Grand Admiral

So long and so spectacularly has white-whiskered Prime Minister Eleutherios Venizelos, "Grand Old Man of Crete," directed the troubled destiny of his country that most foreigners and many a Greek are apt to forget that the country really has a President.

Last week the first and only President of the Greek Republic attracted a certain amount of attention to himself by resigning.

Venerable, venerated Paul Koundouriotis, 74, good friend and fellow revolutionist of Prime Minister Venizelos, was appointed Grand Admiral for Life in the Grecian Navy in 1919 in recognition of his notable victory over the Turkish fleet in the Balkan War of 1912-13. With the expulsion of King George 11 in 1923, Admiral Koundouriotis became Regent, and with the establishment of the republic, President.

A dignified, quiet, old gentleman, his flamboyant white mustache seems entirely extraneous to the pale melancholy face behind it. Old age and ill health were the reasons for his retirement last week. It is axiomatic that a republic must have a president, however impotent.

Dynamic Prime Minister Venizelos called a cabinet meeting last week to get the business over with as soon as possible. He suggested that Alexander Zaimis, onetime Prime Minister, now President of the Senate, loyal Venizelos supporter, be chosen to fill the breach.

The cabinet was not to be jostled. They agreed to appoint M. Zaimis provisional President, pending an election, but insisted for their own dignity that an official election be held. Three days later Parliament quietly elected M. Zaimis, 257 to 22.

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