868.00/11–546: Telegram
The Ambassador in Greece (MacVeagh) to the Secretary of State
[Received 5:35 p.m.]
1522. Deptel 1392, Oct 26.36 2532 persons in exile on Oct 1 according British Police Mission (which has only reliable figures available) with unknown number in transit camps en route exile or detained pending sentence.
Embassy has also received numerous protests concerning wholesale exile of political hostages and inhumane conditions at places of exile mainly from EA (EAM relief agency; see mytel 1484, Oct 3137).
UNRRA has investigated conditions at several camps concerning which EA has protested and found latter’s figures invariably exaggerated but conditions at places of exile and concentration points fully as deplorable (by western standards) as claimed. In general adequate housing, clothing and food unsupplied and unavailable and medical facilities totally lacking. However, despite contrary Balkan tradition most exiles do receive drachma allowance from Govt which though inadequate for subsistence (10 cents at legal rate) is no more unrealistic than low rate of Civil Service pay which Govt unable better at this time for budgetary reasons. Findings of British Police Mission and British Embassy confirm UNRRA description of conditions.
Though figures from Leftist sources must be accepted with extreme reserve correspondence between following figures just furnished Embassy by EA and those of British may indicate former not far out of line. According EA “about 2500” persons were in exile on Oct 1 which number had increased to 3991 by Nov 1. Latter from following areas: Macedonia 1693; Thessaly 1092, Epirus 222, Central Greece 441, Peleponnesus 416, Islands 127. EA states that in Larissa and from which 683 persons in exile on Nov 1 there were 1230 persons detained in transit camps and claims numbers so detained in other areas in proportion. Also claims approximately 10 to 12 percent of all persons exiled or detained are women or children.
As to political orientation of deportees, absence of specific protests from non-Communist sources (though Center has condemned general policy) would indicate that for most part only Communists and their families have suffered exile to date.
[Page 262]I have urged to King that wives and children of fugitives should no longer be imprisoned and exiled as hostages and he replied that he regards present policy in this connection as only tending to increase bitterness with resentment (mytel 1384, Oct 11). I have also urged Prime Minister to amnesty all persons not guilty of actual crimes (mytel 1441, Oct 2339) and he later made statement of policy which included such an amnesty with a certain time limit and other conditions (mytel 1446 [1466], Oct. 2739) but did not refer specifically to exiles.
Meanwhile UNRRA has taken strong position that exiles are entitled regular UNRRA rations and is endeavoring induce Govt provide shelter and clothing from unused Govt stocks.
- Not printed; it requested information on press reports and letters of protest alleging that thousands of “democratic” Greeks had been deported to Greek islands and that thousands, including women and children, were being held as hostages in jails (868.00/10–2546).↩
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