Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1919-05-18
L|THUAN|ANS
ASK AID FROM
UNITED STATES
Need Food and Munitions
to Crush Forces of
Bolshevists.
Correspondence of Associated
Press,)


Correspondence of Associated
Press.)
Paris, April 19.-An appeal for
recognition of the Lithuanian gov
eminent by the United States and her
! allies, and for arms, ammunitions and
supplies for Lithuanian troops to
complete the worl. of clearing the
bolsheviki out of Iithuania, is con-
tanned in letter addressed to Secre-
tary of State Lansing by the Lithuan-
ian commission to the peace confer
ence. The question of what the Lith-
uanian boundaries shall be can be set
tied at later date, the commission
ers state; all that Lithuania asks for
now is recognition of her independ-
ence by the great powers.
''To delay the question of recogni-
ton until the political status of Rus
suit is solved and common policy
determined upon by the Peace confer
ence," says the letter, would support
the reign of anarchy and disorder in
Lithuania, and it will interfere with
and discourage the organization of
order.
Deserve Independence.
"There are various small nationali-
ties who have separated themselves
from what was formerly the Russian
Empire, + f. + and who have by
their strength and power shown to
the world that they deserve to be in
dependent. + + + To delay the
recognition of their independence and
not to give them the assistance that
they need which is asked for by the
especially when this help will assist
the allies to establish order in Europe,
would be a grave error. Moreover the
development and organization of
these new states will be the founda-
ton upon which the Russian problem
can be solved. The next step in the
life of these small states will undoubt-
edly be the formation of alliances of
one form or another, which they will
have a perfect right to do, acting in
accordance with the rules that will
govern the league Of nations.
$50 long as the present political and
economical conditions are permitted
to exist in Lithuania, Germany will
continue to benefit by those condi-
tions, and the Russian bolsheviki will
continue to be encouraged in their am
bition.
"The Germans will occupy the wes-
tern part of Lithuania. They export
therefrom lumber, food and various
other agricultural products. The Ger
mans invariably set their own prices,
for which they usually pay in Ober
Ost German money. Sometimes they
pay nothing. promising to export
goods from Germany to balance the
import. ~
"Since it is impossible to keep track
of these transactions, Lithuania not
having been recognized by the United
States or the entente as an independ-
ent state, and not having any control
whatsoever over it's borders, Germany
takes complete advantage of this sit
uation.
Need Munitions.
"For the same reason it is impos-
sible to keep the Russian ruble from
circulating in Luthuania. It would
be of great political advantage, not
only to Lithuania, but to other in.
terested powers as we'll, if the Rus
STA ruble could be stopped or with
drawn from circulation, because this
means, by which the bolsheviki are
enabled to support their propaganda
lin Lithuania, could be effectively eli
minated.
with recognition of our national
state by the peace conference we could
control our fiduciary affairs and dis
credit this fictitious German and
Russian paper currency and refuse to
legalize its use, and effectively Grip
ple German and bolshevik propagan-
da which is conducted solely by
means of this spurious specie.
"Lithuania believes that the boil
sheyiki cannot cannot well survive a
signal defeat in battle. Lithuania has
administered to the bolsheviki SER
ious defeats, but because of lack of
war supplies Lithuania has been un-
able to press her victories to final
conclusion which could possibly re-
suit in the total route of the bolshe-
wiki.
eve expressly desire to emphasize
that order prevails in that part Of
Lithuania which Lithuanians have
freed from the bolsheviki. We speci-
fically ask Of the United States and
their allies, now. arms, ammunition
and supplies for Lithuanian troops to
complete the work so well begun Of
clearing the nest Of bolsheviki in
Lithuania. We do not stipulate the
aid Of allied troops, though we should
he clad to have such aid. We ask on
lly to have our own troops equipped
Tor this task and thus help serve the
allies cause. Can the. allies tail to
i 1872 ~ indenendence 81 Lithu: