Evening star., 1944-12-28
.GreeksAgree
On Formation
of Regency
Big 3 Will Study
Situation; Bullet
Misses Churchill
BY the Associated Press.

SiA0AAlSIIS D0IISt
Misses Churchill
BY the Associated Press.
ATHENS, Dec. % Warning
Greek political factions were
agreed today on formation of a
regency in a step toward peace
as British military authorities
reported a withdrawal of some
ELIAS forces from Athens to po-
sitions on highways leading into
the city.
prime Minister Churchill and
Foreign Secretary Eden have left
Athens for London to urge King
George II of Greece to approve
creation of a Greek regency, the
British Broadcasting Corp. cor
respondent in Athens reported
today in broadcast to London)
A majority of the conferees ex-
pressed themselves in favor of an
immediate regency, while minority
favored postponement, it was an
nounced by Archbishop Damaskinos,
the chairman.
In prelude to the political dis
cussions, snipers bullet narrowly
missed Mr.. Churchill yesterday
morning as he stood in front of the
British Embassy.
big 3" to Study Situation.
The regency issue was voted on
yesterday at an all-party confer
ence, after which Mr.. Churchill an
nounced that he, President Roose-
welt and Premier Stain would take
up the Greek question at a meeting
in the near future.
"Of course, we must expect that
in a not very long time President
Roosevelt, Marshal Stain and my
self will meet again and we will
certainly review the situation" Mr.
Churchill told a press conference.
Asked what was likely to happen
II no settlement were reached at the
all-party conference, Mr.. Churchill
replied:
II no agreement Is reached, the
guns will 60 on firing, the troops
will clear the district and we shall
establish peace, order and security
in Attica."
An Allied headquarters COM
munique today said insurgent troops
which entered the city appeared to
be evacuating and leaving the fight
Ing in the "built-up" areas to the
original Athens ELIAS corps, con-
centrated at Piraeus and in the
northern and southern districts of
the city.
Fighting Continues.
The communique said the process
of clearing Athens of the ELIAS was
progressing slowly but satisfactorily
During yesterdays session, which
was held in a tense atmosphere as
fighting flared up throughout the
city, Greek Premier George Papan-
dreou was said to have offered to
resign as means of expediting the
regency, presumably under Arch
bishop Damaskinos.
Mr. Churchill was with Foreign
Secretary Anthony Eden and AM
bassador Reginald w. A. Leeper
when he was fired on by sniper.
The bullet whistled close by the
Prime Minister and struck a young
woman 300 yards away.
British headquarters commented
this morning that sniping had been
fairly continuous across the front
entrance of the embassy and that
there was no indication the sniper,
who was manning a machine gune,
aimed especially at Mr.. Churchill.
The Prime Minister and the Brit
ish commander, 1t. Gen. Ronald M.
Scobie, watched British parachute
troops, infantry, tanks and armored
cars begin driving the ELIAS from
Central Athens today.
Watch Fighting.
Standing on Filopappas (Monu-
ment Hill, they saw stiff fighting
waged in the narrow, winding streets
of the Iroon district northwest of
the Acropolis and south Of Omonia
Square.
The ELIAS fought back with NOR
tars, machine guns and grenades
and before finally giving in they
blew whole buildings into the streets
in many places. Teller mines were
found sown in the debris.
The British took ITO prisoners,
most of them in civilian clothing.
A smile drive through the SOUTH
eastern suburbs last night by British
troops and Greek national guards
men had netted $50. Answering fire
by ELIAS artillery, British guns heav-
lily shelled Ardittos Hill in Zappion
Park.
A dispatch to British headquarters
from the Epirus front said Gen
Napoleon Zervas, commander of an
EDES army reduced from 10000 to
5000 by desertions, was fighting a
rear-guard action against ELIAS
forces and falling back to the neck
Of the Preveza Peninsula. The at
tacking ELIAS Army was estimated
to number from $4,000 to 10000 men.
Although all factions appeared
agreed on the proposal for a regency
(See GREECE, Page A-3)