The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-12-06
British Toke FAM Hg's
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(COntinued from Page D Amalia avenue, apparently to meet any Elas troops trying to move ir from that direction.
 Hurrying pedestrians were accus- toming themselves to ducking around street corners as the advers- aries exchanged shots. The general strike continued. Most families lacked meat or bread. A black mar ket was flourishing.
 Showdown
 The showdown fight for control of the government appeared to have begun as the heavily armed and reinforced Elas units pushed through the capital, overwhelming police posts and running head-on into the British tanks and infan- try drawn up around the center ot the city.
 An Allied communique announced that the British were ordered in- to the fight after the insurrection- ists had opened fire on their sen- tries.
 British and Greek regular forces have now gone into action to sup port the civil power" the commit nique said.
 Fierce street fighting was resumed in the capital at dawn around con- Stitution Square and in the Hadji- costa and PSiro districts with Brit iSh troops and tanks and regular Greek Army units joining the gov ernment police against the Elas, military arm of the Fam (national liberation front).
 News
 News of the approach of Elas re- Inducements was disclosed in a communique from the headquarters of It. Gen. Ronald Scobie, Brit ish commander in Athens, who had ordered the Elas to quit Athens by midnight tonight under penalty of being dealt with as enemy units. |"
 British tanks already have inter vened on a number of occasions to rescue besieged government forces and fin 8 few cases had to take &C., tion to prevent bloodshed," Scobie said.
 The tanks fired several rounds of shells yesterday into houses from which Leftists were attacking 8 civil prison, but up until today Elas units in most places ceased fire when the British appeared.
 The death toll in the first three days alone in the battle of Ath- ems" stood at 100 or more, with an- other 250 persons wounded. Premier George Papandreou'S government appeared to have weathered the storm at least tenn porarily. Paprandreou offered his resignation yesterday, but later withdrew 1t after receiving assur- ances of full British support from Prime Minister Churchill.
 Tough five Leftists resigned from the Papandreou cabinet last week. end, the remaining members were reported to have pledged full sup port to the premier at an emergen- cy meeting last night. Struggle For Democracy "All parties ecept the resigned Leftists are supporting the govern ment." marine minister Panagiotis Canellopoulo said in an interview after the meeting We are waging 8 struggle for the Democratic front against the Fascist left" Themistocles Sofoulis, leader o1 the Liberal Party, disclosed earlier that Papandreou had asked him on Monday to form new government but asserted that the British am bassador informed him yesterday l that latest instructions iron Churchill made "any change in the present head of the government inn possible"
 Scobie also asked hi to support Papandreou, Sofoulis said, but ht replied that he could not coply be- cause that would mean support ing dictatorship"
 T feel bound to make this state ment to ef1lighten British and Am. erican opinion" Sofoulis said. The crisis was touched off by the governments order to Elas mem bers to surrender the arms with which they helped to liberatt Greece. Elas refused on ground: that such action would permit the government to set up a dictatorship especially since it's own forces would remain armed.
 A 5:30 p. m. curfew was ordered by the military governor of Athens but spasmodic skirmishing contin. ued throughout the night. Possible Hostages
 Scobie reported in communiquC that there was further evidence of Elas elements moving into Athens from the surrounding coun- tryside and accused left-wing ele. ments of abducting . number oi Greek army and navy officers and civilians. ponsibly to be held a: hostages.
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