Evening star., 1939-03-26
Smetona, Lithuania's Head,
AReal Father of His Country
Analysis Seems to Indicate Nation Will Survive
Present Storms, Despite Loss of
Memel Territory
By Leonid /. Sfrakhovsky,
Professor Of European University Of Maryland

Professor Of European History
Twenty-one years ago a small group
OF Lithuanian patriots, led by Antanas
Smetona, gathered as national council
or Taryba in the city of Wilma and pro-
claimed the independence of Lithuania.
Since then this small state In the north
eastern corner of Europe has struggled
valiantly to preserve not only its political
independence but also its territorial in
tegrity. Today when one of its proudest
possessions-the port and territory of
Memel or Kalaipeda as the Lithuanians
call its being returned to Germany,
which, with brief exceptions, has held it
for nearly 700 years, many observers be-
lieve that the independent existence of
the whole state is threatened by the
eastward expansion of Germany. Analysis
OF Lithuania's development during the
last 21 years would seem, however, to
indicate that the Lithuanians will survive
the present storms.
The history of modern Lithuania is to
a great extent a record OF the activity
OF its present President, Antanas
Smetona. The son of small farmer,
Smetona acquired his primary education
at home and by sheer perseverance man.
aged to get enrolled in a secondary
school, which he completed with honors.
During his student days he remained
active as a proponent not only of
Lithuanian independence but also of the
autonomous rights of the university. For
this activity he was arrested several
times and was exiled for a full year to
Wilma.
When the first Russian revolution of
1905 shook the foundations of the empire
the great Lithuanian convention, or
Seimas, gathered in Wilma. ,Smetona ap-
peared to be its strongest leader, ad-
vocating the cause of complete Lithuanian
autonomy. The World War gave new
impetus to the Lithuanian national cause
When, by 1915, all of Lithuania was
under the domination of the German
armies, Smetona remained in the oc-
cupied territory and continued to work
for his lifelong dream-that of seeing
his country an independent state. Under
the circumstances he was forced to adopt
friendly attitude toward the German
government. After the Russian pro-
visional government, which came into
being following the March, 1917, revolu-
ton, had declared itself unsympathetic
toward the aspirations of Lithuanian
nationalists, the Germans sanctioned the
Lithuanian nationalist movement. In
September, 1917, conference of over
200 Lithuanian leaders, presided over by
Smetona, took place in Wilma under
German occupation. A resolution was
passed to the effect that Lithuania
should become an independent demo-
cratic state within her ethnographic
frontiers and that a constituent assembly
should be convened at the first op-
perfume moment.
Independence Recognized.
At the Paris Peace Conference Lithu-
anian independence was recognized de
facto by the powers, thus giving an
international sanction to the proclama-
ton OF February is. 1918, which is the
date that modern Lithuania celebrates
as the beginning of its present independ-
ence. On August /, 1922, the new
Lithuanian constitution came into effect,
and the Lithuanian state as democratic
republic took its place in the community
of nations.
Almost from the beginning of its re-
newed national existence LiN1uania was
faced with territorial problems, both of
which seem to be settled at present. The
first concerned Wilma, the second-Memel.
Until the union of Lithuania and
Poland in 1869, Wilma had been the capi-
tai of the Lithuanian Kingdom; by the
time of the partitions of Poland and the
Russian annexation of Lithuania at the
end of the 18th century, however, it had
of Lithuanian culture. When the Ger
man Armies evacuated Lithuania at the
end of 1918 Wilma was proclaimed the
capital or the new republic. In January,
1919, however, the Lithuanian govern
ment had to retire to its present capital
Kaunas, before the Bolshevik invaders OF
Red Russia. On July II, 1920. Lithuania
concluded treaty of peace with Soviet
Russia, by the terms of which the prov
ince and city of Wilma were ceded to her
But on October a Polish force entered
Wilma, driving the Lithuanians away.
This provoked state of lasting hostility
between the two neighboring countries
until March II, 1888, when Poland issued
an ultimatum, strengthened by con-
centration of troops on the Lithuanian
border, demanding the unconditional
establishment by March 81 of regular
diplomatic relations, which had been
suspended since 1920. The government
Of President Smetona showed its COM
prehension of realistic craftsmanship and
yielded to Polish pressure, thus giving
to the long-standing dispute practicable
solution.
Memel Founded In 1852.
The problem of Memel now finding its
solution is of equal Importance, not only
to Lithuania but to the peace of Europe.
Memel was founded in 1852 by Poppo Won
Osterna, grandmother Of the Teutonic
Order, and was at first called New
Dortmund and afterwards Memelburg
During the next two centuries it was
invaded and burned many times by
Lithuanians and Poles. In the 18th
century it remained for some time in the
possession Of Sweden. In 1757 and again
In 1918 it was occupied for q short time
by Russian troops. On the whole. how