-7- #669, Eighteenth from London              
 
                                                            
 
 
ensure that these issues should not become a cause of friction 
      among Allies. It is a matter of days within which a decision 
      must be reached upon this matter, and if we were so unfortunate 
      as not to be able to obtain the consent of King Peter, the matter 
      would have, in fact, to go ahead, his assent being presumed. 
      The King's point of view, as I understood it was that he was 
      anxious about becoming responsible, while he had no power, for 
      any severalties or confiscation's which might take place in his 
      country before the plebiscite decided whether it was to be a 
      monarchy or a republic. Such scruples must be respected, but 
      cannot necessarily, in these times, indefinitely prevent the 
                         march of events.                   
 
                                                            
 
 
From the troubles of Italy and Yugoslavia we come naturally 
      to those of Greece. Once again we are guided by our simple policy: 
      victory against the Germans; the establishment of and aid to 
      the most coherent and substantial government machine that can 
      be found; the delivery of such food as we and our Allies can 
      spare and our combined shipping afford; the maintenance of tolerable 
      conditions of law and order; and the holding of plebiscites or 
      general elections fairly and squarely--then exit at the earliest 
      practicable moment. We toil through a mighty