these may rejoin
the fighting troops in North Africa"
Assistance Hampered.
He pledged that I'VE will leave
nothing undone which will hasten
the day OF. victory and liberation"
He pointed out that "unhappily"
the conditions of war now limit and
hamper the extension of full as
sistance, declaring:
What we can do without helping
our common enemies we are doing
and will continue to do"
The Undersecretary promised that
when victory has been won the
people of Greece will once more
assume their proud and rightful
place in the family of nations and
Greece will regain her territorial
integrity and the achievement of
her legitimate aspirations for Sc
curity in the world of the future"
Presiding over the meeting, Sena-
tor Connally, chairman of the Sen
ate Foreign Relations Committee.
predicted final victory over the cruel
and barbaric forces and the resur-
rection and restoration Of Greek
AlCNOOliI dlla lllSllbuUlOllS. L IlS uCS-
tiny that governs nations has al
ready recorded it in the book OF
fate, he declared.
A. Michalopoulos. Greek Minister
OF Information, lauded his country
mems deeds of valor and sacrifice.
He pointed out that in recent weeks
italians in Libya again have heard
ftA kA 1f ko :.l.
"16 months ago struck chill fear into
their hearts as they fed before our
onslaught in Albania"
Cherish Democracy.
The Greek people, Mr. Michal-
opoulos said. cherish the cause of
democracy as dearly as do the peo-
pie of America and are fighting be-
cause they do not intend to let any
foreigner dictate the manner in
which they are to live.
Calling attention to the fact that
yesterday was also the Oath ami
versary of the founding of the Czech
oslovak Republic. he saluted the
Czechs. who, he said, are "resistingS
the tyranny of the new order with
heroism and tenacity."
Ambassador Diamantopoulos final
speaker of the evening, thanked
President Roosevelt. Mr.. Welles and
Senator Connally for their tributes
and declared the determination of
the Greek people ito continue the
fight until final victory is won.'
FiohtinQ French Exhibit |