868.001 C 76/21: Telegram
The Acting Secretary of State to the Minister in Greece ( Capps )
5. The Greek Chargé d’Affaires by note dated January 123 informed the Department of State that he was in receipt of orders from his Government to the effect that King Constantine had returned to Greece on the 6th of last December and had assumed the function as King. The Greek Chargé was thereupon called to the State Department and told confidentially that while the Department, after consultation with the President, is inclined to consider favorably the recognition of King Constantine it could not accept the form in which the note was sent as a formal announcement of accession. The Greek Chargé was therefore asked to advise the Greek Government that before a reply was given by the Department of [Page 139] State it would be necessary that a formal announcement signed by King Constantine and addressed to the President of the United States be received.
It is the opinion of the Department that as King Constantine’s accession to the throne was the result of an election which brought about the overthrow of Venizelos followed by a plebiscite which returned King Constantine a favorable majority his recognition should no longer be refused. The Department has taken no definite action however in this regard.
- Not printed.↩