Speech #890193166

It is a vital nation of 8 million energetic. individualistic people of drive. determination. and a joy for life. Just as their ancient forebears did. the modem Greeks gave every sign of excelling out of all proportion to their numbers. A strong sense of patriotism is a Greek characteristic. Let me cite one 20th century example: In 191213. an estimated 50.000 Greek immigrants returned from America. paying their own passage. to help their motherland capture northern Greece during the Balkan wars. The magnitude of this undertaking becomes clear when it is realized that free Greeces population at that time was 3 million. The volunteers from America were decisive.