On this occasion, the beginning of 1908, we attempt to write these lines. However, we find ourselves facing a dilemma as to whether we can say that the year 1907 has gone or not. Because the events of 1907 are affecting our personal and community affairs; even with the expiration of the year 1907, we think that it would not be amiss if we examined and made a critizal analysis of the general activities of the Greek community of Chicago. The year 1907 now belongs to the past. All-consuming time has reserved a special place for last year's events many of which, however, will be condemned to oblivion.

It is possible to say that the past year has played its role and in some ways can adorn the pages of history with some important events in science and commerce. But, if we make a comparison between the events and the progress and advancement made by a small number of individuals, we shall see that it is much easier for individuals than for groups to climb the ladder of progress.

For instance, we very often notice that a man's two solitary hands, working all alone, can contribute immeasurably to the advancement of the individual from the lowliest social and economic level to a prominent position in society and business. Since those two hands have succeeded in accomplishing so much and in overcoming so many difficulties for the benefit of the individual, why could not all the efforts of all the people as a whole succeed in realizing the hopes that rose and set this year?

With this question in mind by which it is indicated that individuals progress easier and more rapidly, the following conclusion is drawn. All the people on earth primarily look after their personal well-being without taking into consideration their purpose and destiny in life. Very seldom do they think about the more general benefits which the co-operation of all the people can bring to the total of humanity.

Let us be more specific and turn our attention to the Greek world. In it, on the one hand, we see that as individuals we attain every success, on the other 3hand, however, nothing is done collectively for the sake of our suffering homeland which has progressed very little during the year 1907. Thus, the years roll by, one after the other, showing marvelous accomplishments by us Greeks as individuals, but upon examination the past few years have not brought much to our people as a whole. From the national point of view the Greeks are standing still. Our people have besmeared their history with the words "unpatriotic, degeneration, indifference, retrogression, treason, hatred, sycophancy, malice, passion, and nearly every other characterization. These are some of the serious and deadly vices with which our conscience has been afflicted. Under such circumstances, the Greek ship of state is sailing on the high seas and is unable to find a way out of the turbulent and stormy waters where it has been thrown. And this is natural when some are tugging to the north and others to the south.

We find this same confusion also in our national Greek government, in the national chamber of deputies, and in all the administrative branches of the government. But, if the evil would stop here, and if we knew the destiny of the Greek people of America, the serious plight in which we find ourselves 4could be easily remedied, because the voice of love, mutual understanding, and reason would become the great herald of general harmony and concord. We could then expect to rebuild and reconstruct the national Greek structure.

Unfortunately, our voice and our insistent appeals as well as the warnings of every reasonable man have not been heeded. This is to be blamed not on any one group in the United States, not to any one person in the Greek community of the United States, but to the general spirit of despondency and disillusionment, prevailing in both our homeland and in this country.

Unfortunately, the Greek people of America are composed of the coal workers and weavers in Aesop's famous myth; some of us are working hard and tending the common interest while others are tearing down and destroying whatever is being done.

And now, let us restrict ourselves to a general discussion concerning the affairs of the Greek communities throughout the United States with particular 5emphasis on the affairs and problems of the Greek community of Chicago.

At first sight, we notice that the Greek communities of America--and there are more than a hundred of them--have not reached their peak of development; on the contrary, they have begun to decline, seemingly, as a result of a natural evolutionary process. We cannot excuse their failure to progress and reap the fruits of their toil and hardships. The results of this sad state of affairs can be examined from many angles and can be interpreted in many different ways. But, if one is to get to the bottom of the Greek problem and explain the reason why we have been pursued by a dreadful nightmare, he will discover that the Greeks of America have been condemned to suffer because of their callous complacency and cold indifference to almost every important group activity. They have been so disillusioned and demoralized that they are avoiding support of every great communal or national cause. That is the reason our organizations, societies, and fraternal groups are composed of barely one twentieth of the total number of Greeks in our communities. For a concrete example, let us take our own community here in 6Chicago. By examining the records of our church community we will discover, to our great surprise, that until July 1, 1907 only twelve dollars was collected as annual membership dues by our church from new members.

