Diary

The Greek people are still caught daily in the crossfire between Communism, which aims at making Greece a vassal of Russia, and an anti-Communist Government, which is stupid and inefficient, although dedicated to Greek independence. Last week's day-to-day crossfire:

Monday. General Napoleon Zervas, Minister of Public Order, declared in his newspaper that his own colleagues in the Greek Army were incompetents who had suffered a "classical, crashing failure" in their campaign against Greece's Communist guerrillas. The Greek Army commander at Komontine, in Thrace, announced that he would henceforth safeguard his troops and supplies by sending a truckload of Communist prisoners ahead of each convoy, to explode the mines which Communist guerrillas plant in many roads.

Tuesday. About 1,000 Greeks returned from the rocky island of Icaria, where the Government had recently sent some 10,000 citizens suspected of being Communists. The returning exiles brought back some interesting reports. The Communists on the island (about half the total number) have established a miniature Communist state, enforce strict controls over food, water and medicine, withhold vital rations from anyone who refuses to bow to Red rule. Prisoners who seek to gain their freedom are denounced as "defeatists [who] will be dealt with later."

Wednesday. It was learned that 6,802 CARE parcels had been stored in Piraeus warehouses since March, while millions of Greeks went hungry. A Greek official explained why the packages were not being distributed: 1) the Government prefers dollar remittances to goods; 2) importers object to CARE packages because they are duty-free and constitute unfair competition; 3) many relief supplies are unsuitable to "Greek tastes and habits."

Thursday. The Soviet Government accused the Greek Government of "arresting and even subjecting to torture persons employed by the Soviet Embassy at Athens." Screamed Toss: "Repressions! "Hooliganism!" To some observers it seemed that Russia was looking for a pretext to break diplomatic relations with Greece.

Friday. The Greek Government declared that the Soviet charges were nonsense.

Saturday. General Markos Vafiades, leader of the Communist guerrillas, proclaimed the establishment of a "Free Greek" state in northern Greece. The Greek Government called this repetition of the 1945 Azerbaijan play in Persia a "comic manifestation."

Sunday. Communist guerrillas renewed their attacks from the Albanian to the Bulgarian frontier.

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