Evening star., 1948-01-06
Greek Army Increase
Provides $4,000 More
Men 10 Battle Reds
BY the Assoeiuisd Press

BtIeuSt0 VI tlle CIeck AIiIly As w
be increased by 10000 men and
the nanpower of the National
Guard is to be boosted to $4,000
men, Premier Themistokles So
phoulis announced last night.
The decision, he said, constitutes
q reply to the help given Communist
rebels by Greece's neighbors and is
intended to encourage those who
defended and liberated Konitsa in
the last week Of the old year. The
announcement was issued after Mr..
Sophouls conferred for two hours
with Dwight p. Griswold. head Of
the American aid mission to Greece.
The size of the army thus will be
swelled from 10000 men to 132, 600
The present strength of the national
guard is 10000 men, making total
increase for the two branches OF
$4,000 men.
! BY strengthening the national
guard, MIR. Sophoulis said, the army
will be freed of guard duties and
enabled to pursue and attack the
guerrillas of Markos Vif1ades, the
rebel chieftain, who has proclaimed
q Communist state in Greece, but
who has been unable yet to find
seat for his government.
British Transfers Approved.
At the same time, the American
State Department announced that
as part of the program to aid Greece
In its fight against communism
Britain had been given blanket au-
thority to transfer lend-lease mill
tary equipment to the Greek gov
eminent.
The equipment, surplus to British
needs, already is in Greece, the de-
partment said, but no inventory il
available.
The manpower increase for the
Greek armed forces was the secone
authorized by the United States
since the $500, 100000 aid program
went into effect. Last September
q temporary increase of 10000 mer
and an additional permanent In
crease of 10000 men for the Army
WAS authorized. The Greeks hac
asked an increase of 10000 men.
Mr.. Griswold said at the time
that 1t could be inferred from the
increase that reconstruction ap-
propriations will be decreased te
allow for military requirements"
In Washington the State
Department said the American
aid mission to Greece has au-
thorized the diversion of 15,000,-
900 more from American relief
funds for military purposes. This
brings to $174,000, 900 the portion
of the 5000, ,OOO, 900 American fund
TO be applied for military pur-
poses.)
u. S. May Provide Arms
Mr.. Sophoulis' announcement last
night said the United States also
Is considering the supply and equip
ment Of Greek troops, including
machine guns and mountain artil'
lery. Greek soldiers have com
planned that they are Handicapped
In their fight against the guerrilla'
by unsuitable equipment.
It also was agreed at the con
ference, the Premier said. that Z
closer relationship would be effectef
at once between the aid mission
and the Greek Army. American
officers already are attached to th'
army down to the division level.
In Salonika, an informed sourc'
said the United Nations Specia
Commission on the Balkans intend
to establish permanent observe
teams along the Greek frontier
within two weeks, although M
funds have yet been allotted TO
the work.
The Albanian government ha
notified the commission that NJ
commission observers would be al
lowed inside Albania. The Salo
nika informant said military OBJ
servers of the commission who wit
messed the battle of Konitsa re-
turned convinced that the guerrilla
there were supplied from Albania.
Rebels Driven From Heights.
Press dispatches today said tn
Ruerrillas who attacked Konitsa hat
been driven from heights arount
Bourozani Bridge, west OF the city
snd that Greek troops were NOV
ing across the Aoos River in al
effort to cut off rebels trying tt
Withdraw toward the Grammo
Mountains to the northwest.
A rebel artillery battery firing OF
engineers trying to restore the stra
tegic Bourozani Bridge has beef
silent for SO hours and there wer
some indications that the bridg
was in use.
In the Philiates area, to the south
west, army units reportedly mad
contact with rebel forces moving II
that region. The contact was salt
to have been made at the village o
Palamba, few hundred yards from
the Albanian border, II miles nortl
of Philiates.
vifiades Aides In Lykorachi.
The Conservative newspaper EN-
bros quoted refugees from tn
Grammos Mountains today as say
ing that the sef-proclaimed Gree
Communist government Of Viflade
had established itself in the tin
mountain village Of Lykorachi
The village Is in the heart O
the Grammos Mountains, II mile
northeast of Konitsa and 10 mile
from the Albanian border.
Vasso Tsimberados, a correspon
dent for Embros, who entered Ko
nitsa after vifiades' guerrilla force
failed to capture that city as tn
capital of his rebel state, said tn
refugees told him several well
dressed civilians, described by tn
villagers as ministers of the Vifiade
regime, had been seen in Lykor
achi since the guerrilla leader pro
claimed the existence of the Com
munist state the day before Christ
mas.
He said the villagers told hir
q yoi1itarv cnalrt hospital an