Venizelos Takes Charge

Events, official and unofficial, in Greece's bloodless revolution (TIME Dec. 31, Jan. 7) :

P:Ex-Premier Eleutherios Venizelos arrived in Athens. Colonel Plastiras, ex-Dictator of Greece, a few friends and some journalists met him. The streets of the capital were deserted. He arrived at 3:30 a.m.

P:At a dinner given by the ex-Ministers of the Revolutionary Government, M. Venizelos said: "I intend to remain only until I obtain what I came for, namely, to suppress the probability of civil war. I am not asking the Greeks to do the impossible. I do not expect all Greeks to become friends, but I want them to become accustomed to respect the popular voice of the people and to see that when one party is in power it will not wield its power unfairly against those out of office."

P: Scrip, a Royalist journal in Athens, printed photographs of the Ministers who were executed by the Revolutionary Government last year and said: "The living say nothing, but the dead speak. You have returned because your former adversaries are dead. Where are they? They lie under the soil on which you have come to trample again. Your path is darkened by their shadows. Can you close their tombs ?"

P:The following day M. Venizelos attended the National Assembly and was elected President by 345 votes out of a possible 356. This gives him great powers; for, although he is merely Chairman of the Assembly, he is naturally in a position to dominate over the issues which have yet to be fought.

P:During the proceedings in the Assembly a bitter attack was made on Venizelos by Admiral Hadjikiriakos, leader of the Greek irreconcilables. Before the speech was finished M. Venizelos suffered a heart attack, was taken home. He was ordered to bed, and, although he was reported to be recovering, his indisposition halted all political action.

P:The political situation during the past week was: President Venizelos insisted upon two plebiscites, 1) to decide whether the present dynasty shall be immediately recalled; 2) to settle whether a republic or a monarchy shall be chosen. The Extreme Republicans objected to King George's return; the Extreme Royalists declined to consider the situation until the King is recalled. Moderate Royalists are willing to waive their demand for an immediate return of the King if the plebiscite be conducted under a mixed commission; they declared that under such circumstances 90% of the Greek people would be found to favor the monarchy. The Liberals were silent. M. Venizelos' health was the most important factor in the Greek situation.