THE AHEPA
May 30, 1925
The Hon. George Horton, Litt. D,; Commander of the order Xavior; Knight of the Order of Gregory the Great; Honorary Member of Athens Parnassus; Member of the National Press Club; Member of the Cosmos Club, Washington D.C.; prominent novelist, historian and poet, and veteran diplomat, began his diplomatic and consular service at Athens, Greece, to which post he was appointed by Grover Cleveland. He served in this capacity for five years and then retired by President McKinley. When Theodore Roosevelt came to the Presidency , he voluntarily singled out Mr. Horton as the best person to represent the United States Consular service in Greece. Mr. Roosevelt's attention was attracted by the literary works of Mr. Horton, especially in view of the fact that he dealt largely with the home life of the modern Greeks.
From the Athenian Consulate he was promoted to Consul General, and was transferred to Saloniki. From Saloniki he was sent to Smyrna, where he was in charge of the American Consulate until .. when war was declared. He took the American colony to Berne, Switzerland, where it was safely disbanded. From Berne he was ordered to proceed to Saloniki to take charge of the official communications there. He remained in Saloniki until the Greek occupation of Smyrna, when he was transferred to that city and placed in charge of all the Entente interests. He was American consul in Smyrna when that fair city was destroyed.
From the ruins of ill-fated Smyrna he transferred his American colony to Athens and returned to the United States. He was since appointed Consul of Budapest, Hungary, but now is retired and back.
Mr. Horton has written many books, most popular of which are "Like Another Helen" (which deals with the revolution of Crete), "Monks' Treasure" (relating to the massacre of Chios, 1822), " In Argolis" describing the village life in Greece). Mr. Horton has lectured very extensively in the United States about the modern Greeks, and is one of the most popular Philhellenes in America.
As a token to their appreciation of his services to Greece and to the Greek people, the Greeks of the cities of New York and Kansas have presented Mr. Horton with loving cups. Mr. Horton has recently been elected honorary member of the Washington Chapter No. 31 of the AHEPA, and has accepted the honor with due appreciation. He will soon be initiated into the mysteries of the Order and we will all be proud to call him brother AHEPAN.
His article "Greeks in America," was written specially for The AHEPA, and every brother should read it and heed the advice of our friend.
End
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