June 23, 1952
ANTI-AMERICAN COUNTER-INFLATION: (From a commentary in Kathimerini titled «Counter-inflation.») The American Mission has undoubtedly provided services to Greece that the people of this country will never forget. However, that does not prevent us from disagreeing with what was said a few days ago (June 15) in a speech on the radio by the head of the Mission, Mr Lapam. The government’s policy against inflation, which Mr Lapam supports, would, in principle, be beneficial for the country’s economy, but the way in which it is being implemented has resulted in something other than what was intended. Instead of a reduction in the prices of industrial goods, the prices of what were already cheap farm produce, such as olive oil, cotton and potatoes, have fallen in relation to industrial goods. Potatoes are being sold at the places where they are produced for a mere 600 drachmas per oka (1.2 kilos), meaning that the producer does not even manage to reap the cost of the fertilizers he has used. (…) Greece would be a great del better off if some of the projects of the reconstruction program were carried out, but the American Mission has categorically opposed this. ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS CAMPAIGN: The authorities have announced that a drug against tuberculosis that is soon to be sold on the open market will be distributed in packets of 100 and 50 pills. It is absolutely forbidden to break these up and sell the pills individually, in order to protect patients from fraud.
