Evening star., 1944-12-08
Prime Minister
UphoIds Stand in
Greece and ItoIy
BRITISH TANKS speed to meet TOO
rebels advancing on Athens.
Page Al
(Tert on Page A-3.)

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 8.-In fighting
mood, Prime Minister Churchill
today defended Britain's inter-
ventiOn in Greece and Italy-and
won a resounding 1890 vote OF
confidence from the House OF
Commons.
The 7O-year-old leader received
his ninth vote of confidence after
declaring Britain had acted in
Greece only to avert gangster rule
He stood by the British govern
ment's opposition to Count Carlo
Sforza. whom the United States has
supported in the Italian government
crisis.
His ire aroused by bitter, left
wing denunciations of his stand, Mr..
Churchill demanded the vote of con-
fidence as justification for con-
tinuance of his policy.
Commons gave him that support.
He said such action would mean
that Britain will persist in this
policy of clearing Athens and the
Athens regions of all those who are
rebels to the constituted authority
in Greece"
Policy Not for Greece Alone.
But he made it abundantly clear
that the policy was not designed for
Greece alone: that Britain stood
committed to the right of a people
to choose their government in free
election. but that it would not toler-
ate a gang Of men from the noun
tains overthroWing constitutional
authority by violence.
Upholding the use of tanks and
troops against left-Wing forces in
Greece, Mr.. Churchill said Britain
acted to insure that gangsters did
not descend from the mountains
and ipStall themselves with all their
bloody terror and vigor in power"
AS for Sforza, Mr.. Churchill told
Commons that Britain simply did
not trust him nor would We put the
slightest confidence n any govern
ment of which he is a dominant
member
Sforza Not Opposed by L. S.
A move to name Count Sforza as
Italian foreign minister had brought
British opposition and blunt state
ment from Secretary of State Stet-
tinius that the United States did
not oppose the long -eXiled count
and furthermore wanted the Italians
to determine the course of their own
government.
Mr.. Churchill challenging the op-
position to vote of confidence, de-
MED his government had broken any
agreements with the United States
on Italy.
AS debate opened after the Prime
Minister sat down, Tom Driberg,
Independent, charged Mr. Churchill
with IAN unworthy piece of black
mail in throwing out this sort of a
challenge
Predicting Mr. Churchill would
not be dismissed by this largely
servile House" Mr.. Driberg declared
He says that we know where we
are going. I think he is going
against world opinion"
Amendment Causes Dispute.
The specific issue was an amend
ment by Laborite Seymour Cocks
calling on the House to express re-
gret that the recent speech by King
George VI gave no assurance that
British forces would not be used Ito
disarm the friends of democracy in
Greece and other parts of Europe
or to suppress these popular move
mentS which have valorously as
sisted in the defeat of the enemy -
IF what is called in this amend
ment the action of the friends of
democracy" Mr., Churchill said
scornfully, lis to be interpreted as a
carefully planned coup d'etat by
murder gangs and by the iron rule
of ruffians seeking to climb into the
seats of power without vote ever
having been cast in their favor-if
that is to masquerade as democracy
1 think the House will be united in
condemning it as mockery"
Mr.. Churchill bluntly declared
Britain would not stand for gang
of men from the mountains" over
throwing constitutional authority
by violence in Greece.
Promises to Check Rebels.
Asserting British troops had to
fight left-wingers there, he chal-
lenged:
IF I am to blame for this action
I will gladly accept dismissal of the
House, but if I am not dismissed,
make no mistake about it, we shall
persist in this policy of clearing
Athens and the Athens region of all
those who are rebels to the consti-
tuted authority of Greece"
When Count Sforza returned to
Italy from exile in the United States,
Mr.. Churchill said, he pledged sup
port to the government of Premier
Marshal Pietro Badoglio for the
duration of the armed struggle, but
Immediately began a series of in
trigues against Badoglio
The Prime Minister stood pat on
British troops Intervention in Bel
OHM also He said tho troopc