Not being able to attack the character of Mr. P. S. Lambros, owner of the Star, but bent upon cacology and cachexia of the mind the Greek newspaper Hellas maliciously attacks Mr. Lambros' former occupation as banana man for Garibaldi and Cuneo. Consequently all the Greeks and others in America who sell bananas are likewise assailed by the unwise attack of the Hellas. A wise old Greek said: "Work is not a shame, but idleness is a disgrace."

The publisher of the Star, as a former banana man, and thousands of other Greeks who have sold bananas as a start or are still selling bananas, are holding their heads up high as honest, hard-working people, preferring to be called banana man than to be called parasites, and burdens to society.

Our attackers evidently are not familiar with the American idea of manhood. In this great democratic country captains of industry, masters of finances, and czars of commerce, distinguished judges, and leaders of the people all came to their elevation not through short cuts and royal roads, but starting from the bottom. American manhood is not built upon parasitism, but upon hard work. Eminent jurists and prominent leaders have in their youth sold newspapers on the streets to support themselves and their families. Many of our present-day money-moguls, who as immigrants came here, not only have sold bananas on the streets, but picked up rags, bottles and sacks to get financial start.

Mr. Lambros, while selling bananas to make his honest living, took advantage of the opportunities and facilities of this cosmopolitan country and went to night-schools to better his intellectual faculties, thus building up not only material but intellectual wealth as well.

Improper and unbecoming is the conduct and the language of the old and shrinking sister-paper, Hellas, which is losing ground, and her feet are shaking from old age of ignorance, malice, envy, and the lack of good thoughts.

We sincerely regret the condition of this old Greek newspaper, and as scientific medicinal men we feel that her days of existence are numbered. Sure death follows the third degree of tuberculosis.

That the minds and bodies of our assaulters are at the stage of disintegration, due to the poisonous substance within, is fully manifest in the Hellas' article of April 6, 1907 which follows: "The old newspaper Hellas will never permit herself to be classified as a compeer of the Star and its publisher, P. S. Lambros, who sprang up as a phoenix of journalism from the mire of banana peels, the former blacksmith, the dealer with Jews, the burden carrier by trade, who for fifteen years has unloaded bananas from Garibaldi's trucks, the ill-bred child of the Star."

When one's body and mind is suffering from an incurable disease he is not responsible for what he says. Even a mere boy will be able to think more clearly and wisely than our sick accusers.

In soliciting advertisements from Jewish firms we are accused as "dealers with the Jews."

What a brain! Indeed, it is sad that the souls of our accusers are surrounded by darkness. We forgive them and wish them bon voyage when the sister-paper ends her material existence.

If our accusers were not sick, we might have been inclined to classify them as donkies and as such we would say: "Asses may bray a long time before they shake the Stars down."

As to the dislike of the Hellas to be classified as a compeer of the Star, while we are dealing with asses, we would say "Until the donkey tried to jump the fence, he thought himself a deer."

And as we always consult common sense in our thoughts and actions we know that a donkey must be treated as an ass inspite of his golden saddle or the place he is in. A French proverb is recalled: "A dur ane, dur aiguillon" which means, "a sharp goad for a stubborn ass."

But the publisher of the Star feels proud in spite of all the abuse of his assaulters. He calls all this cacology amenities, using the expression of a distinguished French statesman and a noted patriot who, when he was attacked right and left by his enemies in the parliament, said: "When all these amenities 5are exhausted and common sense takes place,we will proceed to be of service to France and ourselves."

Mr. Lambros was luckier than the Frenchman, whose character his enemies attacked in spite of its faultlessness. Lambros's accusers, being Greeks, did not attempt to vilify his character because they knew that he stands high in patriotism, and faithful service to the community. He stands high in his watchfulness for the good of the Greeks and the Greek name, and they as journalists know that the Star has never accepted (although the Hellas did and does now) a single penny for services granted to the community.

And as we excell in common sense,we earnestly urge our accusers, as Greeks to Greeks, to Americanize their thoughts,and all of us together will be of service to our adopted country and to our Mother-Greece.

And as Greek business men with free and true American thoughts we can see that dealing with Jews or Chinamen is not a disgrace, but a credit and an honor of knowing how to gather the almighty eagle in cosmopolitan America.

The Star's accusers, being former employees of Mr. Lambros, should feel grateful towards this banana man who was able to lift himself up from "the mire of the banana peels" and create jobs for intellectual Greeks who otherwise might have been burdens to society, until they became familiar with the red-blooded American idea of manhood.