Evening star., 1927-11-29

The underground movements of the
powers of Europe are sinister and
threatening to the peace of the world,
but just what plans are behind them
is beyond the guess of any outsider.
When the World War began, its APP
parent origin was found in the little
country of Serbia, but it has tran
spired that the so.called great powers"
had been moving irresistibly toward
the crisis through years of prepara-
ton.
Today an even smaller country be-
comes the focal point of interest.
What is behind the threat of Lithu-
ania, with it's meager population of
less than 100000, that she is arming
ostensibly to go to war with Poland's
80, ,OO0, 900 to recover one city, Wilma!
That city formerly belonged to Lithu-
ania. but was awarded to Poland by
the League of Nations, following the
World War and the reapportionment
of Europe 'in the interest OF peace.
An intimation comes from a corre-
spondent living in Berlin that the
feint of Lithuania against Poland Is
but to divert attention from the real
objective, which, it Is alleged, Is IA
conspiracy of Germany to recover the
free city of DanZig and to eliminate
the Polish corridor resting on Danzig
and splitting Prussia. The plot is said
to be to shift the corridor north OIL
Lithua mia, where 1t would substitute
Memel as it's seaport. That would re-
unite East Prussia with West Prussia,
now severed by the Polish corrldor'
but lust how it would benefit Lithu-
ania in shifting the Polish corridor to
her own border is too obscure for
ready acceptance.
There Is age.long enmity between
Lithuania and Poland, although both
peopies fought on the side of the al
lies in the World War, and both have
reason to hate Germany and Russia
and feel under obligation to the allied
powers for their reinstatement as SOW
ereign nations after decades OF partl,
ton and subordination to Russia and
their other conquerors
If the theory from the Berlin cor
respondent that Germany is plotting
to reunite East and West Prussia by
moving the Polish corridor to the
other side of Lithuania is repudiated
as unplausible, there is another sug-
gestion that the Lithuanian threat
is inspired by the Bolsheviks and that
the bait of absorption into Luthuanla
of Memel and the narrow strip OF
German territory based on Memel is
held out by the Russian MISCHIEF max.
ers only as bait, with no assurance OF
good faith even to Lithuania.
The main aim of the Bolsheviki is
always to create discord and war be.
tween the organized governments or
the world, in order to bring anarchy
and open the gates for BolsheVlk ad'
vantage. Conditions could hardly De
better for such q conspiracy OF dls'
cord than are those of today between
Lithuania and Poland. For thousand
wears they have nursed mutual Jeal'
ousies and hates, yet have had to live
alongside of each other and to have
neiehporly relations, aggravating their
hatred. The Berlin prognosticator indl'
Gates that Lithuania may be wiped out
Of existence as a nation If she perslsts
in warning upon her neighbor OF io
times the strength. but nobody OF cam
vision can imagine that Lithuania Is
so foolhardy without secret support
* * X X
Time was when Lithuania was one
of the most powerful nations in Eu'
rome. Her territory extended across
Elrope. from the Baltic to the Black
Sea--or since Baltic" Is the Lithu-
anian word meaning white it
should be said from the White Sea
to the Black"
Throughout the early centuries, the
rithuan mans were constantly fighting
off invasion of their country by the
Slavs and by Teutonic knights. until,
the thirteenth century AID, she
abandoned her semi'barbarous COM
munal system and became monarchy.
With this more compact organization
she adopted the Christian faith, Of
ficially replacing the worship OF OAKS
and of fire and the sun. So power
full did the nation become that 1t was
able to check and defeat Genghis
Khan, the terrible Mongolian invader
Of Europe.
About that time, the Grand Duke
fruleD of Lithuania, Jagiela, married
| the Queen of Poland, Jadwiga, with
the agreement, by her, that he should
sit upon both thrones. The Poles re.