If, since July 1, 1907, that is, since the day our community leaders stopped publishing any financial reports, no new members of the community were registered, then this year went by barren of results and accomplishments. So, this small community and its property are falling under the control of a small group of men composed of the remaining members of the church board and the few members in good standing. Consequently, can the Greek community of Chicago or any other community in America under such circumstances call itself a true community? Under the present circumstances, can the administrators of these communities boast that they have done their duty, that they served the best interests of the people? Can the outside world believe that Greek communities really do exist? No! Certainly, not! 7To rebuild this crumbling community structure, to get rid of the disgraceful and humiliating method of elections which we have employed, and in order to put every numbskull in his proper place, this terrible system must be completely destroyed. Instead, the monarchical form of governmental control must be applied. Accordingly, the Greek Government must be recognized as the absolute power of control. In other words, the tangible property of all the Greek churches and communities in America must become the legal property of the Greek Government, which, in turn, will be given the authority to administer our church and community institutions through its official, diplomatic and consular representatives in the United States.

This suggestion might come as a shock to those who are wearing the mantle of authority in our communities, but it will be their duty to think of the promotion of the community's interests. Our present leaders must know that their prestige, glory, and reputation are meaningless when the foundations of our community are being shaken and the peace of our community is imperiled.

This idea of ours has the approval of the entire Greek people of America. And when this idea materializes, that is, when the Greek Government begins to take over our important community affairs as a powerful, able, and efficient administrator, then we shall see peace being restored, systematic work being done in every phase of our community life, and prosperity returning to our people. We will at last see the passionate desire for public office and high positions vanish.

There is no doubt whatever that the Greek embassy at Washington, D. C., as well as the Greek consulates in the principal cities of America, will have any difficulty in uniting and effectively organizing the Greeks of America. It now depends on the people, on the members of our churches and communities to show that spirit of self-sacrifice, obedience, and discipline without which it is utterly impossible to forge our destiny and achieve our noblest objectives.

Now, let us focus our attention on the numerous Greek-American or purely Greek 9nationalistic, charitable, and fraternal organizations, which, of course, have been established for some patriotic, philanthropic, and religious purposes. But, even as regards these organizations, we regret to say that because of the wrangling and rivalry which has been going on from time to time and because of the traditional callousness and indifference prevailing amongst us, they have failed to bear the expected fruits from our collective endeavors nor have they performed the tasks which were originally undertaken.

Our Greek nationalistic organizations especially have not received the proper support although we should have done all we possibly could for them; that is the very reason why very little was done for any important national cause during the last year.

Because of our notorious negligence and indifference, and because of the poor results and very meager efforts on the part of the majority of our people in America as well as in our city of Chicago, the marvelous work and ideas of the National Panhellenic Order were rejected and finally thrown overboard. In vain 10did our energetic, ambitious, and patriotic fellow countrymen in New York City work and crusade so that the Order would become a safe haven for the thousands of wandering and scattered Greeks in this great country. It really is regrettable that such great organizations, which were to be national in scope by bringing together the Greeks in all the states of the Union, have not been encouraged by our people.

While this is the history of our national organizations, on the other hand, we see some local nationalistic organizations amassing thousands of dollars for the purpose of erecting churches and belfries in the homeland; projects which were unwarranted with our present distressing circumstances here in America. Have we not enough urgent problems here? Can't we remedy and care for our ills in this country first and then send money to our homeland for the purpose of building schools, churches, etc; for which there is no immediate or pressing need? 11This inexcusable attitude, despite the call of more urgent duties, has its origin in the emotional appeals, of quite a few mayors and priests in the Greek provinces, directed to our countrymen. By inspiring letters, resolutions, etc; some petty officials of some Greek town or village succeeds in arousing the patriotism of most of our people to such a high pitch that the latter are willing to sacrifice their all to satisfy the needs of their people in the homeland. In their loyalty and devotion to the native land, they care little about the fate of our institutions in America. Many of them can see no further than the narrow confines of their village.

In order to illustrate the true state of affairs in our various organizations, let us examine the Greek organizations of Chicago very briefly. If we compare the financial resources and the foreign remittances of our local nationalistic clubs with those of our more inclusive and more extensive national organizations, it will not be difficult for us to see that the money contributed by those members--members imbued with the narrow, provincial, and nationalistic 12spirit--far exceeds that of any other group which aims to organize and do work on a wider and a national scale.

This tendency to support our small, nationalistic organizations instead of the large ones has become one of our most outstanding problems which must be solved very soon. That is why our attention must be focused on the problem of how we are to convince our people that it is to their interest to prefer those organizations which are national in scope and which have broader objectives. The proper organization, or perhaps the merging of all of our existing small organizations into one great national system, will be one of the greatest accomplishments of the Greek immigrant. It is The Greek Star's honest opinion that there is no other place more suitable for such an amalgamation to begin than Chicago.

