Uncle John

Last week the Communist rebels of Greece announced a successor to the vanished Markos Vafiades (TIME, Feb. 14). The new leader and "temporary Premier" was loannis (John) loannidies, a seasoned, sinister and widely feared revolutionist who has been a member of the Communist Party since 1918. Henceforth, said the rebel broadcast, the party would have no more truck with "nationalist diversions." Military commanders who could not absorb "Stalinist military science" (i.e., politics first, military exigencies second), would follow Markos into oblivion.

Counting Heads. A small, neat man of 47 with a round, blue-jowled face, John loannidies wears neckties, which many Greek Reds deem an affectation. No one, however, thinks of voicing an objection. He is head of the secret police of the KKE (Greek Communist Party), and disconcerts many comrades by knowing more about their private behavior than they thought he did.

"Uncle John," as the comrades call him, started out as a barber's apprentice in Volos, Thessaly, rose rapidly in the Red hierarchy, and by 1928 was important enough to go to Russia for indoctrination and treatment in a tuberculosis sanatorium. Exile, jail, conspiracy and murder have long since become his familiars. Recently a rebel deserter was asked if Uncle John had any hobby. The ex-rebel drew a forefinger across his throat and answered: "Counting heads."

loannidies is still not at the apex of the KKE; the top spot belongs to the secretary general, Nicolas Zachariades. The two men work closely together, but bad feeling between them dates from a Communist mass meeting at Athens' Olympic Stadium in 1945. Zachariades was the principal speaker, and loannidies was in charge of security arrangements. When he appeared, Zachariades was carried to the speaker's stand on the shoulders of a group of young Communists, picked by Uncle John. The loudspeaker, which had been blaring Communist slogans, fell silent. Tensely, the crowd waited for Zachariades to speak the ringing words that would reveal the road to destiny. But another voice came over the loudspeaker. Said Uncle John: "Comrade Zachariades has lost his wallet since entering the stadium. If anyone finds it, please bring it here." Uncle John was never able to lay hands on the wallet or the pickpocket.

Inauspicious Start. As if to show that Markos the soldier would not be missed, loannidies last week launched a heavy attack on the town of Florina. The rebels' force of 4,000 was said to be the biggest they had sent against any town in this war. For a change, the government forces were not caught napping; the guerrillas were beaten off with severe losses. It was not an auspicious start for Uncle John.

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