Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-08-25


ATHENS, Aug. 25.-ConStantin
Tsaldaris said he hoped to form
a new Greek government today
ION as broad coalition basis as
possible" to replace the fallen
cabinet of Demetrios Maximos.
The embassy of the United States
which is aiding Greece. with $780,
900 900 in supplies, took a hand in
the dickering over one phase OF
the cabinet crisis brought on by a
dispute over the conduct of the fight
against leftist guerrillas.
The embassy conveyed to Themis-
tokles Sophoulis. 86-year-old former
premier and leader of the opposition
Sophoulis liberals. its wishes for the
participation of liberals in the new
government.
It also was suggested that Mr..
Sophoulis make counter proposals
to the offer by the Populist (Royal-
ist) Tsaldaris to Mr.. Sophoulis yes
terday of Joint direction" of the
new regime under which Mr..
Sophoulis would hold the presidency
of the ministerial council and Mr..
Tsaldaris the premiership.
Reply Not Made Public.
Mr.. Sophoulis' reply to the
Tsaldaris offer was not made public,
but an official source quoted him as
saving that if the Populists and
their policies had failed, the Lib
erals and their policies alone should
GOVERN.
The American Embassy's views
-~ere relayed through Constantine
.entis. who was foreign minister
the Sophoulis government prior
. the elections of March, 1916.
An American expert on Greek
'olitics said in an interview that
II. Sophoulis' attitude was based
IN a belief Mr.. Tsaldaris' offer to
hare the leadership was a show
of weakness" This source said Mr..
Cophoulis mistakenly believed that,
by holding out, he could obtain the
assignment to form a government.
Mr.. Tsaldaris talked with King
Paul 20 minutes and then said:
Il hope to be able to form gov
eminent on<as broad a coalition
, basis as possible and present the
King the list of cabinet ministers
by this evening"
Mr., Tsaldaris declined further
details, but sources close to him
said 1t was expected that all parties
in the Maximos cabinet except the
Social Democrats, headed by former
Interior Minister George Papan-
dreou, would be represented.
An American official here said
Mr.. 'Tsaldaris offered to share the
ministries equally between his party
and Mr.. Sophoulis' and not to ap-
point any Populist to whom Mr.
Sophoulis objected.
Later an official source reported
that Mr.. Sophoulis had given a
written reply which some observers
regarded as indefinite and which
others considered refusal. This
source quoted Mr.. Sophoulis as say
ing that if the Populists and their
policies had failed the Liberals and
their policies alone should govern.
Populist informants said that in
event of failure to get Mr.. Sophoulis'
cooperation, Mr.. Tsaldaris would
seek a coalition with Gen. Stylianos
Gonatas National Liberal Party
and Gen. Napoleon zervas' Demo-
cratic National Union.
Regarded AS Fair.
Mr.. Zervas as minister of public
order and George Stratos as min
lister of war were criticized by three
Center Party colleagues Saturday.
Mr.. Maximos submitted the res
ignation of his whole cabinet when
these three - Vice Premier Soph-
ocles Venizelos, Navy Minister Pan
ayotis Kanellopoulos and Mr.. Pap
andreou-quit, declaring that Gen.
Zervas and Mr.. Stratos had failed
to restore order and should be re-
placed.
King Paul that night called on
Mr.. Tsaldaris to form new gov
eminent. This would be Mr.. Tsal-
daris' second since liberation; he
was premier from April, 1896, until
last January, when Mr.. Maximos'
cabinet was set up.
The American official said the
embassy thought Mr.. Tsaldaris had
made Mr.. Sophoulis fair offer. Of
Mr.. Sophoulis' reported bid for full
CONTROL, he declared:
I'VE cannot support the minority
liberal party seeking to gain con-
troll of the Greek government any
more than we could support mi
nority Communist seizure of con-
troll"