Of course, this attempt will encounter great difficulties because it is almost impossible to break down the strong and stubborn spirit of local pride and claim to superiority.

Another evil which has played havoc with the progress and normal development of the Greek communities in America, but especially with the Greek community of Chicago, is the irresistible passion of the Greek for the honors of some office in either our church, community, or organization affairs. The passionate desire of some of our leaders or prospective leaders for power and for some responsible position is so great that most of them when they have gotten that power exhibit their official titles as if they were royal dignitories and important personages. We do not mean that there should be no offices, such as, chairman, vice-president, counselor, etc., for the management of our affairs in the community or organization, but we want to point out how ridiculous it is for some people to hold an undeserving position or title.

For instance, whenever elections are held we witness the various petty rivals in the confusion of factions and parties fighting one another bitterly for the honor and glory of some small office. You would think that all that trouble must be over a very high office of the state involving great interests and a 14large patronage. We Greeks are too willing to get into a political fight and cause too much turmoil and confusion over some insignificant issue. Automatically, our instinct urges us to divide ourselves into two or more camps as if we were to fight a hard battle against a hated and despised foe. We cannot understand why we should be inspired with so much fanaticism and engage in such harmful and personal disputes, especially when it is a question merely of performing a simple duty.

The bitter arguments, the disgusting wrangling, and passionate fanaticism which are evident during an election could be dispensed with if, instead of the present system, we adopted the custom of inviting the best and ablest men to assume the responsibilities of any office. There is no doubt whatever that the administration of all of our affairs would be efficient and orderly. In addition, it would be more easily understood that trying to win honor and distinction merely by getting elected to some sort of an office regardless of fitness, qualification, or ability is foolish.

Analyzing last year's events from the viewpoint of the Greek press, we notice that though this great instrument of public opinion and public enlightenment has excercised its influence from the Atlantic to the Pacific, many newspapers have failed. Because of this, the number of Greek newspapers in the United States is declining, with only Chicago as a notable exception. The main reason for the dismal failure of some newspapers and the temporary suspension of others can be attributed to the fact that in proportion to the Greek population of America there are too many Greek dailies and weeklies. Some journals have literally resorted to begging in order to keep going.

From the old days of the Fasoularides-Climis-Printezis gang of adventurers down to the present, which is marked by the activity of our own contemporary, Panagakis of the Messenger, the Greeks of America have suffered numerous "blood-lettings" by paying their subscriptions in advance. That is the reason why so many Greeks of Chicago do not trust even our respectable and prosperous newspapers. But in spite of this regrettable phenomenon of bankrupt newspapers for 16which the worthless adventurers of the journalistic profession are responsible, the majority of the Greek people have not stopped lending a helping hand to real newspapers, which are making rapid progress and which are true to their high calling. The good newspapers of today would have done a better job in every respect, if the fakers and adventurers, and many other heterogeneous and retarding influences had not set obstacles in the way. We hope that the useless parasits and counterfeits of the journalistic profession will be eliminated very soon to the great relief of our people.

Among these prowling and supposed journalists must be included some outcasts of the Athenian society and world of letters, who, although they possess no authority or suitable identification papers, undertake the agency of various newspapers published in Greece or America without the knowledge of those papers. Such characters are liars, untrustworthy and dangerous burdens to society.

While we are discussing the subject of our visiting and supposed newspaper writers, we shall not fail to mention the noisy and troublesome career of the well-known traveling newspaper agent and fake journalist, Mr. Athanasius 17Argyros, from Athens. In talking about this man, whom we had "the honor" of meeting personally under more favorable circumstances, we think that no mistake will be made on our part nor will we unduly embarrass him if we point out to him the abysmal darkness and shame into which he has plunged the Greek claims to a respectable and honorable way of life in America. He had absolutely no right to claim that he is a typical Greek, and therefore proud of his honesty, sincerity, and uprightness. His conduct and his attitude toward the institutions and spirit of this country have deprived him of that right.

