765.68/269: Telegram

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

198. The Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs told me this morning that there has still been no official communication from the Italian Government and that the Greek Government is completely in the dark as to what demands may be made and when. He indicated that Greece might be willing to make minor concessions in the interest of maintaining the peace but would never give up her friendship with Great Britain or renounce the British guarantee19 given her last year. He granted that an immediate objective of the Italians would seem to be the ousting of the present Government but feels that their current press and radio attack against Mr. Metaxas will strengthen rather than weaken his position locally. He dismissed an Italophile movement [Page 535] within the country as impossible because of the deep seated and universal anti-Italian feelings of the people.

The press publishes full details of yesterday’s outrage, which it characterizes as “a foul crime” but is careful to make no charges as to the identity of the attacking submarine. The unsuccessful bombing of the Greek passenger vessel Frinton off Crete yesterday is officially confirmed. Unofficial reports state in addition that the destroyers sent to convoy the returning excursionists from Tinos were also unsuccessfully attacked by planes.

The late afternoon papers announce the calling up of the 15 D class of reserves (said to number about 100,000) for “autumn maneuvers” beginning September 1.

MacVeagh
  1. Made by former Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in a statement to the House of Commons, April 13, 1939. See Parliamentary Debates, House of Commons, 5th ser., vol. 346, p. 13.