ملف ٧٠٥/١٩١٦ الجزء ١ "انتفاضة عربية - تقارير" [ظ‎‎٢‎٤‎٢] (٤٩٤/٣٢)

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committed by them against the Greek nation. They deprecate the violation
of Greek neutrality by landing troops at Salonica and other places and
instituting the blockade against Greece. They say that all Greece wanted
was to be allowed to keep a strict neutrality. In their opinion the Greek
Government have played fair and did not deserve the vexatious treatment
of the Allies. These opinions I have heard from several Greeks with
whom I came into contact in New York and Chicago, and were also
expressed to me by no less a person than the Rt. Hon. Solon Hylien J.
Vlasto, ex-Arch-General of the Greek Orthodox Church and editor in
New York of the leading Greek newspaper Atlantes. I asked the hon.
Vlasto if he cared to make a statement regarding the attitude of the
Greeks residing in the United States towards the policy followed by the
Greek Government with regard to the present war. He said that the
Greeks in the United States were convinced that their Government had
followed a purely national policy, and had only in view the interest of the
country. There is no doubt, he said, that the great majority of the Greeks in
America and elsewhere sympathise with the Allies, and I am in the number.
We realise that we owe our independence and prosperity to England and
France, but during the present war, he said, the Allies have abused their
power and not only violated the neutrality of Greece but also subjected
her to vexations and the danger of famine. I asked him whether the
Allies had not been forced to show some severity on account of Greece
playing into the hands of Germany, supplying fuel to German submarines,
breaking her pledge to send troops for the defence of Salonica and, last, by
tacitly ceding Fort Rupel to the Bulgarians. The hon. Vlasto said that
Greece was never subservient to Germany and it was not true that Greeks
had supplied U boats. I admit, he said, that the Greek Government had
promised to send troops to Salonica, but on condition that the Allies should
concentrate there 150,000 troops. Instead of that they only send 13,000
men, and Greece was not going to send her troops to Salonica to be
massacred by the Bulgarians. As to the occupation of Fort Rupel by the
Bulgars, he said that the Greek troops being inferior in number had to
withdraw, but the Greek Government protested against the Bulgarian
occupation. The hon. Vlasto concluded by saying that Greece was follow
ing the same policy of neutrality as Roumania, meaning, I suppose, that
Roumania and Greece had concluded a secret agreement together.
A Few Words about America and Americans.
In a former paragraph I mentioned that German propaganda in America
had failed almost completely, and this was principally due to German
aggressiveness^ and brutal deeds. I also said that England’s correct but
at the same time firm attitude had won for her the respect and esteem
of the Amsterdam people. I will add here that while a large number
of Americans have a genuine admiration and sincere sympathy for England,
others, and perhaps the majority, lean towards England only because it
serves their interests. We can safely consider the almighty dollar as the
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