Evening star., 1940-08-06
constitution Of the republic o

constitution Of the republic OF
Lithuania.
"This illegally elected body, the
Seimas, on July a, 1910, according
to telegraphic dispatches from
Kaunas, declared that from now on
Lithuania is q Soviet republic and
requested membership in the union.
Overthrow by Yelled Aggression.
"Thus with the creation of the
Paleckis government, with the Red
Army present in all parts of Lithu-
ania and new elections carried out
to suit its purposes, the government
of the Soviet Union, using the most
modern methods of veiled aggres-
sion, accomplished its task-the de-
struction of the independence of
the Lithuanian Republic at such a
time when peaceful conditions pre-
vailed and the development of
friendly relations had fair chance
of success.
"This evil act was committed by
Soviet strategem while the Lithu-
anian-Soviet Union non aggression
treaty was still in effect and the
clause OF non-intervention in in
ternal affairs only eight months
old"
Behind this offioial step toward
Lithuania's death lay force of
terror which made easy the Rus
sian elimination of this nation. as
well as its neighbors of Latvia and
Estonia, and gave Russia long
Baltic shore line. Some of this
terrorism is disclosed in the secret
diplomatic dispatch from Kaunas
dated July 80, nine days after the
Seimas vote to join the u. S. S. r.
Two thousand prominent persons
have been seized in Kaunas alone,
the dispatch states, among them IL
former ministers of state, many
army officers, including generals.
and a number of schoolteachers.
Mr.. Tomkus of the state controllers
office committed suicide. The dis
patch states:
People are being deported to the
interior of Russia by the trainload." :"
1t goes on:
Complete freedom is given to the
Communist party units to rid their
districts Of any elements undesir-
able to them"
The dispatch contains long list
OF names of victims of various in
dignities, saying:
mo one, especially the intellectu-
ais, knows what the morrow will
bring. They hide in villages and in
the forests. Tragic scenes are wit
messed outside prisons, where fami-
lies are not allowed to see or con-
verse with those arrested. They are
rudely dispersed by force"
The dispatch amplifies the Lithu-
anian legations memorandum on
how the parliamentary elections
were conducted.
During the election campaigns"
it said, Soviet Russian instructors
were sent to all the voting districts.
Detachments of Soviet Russian
troops were stationed at the polls.
Votes were counted, but the desired
voting percentage was announced
in advance. Many did not vote or
else turned in plain white cards.
Stunned by Union Demand.
The idea to join the Soviet Union
was not known before or during the
so-called elections, but it became
known after the elections took place
and in the form of a demand or
ukase from Moscow. Members even
of the Communist picked Seimas
were stunned by this idea. Several
members of the Seimas who were
frightened into voting returned to
their homes weeping.
After the adoption of the resolu-
ton to join the Soviet Union the
singing of the. Lithuanian hymn
was forbidden. Ali merchandise
Is rapidly disappearing, and the
little that remains in the stores is
being sold with notations being
made ir passports. There is already
a shortage of food supplies in the
cities. Under the pretext of bring
ing food supplies from hiding places
back into the markets mass searches
are conducted throughout the
homes.
This opportunity is taken also
to pillage the homes of all valuable
articles, gold and silver. The banks
and any other large establishments
were appropriated by the new gov
ernment."