Evening star., 1949-08-31
Poyoff in Greece

It looks as though the calculated FISK
which President Truman decided to take
in Greece is beginning to pay real dlvl-
dends. And this despite sizaole NUMBER
of calamity howlers
The outlook was anything but promlS-
ing when the British, on February "a, ls41'
told this Government that their own eco
nomic stringencies would compel them to
discontinue aid to Greece and Turkey as
of March 81. The volume of British aid In
Greece had been considerable, though not
very effective It was clear, however, that
Greece. without aid from some source,
could not last long. And it was equally
clear that Western interests would be very
seriously prejudiced If Greece should be-
come another Soviet satellite.
Mr.. Truman's reaction was prompt. On
February 27 he called secret conference
at the White House. And on March IL ne
went before joint session of Congress to
ask that $4OO00O,00O be appropriated for
a program of military and economic as
sistance to Greece and Turkey.
There was no Disgusting the seriousness
of the move, and no attempt to disguise
it. Aggressive communism had been ex-
panding in Eastern Europe almost without
hindrance There were those who thought
it could not be stopped short of the Eng
lish Channel without war. But the Presi-
dent and the Congress decided to make a
stand in Greece.
There were risks, of course. 1t might
mean war. OF larger proportions was the
risk of failure, for Greece in 1947 was
frail reed to lean on. She was surrounded
by hostile eighbors-Yugoslavia, Bulga-
ria and Albania. All of them were under
the thumb of communism, and all were
giving aid and comfort to the Greek guer-
rillas Conditions within Greece were
wretched The people were suffering the
government was dictatorial in character
and tainted with corruption, the army was
demoralized and inefficient. Most certain
ly, there was little there to build upon.
The decision had been made, however,
and the gamble was taken. Months OF dis
appointment followed The war against
the rebels made little headway, and there
were those who charged that our inter-
vention actually was proving more bene-
fetal to the rebels than to the government
forces. Some we'll meaning souls denounced
the President because he had linked this
country with a Rightist regime. That de-
tracted from our own moral force, they
said. Still others, meaning well but under
standing little, complained bitterly that
too much of our aid was going to the
Greek army, too little to the Greek people.
And so it went. As late as December, 1948
Ambassador Grady had to report thatmih-
tary operations against the Communist
backed rebels had not come up to expecta-
tions, and that he was only moderately
optimistic"
There was no letup in our efforts, how
ever, and gradually the tide turned. The
morale and fighting qualities of the Greek
army improved notably. great lift came
when Yugoslavia did her about-face. And
there was progress on the economic fronts.
Under the direction of the United States
stroyed by the Germans, was reopened;
the blasted ports were put back into oper-
alton, more than thousand miles of high
ways have been opened to traffic, there
has been important progress in railroad
repair, and agriculture has been restored
to a point where, in 1948, the wheat crop
reached 80 per cent of the prewar average,
as compared with 30 per cent at the wars
end
Last but far from least, the military
news is decidedly favorable. 1t looks as
though the fighting, except for mopping-
up operations, is about over. The back of
the rebellion has been broken, and there
is one thing that can be said without any
reservation: The Communists did not get
Greece. The decision was made, the stand
was taken, the difficulties were overcome
by patience and hard work, and the onward
march of communism in that part of the
world was stopped.
This is fact of recent history which
should not escape the notice of those who
hesitate now at doing the things that have
to be done and accepting the risks that
have to be taken If the battle against
communism on the larger front of all
Western Europe is to be carried to sue
cessful conclusion.