Foreign News: ANTI-COMMUNIST DEFENSE IN THE BALKANS

FROM Athens, TIME'S Jim Bell Reported:

The Greek border where it adjoins Bulgaria and Albania is held and patrolled by tough, experienced troops under spirited officers. Armed with basic infantry weapons up to mortars, the troops ride the mountain passes astride husky mules from Missouri. Sunk back 15 to 60 miles behind the Greek frontier regiments are the support divisions, eight in the field and one around Athens, a total of 135,000 men.

Close to the Barrage. Last week Greece's eight field divisions were engaged in an intensive six weeks' training cycle. Many of the Greek officers had studied U.S. tactics at Fort Benning Infantry School. In all divisions, aggressive young U.S. captains, majors and colonels act as advisers.

Training has corrected many technical weaknesses of the naturally courageous Greek soldier: he no longer opens fire with a rifle at targets 1,000 yards away, or with a machine gun at anything in sight, and he has learned to keep close behind his own artillery barrage in an assault. Sometimes he keeps too close. In a recent practice barrage with live artillery ammunition, five riflemen were killed.

The Greek soldier owns one uniform, and often as not his shoes have holes in them. He eats and lives at a low standard. A battalion I visited well to the rear of the frontier had 500 men, only 150 beds. The mess hall for each company consisted of a leanto, two large pots, a meat ax, a couple of knives and some ladles. Bread and bean soup, liberally dosed with olive oil, is the main diet. Yet no one ever hears a Greek soldier complaining of the chow. Most of the men never had it so good. Corporal Elias Papadopoulos is a 25-year-old farmer from the island of Chios, a veteran of the Vitsi and Grammos campaigns. I asked him if he thought the Greek army had improved. Said he: "Sir, the Greek army is good and was always good. It is the best army in the world."

At the top of the Greek army there have been many changes. Field Marshal Papagos, assessed by U.S. military men as a good sound soldier, has fired eight lieutenant generals, 30 major generals, and so many brigadiers and colonels that people have lost count. Papagos, a dignified man with a bald head, hooked nose and fierce eyes, has insisted that his officers be fighting men and not politicians.

"We Are Ready." U.S. officers here have solid faith in the new Greek army. "I've fought eight campaigns with these people," said Major General Reuben Jenkins. "The first four were horrible. The last four were wonderful." A rugged combat officer, Jenkins came here as General Van Fleet's right hand, and, since Van Fleet's transfer last year, has been chief adviser to the Greek army. He added: "If anyone thinks he can take these people on and not get his nose thoroughly bloodied, he is sure as hell mistaken." Lieut. General Stylianos Maniadakis, whose Greek corps lies in wait for any movement into Macedonia or Thrace, was confident. Said he: "We are ready for them. We will fight them. We will beat them."

FROM Belgrade TIME'S Eric Gibbs reported: