Greeks in America - eBooks4Greeks.gr

106 THE GREEKS IN AMERICAthe union has been made an object of attack andcriticism as if it were a partisan institution, henceit has the support of only one party at present, theVenizelists.Before and during the Balkan wars, the Pan-HellenicUnion rendered noble and enthusiastic serviceto the Greek cause. It raised large sums of money,and armed and sent to the Balkan front soldiersfree of all charge to the Greek government.Pan-Epirotic Union.—The Pan-Epirotic Union ofBoston, with branches in other parts of the UnitedStates should be mentioned. It was organized to defendthe claims of Greece to Northern Epirus. In1918 the Union raised a considerable sum of moneyamong its members and friends, for the relief of sufferingGreeks in Asia Minor and Thrace. NorthernEpirus claimed by the Albanians and Italians wastruly Greek at heart and responded sympatheticallytowards relief of their brethren oppressed under theTurkish yoke.Through the activities of the Pan-Epirotic Union,there was organized the League of the Friends ofGreece in the same center as the Union, but with awider scope, i. e., to defend the rights of Greece inall the regions under dispute, Thrace, Asia Minor,Dodecanese, as well as Northern Epirus.Loyalist or Royalist Leagues.—There are whatare called Loyalist organizations in various Greekcommunities with headquarters in New York. However,they do nothing constructive. Their main objectiveis propaganda in favor of King Constantinoor the Royalist party, sending him congratulatorycablegrams, or messages to the President of theUnited States denouncing Venizelos and his policy.The Loyalist WeeJcly is their organ. The Venizelistsare organized into what is called the League ofLiberals, with branches in many states. They havestate and federal organizations. The Federal head-