The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1948-11-05

ssa&22ss ~ IA size OF the rebel
+ ri RI. forces run from
10000 t % $4,000.
The Greek Nationalist army, accord
ing to an American Mission report
in March, numbers 10000. In adj
dition there are several thousands
more in the National Defense Corps
Battalions, a reservist organization
made possible by American money.
Add to that the gendarmerie and pol
ice and you have some idea of the
numerical difference between the
military establishments of the two
groups.
First call on American dollars has
gone consistently to the job of crush
ing the Left forces in Greece. Fifty
seven per cent of AMAG's 1947-1948
budget went to military purposes.
Only 71a per cent went to rebuild
ing agriculture, Greece's largest in
dustry. Last January the Mission
transferred Substantial sum" (the
amount wasn't publicized) from the
civilian to the military program.
EVIDENCE LACKING
Greek politicians have been trying
to make the world believe the Markos
troops are receiving substantial sup
port from the northern neighbors.
Official declarations always blame
the war on the Russian bloc". Evil
dence, however, is almost entirely
lacking. UN observers have been
stationed in Greece for months and
as yet they have produced no evil
dence of real support from the north
The Partisan army lives on food
raised in the areas it controls and
on supplies obtained by raiding ma
tionalist villages. It's equipment is
furnished by the Greek army-cap-
tured stuff. If Yugoslav or Soviet
planes were being used in the guam
tity Spitfires and PATS are, the
world would soon enough hear about
it.
| happen to know that both the
Yugoslav and Bulgarian governments
are meticulously avoiding any Incl
dent, no matter how small, which
will give UN valid reason to charge |
border violation. l am one of three |
correspondents who was refused en-
try into Greece via Yugoslavia for !
the sole reason they didn't want it |
said Yugoslavia was letting newsmen
in to see Partisan Greece. These
governments have not recognized
Markos, much as their sympathies
must be with him. They are trying
to avoid any act which would put
further strain on East-West ten
sions.
If American authorities honestly
believed Bulgaria and Yugoslavia
we're aiding Markos, why do they
admit his troops are under-equipped?
quoting again from the March II re-
port we find:
BUT, HOW THEY FIGHT!
"The bandits" CHATS the official
nonicker for the rebel troops) care
Inferior in caliber; their supply lines
ire weak and inefficient; their uni
orms and personal equipment are
Gnu 1llctoCdltlCC OSoPIOC
he help received from across the
lorthern border. 1t is an indisput-
BILE fact, proved in every engage
nent, that the firepower of the
3reek army has been overwhelming
Y superior to that of the bandits. 1t
vas widely reported that the bandits
ad eight portable mountain guns;
was widely believed the Greek
rmy had none and hence could not
AXE the offensive. The actual facts
vere that the Greek army possessed
uring this period several times this
lumber of portable mountain artil- S
cry guns, including eight American b
rs nm pack howitzers :" p
The Markos army is exactly the e
ind of organization AMAG's de- p
cription implies: a purely Greek or f
recruited from among o
ne hundreds of thousands of Greek