Nicholas Salopoulos, Greek consul to Chicago, announced yesterday that unless the directors of the Art Institute remove the word "Spanish" from the frame of the immense $40,000 painting "El Greco," which hangs in the place of honor above the institute's grand staircase, he will sue them for $1,000,000.

The painting, says Mr. Salopoulos, is the work of a Grecian, Domenikos Theotokopoulos, and the nation is suffering a great loss through the misrepresentation conveyed by the wording engraved under the frame, which, he thinks, clearly attributes the work to a Spaniard.

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Mr. Salopoulos reached the decision to sue yesterday afternoon. The immediate cause of his resolution was two conferences which he had held during the day. The first of this was with the officers of the Art Institute. This was stormy and the consul used strong language.

Prince also is Agitated

The second was held with Prince De Byzance, a Greek potentate, now visiting in Chicago. So far as language was concerned, this meeting was even more violent than the first.

Both the prince and the consul expressed themselves with vigor and picturesqueness on the subject of Art in general and the Art Institute director's knowledge of art in particular.

A reporter for the Tribune happened to be present when the prince and the consul got together.

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In Spanish, in Italian, in every language, "El Greco" means "the Greek," declared the prince.

"The ignorance in this country is astonishing," replied the consul, raising his shoulders and upturning his palms. "Why do officers of a museum, or art institute - what you call it? - change the nationality of a great painter? Theotokopoulos is a Grecian name."

Robbed by All Countries

"All countries rob our land. They take our beautiful paintings, our Elgin marbles, everything," mourned the prince. "But they must change the inscription on the "El Greco" within the month or I'll bring the learned officers of the museum into court," declared the consul, making a windmill of himself in his excitement. "I shall represent the relatives of the dead artist. I'll be his champion. Genius never dies and the glory of Theotokopoulos must be for Greece."

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This consul then went off hurriedly to interview the trustees of the Art Institute once more.