Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-21
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Greek Church. Keistal revived the
old Lithuanian nationality and reli'
gion-tree worship-and he became
the national hero. In 1345 these two
brothers agreed to unite in re-estab-
fishing the great principality. and,
from Poland, they took Wilma, the old
capital and sanctuary of the country.
All seven brothers then united and
chose Olgierd King. overlooking the
nations hero" Keistal.
Olgierd's son and successor mar.
ried Queen Yadviga of Poland and
was baptized into the Roman Church
and crowned King of Poland in 1886,
as we'll as being King of Lithuania.
This union of Lithuania and Poland
under one King was nominal until
1869, when, under King Sigismund
Augustus, 1t was made actual by the
two governments, and remained such
until the great partitions of Poland
by Russia, Prussia and Austria Hun
gary in 1892 and 1898. While the
original plan of 1869 provided that
each country should retain its own
legislature and laws, Poland finally
succeeded in introducing single leg
islative body. and in that Poland held
the controlling majority. developing
the jealousy and hatred Of the Lith-
uanians.
r y r y
The peace of Paris, following the
World War, brought intense friction
in the Battles, for 1t gave Wilma to
Poland, because Wilma population
then included more Poles than Lithu-
anians. Before we entered the World
War a delegation of LithuanianS WIS.,
tied President Wilson, in 1916, and
asked for recognition of Lithuania as
an independent nation, although at
that time the country was in actual
March, 1918, the Lithuanians issued
a declaration of independence
through a convention of Lithuanians
in New York. There were more Lith-
uanianS in the United States-700, 900
than in any other region outside of
the control of their conquerors. In
May, 1918, President Wilson officially
received a visit from a delegation of
LithuanianS.
In November, 1918, just before the
armistice, the Council of State of
Lithuania adopted a constitution,
with supreme power vested in a tri-
umvirate composed of Smetona the
same who has just been elected
President). Stangaitis and st. Sill
IHSdS1 anu tUc
VoldemaraS to form the first cabinet,
which was to be non-partisan and
give large recognition to the minori-
ties. This government was greatly
dissatisfied with the act of the Su-
preme Council of the Allies, in De-
cember, 1919, which fixed the bound
airy between Poland and Lithuania,
so that Wilma, the capital of Lith-
uania, was given to Poland. The
triumvirate and cabinet resigned,
leaving all power in the Assembly.
Soon after, Poland proposed to
Lithuania that they join in attack
ing the Soviet Russians. but Lith-
uania refused, unless Poland would
first recognize her independence. Po-
land then attacked Russia alone, and
while she was retreating from the
Red army Lithuania seized Wilma,
but was driven out of 1t by the APP
proach of the Russians.
War with the Russians resulted in
a peace which gave Lithuania full
recognition, with 100000 gold ru-
bles and 100000 hectares of forest.
But then came a coup by Poland in
Selling Wilma from Lithuania. Now
there Is the greatest fear that if
Lithuania should fail to maintain her
composure and strength Pilsudski,
the Polish dictator, will invade that
country under pretense of preserving
peace, and he may assume dictator
ship under the plea of Poland's an
cient dominion over Lithuania. The
disturbed country holds a population
Of about 100000. Lithuanians are
distinctively agricultural. Business
in the cities is carried on by other
races-Germans, Jews and Russians
rather than Lithuanians.
The reason assigned for the Sme-
tona coup d'etat was that the pre-
vious administration was subservient
to bolshevism, and Smetona must
rescue the country, as he had been
the leader against the influences OF
bolshevistic corruption, just as PHI
sudski is in Poland. But the present
Query is whether Smetona or Pil-%
sudski will be the final "rescuer."
Copyright. 1895. by Paul ". Collins1