868.00/12–2644: Telegram

The Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State

188. While most hopeful way of attacking present problem in Greece would still appear to be to find a political solution satisfactory to the large democratic element in ELAS, recent developments emphasize the truly alarming extent to which this element is compromised by its Communist leadership which is now apparently giving free rein to lowest and most irresponsible part of the population. Duplicating a terrorism already well known in the provinces, ELAS bands, composed largely of youthful armed hoodlums of both sexes, have within last few days taken thousands of hostages from Athens and its environs and marched them to the hills. These hostages include many elderly people and children whose only crimes are either to possess property or to hold Rightist views or to be related to other persons similarly stigmatized. In addition to the suburban houses and even the town houses, where these can be reached by the ELAS, of rich conservatives have been systematically looted. Reliable evidence is to the effect that the sufferings of the hostages are intense and their numbers increasing every day. The prisoner of war section of the International Red Cross has not yet succeeded in obtaining ELAS agreement either to accord them the treatment provided in prisoner of war conventions or to allow Red Cross representatives to visit them, and I am informed that the Archbishop has threatened public condemnation by the church unless at least the women and children are released.

MacVeagh