As we all know, Mr. Argyros arrived in America to preach the gospel of Greek idealism, to rededicate the Greek immigrant in America to the cause of Greece, to reaffirm our loyalty and devotion to our beloved homeland and everything it stands for. We greeted him as a good missionary from the shores of Greece, but with the first "gust of wind" he proved to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. The discovery of his bad intentions and worthlessness both as a gentleman and an educated man, not to mention anything about the sincerity of his patriotism, 18forced him to revise his whole program and reverse his original role. He has now made his way into the journalistic field and that is the main reason for the battle royal which has begun among the Greek newspapers. It was only natural to expose the scandalous conduct and spurious writings of this so-called journalist.

We cannot deny that he has an excellent pen and uses it with exceptional literary ability and power, but this service is quickly forgotten because he is slipping and losing the respect of the public. How could it be otherwise when he attacks, so rudely and shamelessly, everyone who disagrees with him, and when he swindles his subscribers openly. He has used his facile pen to injure the reputation of the Greek people and endanger the interests of our homeland. Let us recall the incident of the trial involving the Bulgarians of Chicago who were working against the Greek interests. Who can forget the treasonable stand of Mr. Argyros who attempted to support our enemies? Let us also recall the case of the drive for the benefit of the victims of Bulgarian atrocities in Greece. At that time Mr. Argyros and his news organ, Thermopylae, 19had published several articles appealing to the Greek Government for funds to stop Bulgarian propaganda in America. Such acts would have made a very painful impression in Greece, at the expense of our people, especially Greeks in Chicago. Had we not protested against such foolish demands made by Thermopylae and Mr. Argyros, the Greeks of Chicago would be accused of inability to get enough money themselves for the purpose of defending the interests of Greece here in America and thus relieve the Greek Government of that task.

Mr. Argyros is also accused of involvement in the case of the bankrupt Messenger, in which he gave so much publicity to Panagakis [Translator's note: First name not given], a notorious swindler in Chicago who ran away with the money of hundreds of poor Greeks. Argyros had assured the public that Panagakis was the editor of a newspaper in Chicago with a circulation of 350,000 throughout America. These and other assurances made the people trust Panagakis and pay him for subscriptions to the Messenger.

As if this was not enough, Argyros fronted for another notorious character by the name of Fasoularidis in dealing so disgracefully with the naturalization question. In connection with this subject he had urged the Greeks of Chicago to preserve their Greek citizenship and refuse to become American citizens. The Greek people, who are deeply grateful for the hospitality that this, our adopted country, has extended to us, were aroused with anger and contempt against those who sought to destroy the privileges and rights of the Greek people of America.

We do not wish to elaborate further on the question of the Greek press. However, we hope that the evil practices of Greek writers and journalists have been made known. We shall let the people judge and condemn those who have made the wrong use of their journalistic pen to the detriment of our honor, progress, and interests.

And now we come to another vital matter which concerns the Greek clergy of America. We have discovered that all those priests that were recalled to 21Greece last year had been properly and regularly assigned by the supreme authority of the Greek Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Constantinople. In reviewing and examining the activities of the Greek priests in America, we are pleased that in the persons of the Reverends Kourkoulis, Fiabolis, Hadzidimitriou, Bafiadakis, and a few others, we find the worthy shepherds who are guiding the affairs of the Greek church of America with wisdom and energy. On the other hand, however, we are sorry to admit that the Greek community of Chicago has not been so fortunate as to have a priest of the same caliber. As yet, we have not been able to solve the problem of our clergy nor have we had the privilege of having a truly able and educated priest.

We do not wish to cast any undue reflection upon our priests in this city, but, if we consider how the younger priests have sought to replace the older priests, and how all three of them took an active part in the last elections of the community in spite of the fact that the constitution prohibits the participation of priests in such matters, then we must declare that these priests are not fit 22to be the spiritual and religious heads of the Greek community of Chicago.

We accord the reverend fathers all due respect, but we must say that they have done very little to unite and guide the people in a spirit of brotherly love. This is one of the reasons why our community is in a state of stagnation and demoralization.

The question of our priests has become a Gordian knot the untying of which will necessitate either the reconciliation and reforming of our priests or the recalling of all three of them by the Holy Patriarch and the appointment of new priests.

In giving this account of the most vital affairs and problems of our community in 1907, we hope that they may improve greatly during this year in the interest of all the Greek people in Chicago as well as in the entire United States.

We must all extend our hands in real brotherliness and work for the same cause, the prosperity and the happiness of our people.

Peter S. Lambros,

Owner and Publisher of The Greek Star