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CHARLES MALIOTIS
40 Court St. Rm. 1012
Boston, Mass.
March 30, 1946
Hon. John W. McCormack
Majority Leader of the
House of Representatives
Washington, D. C.
Dear Mr. McCormack:-
During my stay in Greece from the first week in November
1945 to the middle of February 1946, I talked with nearly
all the leaders of the political parties and with people
from all walks of life. I listened to the story of their
heroic effort in the common cause and their tragic suf-
ferings at the hands of cruel foes during the years of
enemy occupation; how their abiding faith and high hopes
that victory would bring them liberation, peace and security,
were dashed by the curse of internal turmoil and civil strife
and international conflict with repercussions in their home-
land. I saw evidence of the scourge of war on every side and
in every form: destroyed villages, ruined economy, production
at a standstill, land and sea communications shattered, pes-
tilential inflation, and physical and mental exhaustion of a
people, beset by illnesses, which inevitably follow prolonged
privations of the necessities of life. I observed, as best
I could, the economic, social and political conditions under
which the people lived, and formed opinions regarding them,
which I respectfully submit.
The resistance movement (the EAM) attracted during the years
of occupation the valorous elements, which carried on in the
mountains the traditional struggle for freedom against the
invaders, just as their ancestors had done for centuries
during the Turkish occupation. It was a natural continuation
of the liberating spirit of 1821 and 1940. The movement was
ARCHIVER 'NATIONAL
broadly democratic. The extreme left wing (communist) was
RECORDS
SERVICE'
small in numbers but relatively well organized and therefore
influential, but not controlling. The whole movement was
against the return of King George, and reliable opinion holds
that had liberation been followed by peaceful transition,
free elections would have yielded a truly democratic govern-
ment. At the time of the liberation the return of the monarchy
seemed a lost cause, if left to the people. The civil strife,
however, with the excesses of both the extreme right and left,
brought a popular revulsion of feeling, but to a greater degree
against the EAM because the excesses of the left were, with
outside help, better propagandized by the right. The shedding
of brotherly blood unloosed deep passions on both sides.
Following the termination of the civil strife, for about eight
months, the extreme right, bent on the return of the monarchy,
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"ocrText": "CHARLES MALIOTIS\n40 Court St. Rm. 1012\nBoston, Mass.\nMarch 30, 1946\nHon. John W. McCormack\nMajority Leader of the\nHouse of Representatives\nWashington, D. C.\nDear Mr. McCormack:-\nDuring my stay in Greece from the first week in November\n1945 to the middle of February 1946, I talked with nearly\nall the leaders of the political parties and with people\nfrom all walks of life. I listened to the story of their\nheroic effort in the common cause and their tragic suf-\nferings at the hands of cruel foes during the years of\nenemy occupation; how their abiding faith and high hopes\nthat victory would bring them liberation, peace and security,\nwere dashed by the curse of internal turmoil and civil strife\nand international conflict with repercussions in their home-\nland. I saw evidence of the scourge of war on every side and\nin every form: destroyed villages, ruined economy, production\nat a standstill, land and sea communications shattered, pes-\ntilential inflation, and physical and mental exhaustion of a\npeople, beset by illnesses, which inevitably follow prolonged\nprivations of the necessities of life. I observed, as best\nI could, the economic, social and political conditions under\nwhich the people lived, and formed opinions regarding them,\nwhich I respectfully submit.\nThe resistance movement (the EAM) attracted during the years\nof occupation the valorous elements, which carried on in the\nmountains the traditional struggle for freedom against the\ninvaders, just as their ancestors had done for centuries\nduring the Turkish occupation. It was a natural continuation\nof the liberating spirit of 1821 and 1940. The movement was\nARCHIVER 'NATIONAL\nbroadly democratic. The extreme left wing (communist) was\nRECORDS\nSERVICE'\nsmall in numbers but relatively well organized and therefore\ninfluential, but not controlling. The whole movement was\nagainst the return of King George, and reliable opinion holds\nthat had liberation been followed by peaceful transition,\nfree elections would have yielded a truly democratic govern-\nment. At the time of the liberation the return of the monarchy\nseemed a lost cause, if left to the people. The civil strife,\nhowever, with the excesses of both the extreme right and left,\nbrought a popular revulsion of feeling, but to a greater degree\nagainst the EAM because the excesses of the left were, with\noutside help, better propagandized by the right. The shedding\nof brotherly blood unloosed deep passions on both sides.\nFollowing the termination of the civil strife, for about eight\nmonths, the extreme right, bent on the return of the monarchy,"
}