"Greeks Enlist for the War- Chicago Patriots Hold Demonstration at Hull House" article - Chicago Daily Tribune, October 5, 1912

Published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, October 5, 1912

GREEKS ENLIST FOR THE WAR

-----

Chicago Patriots Hold

Demonstration at Hull House.

-----

NEARBY STREETS FILLED.

-----

First of Army to Fight Turkey Will

Depart on Monday.

A wartime scene was enacted in Chicago last night.  Although thousands of miles from the seat of the trouble, none of the enthusiasm and abandon that come with the announcement of war was lacking.

Five thousand Greeks of Chicago gathered in Hull house.  Long before the time for the opening of the meeting, which was a "call to arms," Bowen hall was overcrowded with men.  Chairs were cast aside so that more persons could crowd in.  The police finally closed the doors of the building.

Outdoor Overflow Meeting.

The Greeks then formed an outdoor overflow meeting.  No hall or number of halls in the district could take care of them.  They formed in front of the Hull House Boys' club.  A balcony was fitted with an electric light and soldiers held silk American and Greek flags.

The men went wild with patriotism.  They tried to touch the folds of the blue and white cross of their native land.  One speaker stopped in the middle of his speech.  He threw himself into the folds of the great flag at the side of the platform.  The Greeks below cheered wildly.  Cries of "Zeto! Zeto!" could be heard for blocks.

Many Men Enlist.

The men were told that they had been asked to go to the front for their country.  They responded with cries of "I'll go!  I'll go."

The first 300 men will depart Monday.  After that they will depart as fast as they can be enlisted at the Greek army headquarters at Polk street and Blue Island avenue.

The Greek consul, Nicholas Salopoulos, was raised to the shoulders of the men as he went from the inside meeting to the outdoor overflow gathering.  He urged his hearers to die for Greece.

"Greeks, sons of ancient Greece, which first reduced to civilization the world," he cried in his native tongue, "you must have the same thoughts and feeling as your forefathers showed through many struggles against barbarous nations.  May this great flag wave over the Cathedral of St. Sofia in Constantinople.

Ideals of Greatest Men.

"Under the flag march to victory and show that the ancient heroism of Greece still lives in the hearts of her modern children.  This flag represents the ideals of the greatest men in the history of the world.

"Next week the first Greek military company will leave Chicago to join the ranks of our brothers in Greece.  I trust that every Greek here who is able to bear arms will follow its example.  Let us all either die the sweetest death in the battle line where duty leads us, or win another golden page in the world's history."

The consul asserted that 5,000 Greeks would leave Chicago for their native land.