o C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek Americans c v A weekly Greek AmericAn PublicAtion www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 14, ISSUE 720 July 30 - August 5, 2011 $1.50 In Washington Trip, Grossomanides Elected New AHEPA Leader Venizelos Says Greece New Officers Will Follow Karacostas’ Coming Back Again Focus on Youth WASHINGTON – New Greek Fi - newspaper Kathimerini reported nance Minister Evangelos that he was buoyed by his meet - By Constantine S. Sirigos Venizelos, in an address at the ing with Geithner and IMF Man - TNH Staff Writer Peterson Institute for Interna - aging Director Chirstine La - tional Economics here, said garde, which he described as NEW YORK – Greek America’s debt-crushed Greece is deter - “positive,” and said: “All of us largest organization, AHEPA, mined to restore itself and that together - the IMF, the IIF (an put its continued dynamism on the government’s goal “is to re - international banking agency,) display at its 89th annual meet - turn to positive growth and cre - the American government, the ing, this one in Miami Beach’s ate primary surpluses by 2012,” European Union, the European Fontainebleau Hotel, naming an ambitious benchmark many Central Bank - need to send a Dr. John Grossomanides of analysts said is impossible to strong and clear message: We Westerly, R.I. to replace two- reach. Greece, suffering under have a program, we trust in its term leader Nicholas Karacostas $460 billion in debt and a deficit implementation and its as Supreme President, the high - of more than 10%, is relying on prospects, and we will collec - light of a week of work and the so-called Troika of the Eu - tively achieve our goals.” recreation and the celebration ropean Union-International Venizelos provided no details of Hellenic heritage during Monetary Fund-European Cen - about the meetings, but he ap - AHEPA’s 89th Annual Supreme tral Bank for rescue loans to stay peared satisfied and suggested Convention. afloat. The first series of loans, that both the US administration Grossomanides ran unopposed $155 billion, was begun last and the IMF are fully backing and will try to pick up on Kara - April, 2010 but has failed to suf - Athens in its effort to streamline costas’ legacy, that the organi - ficiently stem Greece’s slide to - Greece’s economy in the wake zation’s recent program of out - ward bankruptcy and the coun - of an agreement by the Euro - reach and efforts to attract the try now has asked for a second zone, the group of 17 countries Community’s youth. For Kara - bail-out, this one for $229 bil - using the euro as their currency, costas it was a bittersweet mo - lion, which means it will be re - to give Greece more time to pay ment. He told The National Her - paying the loans for at least 15 back its loans at a lower interest AP Photo/Petros GiAnnAkouris ald that the sad part was to see years or more under new re - rate. “The discussion I had today This Trip Not Ruined a period of accomplishment structuring terms and a selective with US Treasury Secretary Gei - come to an end although he said default on its obligations. De - thner was very specific, very A group of Spanish university students from Seville pose for a photo next to a Roman-era funeral what was sweet was the ac - spite those dismal numbers, practical and very positive. The monument on Athens Philopappou Hill as the ancient Acropolis is seen in the background, on knowledgement of Order’s Venizelos, who recently re - US administration supports the July 22. Greece is counting on tourism, it’s biggest industry, to pump in much needed revenues. achievements under his leader - placed the beleaguered Fin. new program for Greece and ship. Min. George Papaconstantinou will express its support to the Karacostas said he was confi - as Greece was being besieged markets and the international dent about the future as he by protesters angry their salaries community. This is an act of sup - passed the torch to Grosso - have been cut, taxes raised and port for Greece and its citizens, Frenemies Hold Greek Fate in Balance manides, a man he has worked pensions slashed while the rich who are making sacrifices in or - with for 27 years and “who has and tax evaders have largely es - der for us to restructure our been a phenomenal Supreme caped with impunity, spun an country... as we have a new op - By Marcus Walker College in Massachusetts 40 vestors Service cut Greece’s Vice President.” He said he was optimistic note to his audience, portunity in our hands. We Wall Street Journal years ago. The details of their credit rating three notches also pleased to have been shortly after he met with