GREECE: Fire on Mt. Ida

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The most beautiful mustache on the island of Crete belongs to wealthy, 32-year-old Constantine Kephaloyannis. Constantine's mustache, along with his other charms, had won the heart of a hot-eyed, raven-haired girl named Tassoula Petracogeorgi, but had had no effect whatever on Tassoula's father.

Tassoula's father, George Petracogeorgi, was a Liberal member of the Greek Parliament who insisted that the largest mustache in the world would not be enough to hide the fact that Constantine came from a prominent Populist family.

One night last week, Constantine Kephaloyannis decided to take matters into his own hands. He abducted Tassoula, fled with her to a cave high on the slopes of Mt. Ida, the legendary birthplace of Zeus.* What followed was probably the biggest ruckus over a woman Greece had seen since Helen of Troy touched off one of the world's earliest big-navy building programs.

Tassoula's outraged father organized a private army to storm Mt. Ida and recapture Tassoula. But Constantine had friends, too; they organized themselves nto another private army to help Con-tantine keep Tassoula. Next day, while Herakleion police clamped a 7 p.m. to 5 .m. curfew on the city, the opposing forces maneuvered about the mountainside.

In Athens, Liberal Premier Sophocles Venizelos (see below) intervened to keep he private war from becoming too public, banned "public assemblies" to prevent 'infractions of order." The Governor General of Crete, a metropolitan of the ,freek Orthodox Church, and the gendarmerie had already offered their good offices. At week's end, two representatives of both families reported that they had made contact with the lovers and urged hem to return to Herakleion. Manuel Kephaloyannis (Constantine's brother and a Populist politician) told Tassou'a:

"My girl, you have lighted a fire which will burn our houses for 100 years. All of us will be exterminated ... It is your duty to abide by your father's wishes."

Tassoula replied: "My father, my fa-;her—how shall I see him again?"

To this, the emissaries reported, Constantine replied softly: "You may go if you wish." But Tassoula threw back her velvety tresses and answered: "No, I'll stay here. I'll bear the responsibility."

Tassoula's father was equally adamant. He would, he said, rather see her dead than married to a Populist.