THE VICE PRESIDENCY: Appointment in Gargalianoi

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Just before Agnew arrived in Athens, almost 200 Greek political figures, ex-members of the ex-Parliament, had signed a public warning that Premier Papadopoulos would twist the Agnew visit into a seeming gesture of political support for his regime. They need not have worried about distortion, however; Agnew repeatedly made it clear that he warmly supported the military dictatorship. Given a chance to meet Greece's former political leaders, he declined.

No Sign. "We look forward," Agnew said on one occasion, "to seeing the many improvements that are taking place here in health, education, electrification"—improvements that are real enough, though at certain cost. Elsewhere he spoke of "the achievements that are going forward under the present Greek government." Finally, in exchanging toasts at a dinner in Athens, both Agnew and Papadopoulos spoke scornfully of "sophists." Such men, said the Greek Premier, "jeopardize the effort made in defending our civilization."

Before Agnew flew home at the weekend, Papadopoulos' spokesmen let it be known that Nixon would prevent any cutoff in aid, and that there had been no unseemly discussion of Greece's "internal political situation." Vice-presidential aides said in private that the Greek version was mistaken, but Agnew himself told accompanying newsmen that continued military aid to Greece is "a matter of overriding importance to the U.S." He also assured them that Papadopoulos "intends to return his country to representative government." There was no clear sign when that day would come, however, or that Spiro Agnew had hastened its coming.