Mohave County miner., 1917-01-06
ID SEEK FREEDOM
 FROM RUSSIA

zion on the Russo-German Baltic greater in extent and population than Sweden, has had her aspirations stirred by the war and is looking for ward to emerging from it either as an independent republic patterned on American lines, or as an autonomous nation with its own parliament and home rule, subject to Russia's imperial authority only in matters of national defense.
 This was the view outlined to the Associated Press by Martin Ychas, member of the Russian duma, where he represents the important Lithunian city of Kovno, and occupies the post of secretary of the financecommittee M T. Ychas is conferring here with the large Lithunian colony, following simi- lar visits just made in the United States.
 "It should be understood" said Mir. Ychas, "that Lithunia is entirely dis tinet from Poland, although the public is in the habit of treating them as one. Poland is the great central re- gion around Warsaw, whereas Lithua- nia and the Lett country in the vast northern section along the Baltic, with the great ports of Ragi, Libau and Windau, and the cities of Wilma, Grodno, Kovno and Suwalld, aggre- gating s,OO0,OOO population, or more than any of the secondary kingdoms of Europe"
 Like Poland, Lithuania has her own hopes and aspirations" continued Mir. Ychas, land with my colleagues in the duma we have already secured the acceptance in principle of com plete political autonomy for Lithua- nia. This means home rule the same as Canada, with Lithuanian cabinet and Lithuanian parliament, and with Lithuanian delegates in the imperial duma and Lithuanian viceroy from the czar. There are unofficial hopes going far beyond this, particularly among the Lithuanians in the United States. But officially we look to au- tonomy as the first step to restoring Lithuania as a nationality. In the duma the controlling authority, the Constitutional-Democrats or Cadet party, has accepted in principle au- tonomy of Lithuania, and it was by Cadet votes that 1, as a Lithuianian, was elected secretary of the finance committee.
 'Tn America, however, l found a strong movement for securing com plete Lithuanian independence and set ting up a Lithuanian-Lett republic. Our native press in America is very strong for independence. They look t the entente, allies to secure this as one of the results of the war, holding that England entered the war in de- fense of small nationalities. These, however, are unofficial hopes for the future, and all that can officially as- g,~ is that complete autonomy and home rule for Lithuania is an accept ed principle of the ruling authorities in the duma. The imperial government has not yet spoken, pending invasion of Lithuania by Germany, but when normal conditions are restored the government will undoubtedly approve the autonomy already agreed to in principle by the duma."
 Mir. Ychas says Russia has consid- erably improved political conditions in Lithuania in recent years. Formerly tce l.olding of lands by Lithuanians was prohibited; the press was pro libited; all Lithuanian books, includ- ing the Bible, were prohibited; hold ing office was prohibited. All this has been changed, Mir. Ychas says, and there was a fair degree of freedom under Russian rule up to the time of the German invasion. There were IA Lithuanian representatives in the first and second dumas, and five in the third and fourth duma.
 'It was during the old period of restricting that so many Lithuanians went to the United States" added MT. Ychas, reaching 30,000 a year from 1909 to the outbreak of the war, and aggregating 100000 in large colonies throughout the United States-with 30 newspapers, and their own clubs, theatres and societies. But the Lithua- nians in America are essentially Americans. They have found better social and economic conditions; they own their own homes, direct their own business, enjoy political liberty, and exercise a strong and wholesome in- f1uence in politics"
 MT. YchAs showed his faith in American Lithuanians by marrying among them while on his recent trip, his wife being a daughter of Dr. Szlu- mas of Scranton Pa one of the lead-