JANUARY 17, 1952
PAPAGOS: Argos, 16 – Field Marshal Alexandros Papagos (leader of the opposition), who began a tour of the Peloponnese yesterday, made the following speech in Argos. (…) «Today the government is leading the country into the abyss,» he said. «(…) Fresh elections with the simple majority system is the only way for the country to acquire a stable, strong, homogeneous government capable of dealing with the critical times we are going through. We can no longer expect anything of this government. (…) It is splitting the army, the pride of all Greeks. (…) It wants to dissolve the National Security Brigades. It is seeking a peace, but how? We all want peace, but as we understand it. Yet the Liberal-EPEK government of today is opening up the prisons and setting free all criminals, preparing for a fourth round. PLASTIRAS: The prime minister, Gen. Nikolaos Plastiras, received the members of the foreign press corps in Athens yesterday afternoon. His statements included the following: «I believe that the opposition leader, Field Marshal Papagos, is a patriot who probably wants to help the government in its job as this government would do if it were in the opposition. The government has a program which includes a calming of passions.»
