GREECE: By the Grace of God

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In drably respectable Brown's Hotel on Dover Street, London, sat dapper, bemonocled George II, by the Grace of God King of the Hellenes last week. The Hellenes had voted him back onto the Greek Throne from which they drove him twelve years ago. All Greek elections are conducted with terrorist methods and the latest plebiscite was no exception. As a voter one could drop into the ballot box a blue vote for George II and please General George Kondylis, the Dictator who is bringing him back to Athens, or one could cast a red ballot for the Republic and get roughed up. Some 98% of the ballots were royal blue and members of the Athens rabble were easily induced to pose enthusiastically with magazines open at George II's picture (see cut). Wired Foreign Minister Theotokis to His Majesty at Brown's: "There were absolutely no abstentions from the voting."

George II wired back, "This event by God's grace and the will of the Hellenic people will lead Greece to general prosperity and glory. The separation was hard for me and all of us have suffered deeply. But I harbor no resentment against any one.

"Greeks! Remember what the nation accomplished under my father [King Constantine], how we progressed toward the fulfillment of our dreams. Greeks! My ancestors' motto will also be mine: 'My strength lies in my people's love!' "

George II is the usual sort of king.

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