U.S. mustn’t relax, but we do have secret mid-June talks reveal the deeper into “junk” territory, elected to AHEPA’s Board of Treasury Secretary Timothy Gei - to grab this opportunity ahead ATHENS - As protesters battled degree to which two friends - warning that a bailout deal Trustees, who then voted him thner, who is struggling to make of us,” he said, without elabo - police outside Parliament last each with far different prescrip - struck the previous week be - Chairman, so that he can con - sure the United States doesn’t rating. month in a hail of rocks and tear tions for economic salvation - tween European governments tinue to work toward his vision default because of a budget im - Following Venizelos’s ad - gas, Greece’s beleaguered prime hold the fate of Greece in their and banks will almost certainly for the re-invigoration of the or - passe between Democratic Pres - dress, Petros Christodoulou, minister put his hopes in a se - hands as the nation tries to get trigger a Greek default - the first ganization. ident Barack Obama and Repub - head of the Athens-based Public cret phone call to an old friend. its nearly $500 billion in gov - by an advanced Western econ - In his final address as Supreme licans, who control the House Debt Management Agency, who “Let us form a government of ernment debt under control. omy in decades. Greece’s plight President, Karacostas remarked of Representatives. appeared with the Greek Fi - national salvation,” George Pa - Their success or failure weighs has terrorized European finan - how he could never have imag - In his speech, The Greek nance Minister, said Greece has pandreou, the Socialist Prime on the potential survival of Eu - cial markets for months. ined as an 18-year-old Son of Debt Crisis: Challenges and Op - not requested additional finan - Minister, said to his chief rival, rope’s shared currency, the euro, Moody’s said the €109 billion Pericles - who joined because he portunities, Venizelos outlined cial help from the IMF. “There Antonis Samaras, head of the crowning achievement of 60 (about $157 billion) bailout wanted to play softball - that he Greece’s efforts to rein in its has not been a request,” he told Greece’s conservative opposition years of European unification. gives Greece a shot at revival af - would be standing before a large public spending and reduce its and a buddy since the two men On July 25, European bond massive debt pile. The Athens Continued on page 7 were roommates at Amherst markets fell after Moody’s In - Continued on page 7 Continued on page 5 George Contas: The Gentleman James Poll–Restaurateur and More Legendary Knockout Brown By Constantine S. Sirigos Packed A Really Big Punch TNH Staff Writer NEW YORK – Many Greek American family histories begin By Steve Frangos member of Greek-American his - with the story of a name. When TNH Staff Writer tory. As “KO” Brown, Contas people first encounter the name boxed against nearly every top of the family of entrepreneurs As one of the most recog - welterweight and middleweight named Poll, few guess that it is nized Greek-American champi - in the United States and Aus - Greek. When James Poll – who ons of professional boxing one tralia. From 1911 until 1920, no said he regrets the de-Hellenisa - would think George Contas one could knock him out or tion of his family name as a loss would, like famed wrestler Jim come close to it in nearly 200 of his identity – tells you he once Londos, still be an acclaimed - professional fights. With such a owned ships, restaurants and a stunning professional boxing nightclub, and that his sons op - record, Contas should be re - erate some of the New York called by Greek Americans from area’s finest establishments, you sea to shining sea. But, alas, are pretty sure you are speaking Andonios those few dozen men who were to a Greek. But after exchanging Greek American professional some words with this sharp-wit - boxers are today only recalled ted and dapper gentleman in his Defends Fr. by their families and by non- ninth decade, one wants to hear Greek fans of the history of the full story. American boxing. It begins of course, with a jour - Recachinas Contas was born in Sparta, ney, and an even earlier name Greece on Aug. 25, 1891. His change. James Poll’s father was father brought the 8-year-old named Angelos and his father’s By Theodore Kalmoukos George to Chicago in 1899. family was named Voyagis, but TNH Staff Writer While vague reports exist in the when the grandfather became a published press that Contas’ priest, hewing to tradition, he BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Bishop original Greek name was very changed it to Papadopoulos.