Dirva = Field. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1915-current, 1944-05-26

P. Zadeikis, Minister Of Lithu-
ania to the United States since
1885, has represented his country
in the United States in various
capacities since 1924. He was
formerly member of the Lithu-
anian Mission in Leningrad; Min
ister of National Defence; vice
president of the Lithuanian fin
ance mission in the United States
and member of the Lithuanian
Military Delegation in France.
The breakdown of the Russian
czarist regime and of German mi
litarism as the result of World
War |, Allied support .of the Will
sonian doctrine of self-determina-
ton, the appreciable degree of cul-
tural and political renescence of
the Lithuanian people, and, last but
not least, the determination of the
Lithuanian nation to defend it's re-
Gently declared independence by
force of arms, made it possible for
Lithuania in the end of 1913 to
rise again and assume it's rightful
place among sovereign nations. The
boundaries of the resurrected state
were drawn in accordance with the
ethnographic rather than solely the
linguistic principle. Historical ira
ditions of Lithuania's eventful in
dependent past were cherished as
the guiding spirit and a connecting
link. Lithuanian intellectuals, up
to that time dispersed all over the
globe, flocked to their native land
and bolstered the modest contingent
of the intellgentsia which managed
tc stay in the country in spite of
the disfavor of the previous Rus
sian regime.
National Progress
The task of reconstruction which
confronted the Lithuanian Govern
nent was enormous indeed. Lithu-
mia, impoverished by the previous
Russian rule, torn and ravaged by
war and foreign occupation, had to
,uild everything anew, and although
he rebuilding began Immediately,
+ could not achieve momentum for
some time because of the unsettled |
Iilnius and Klaipeda problems.
While rebuilding her ruined cities
md lines of communication, Lithu- |
mia inaugurated an ambitious pro-
ram Of erecting numerous school
at the same time dill
sently constructing her completely |
lew administrative, judicial, and
educational system. A network of
and advanced schools arose
md a Lithuanian university and |
many institutions of higher learn
ng were eradicated A School of |
Arts and a state-owned opera rated |
ligh.
I.ithuania, farmers republic as
t is often referred to, during the
hort period between two wars es-
ablshed it's democratic form of |
government and achieved remark
bile progress in economic and cul-
ural fields. Economic life, shame
ully neglected by the backward
zarist administration, was reor-
,anized with the help of sweep
ng agrarian reform and the de-
'elopment of cooperative sys-
EN-. A sound monetary policy and
stable unit Of currency based on
sold were established. Lithuania
Ilso succeeded in developing live
took husbandry, dairy farming,
'oultry raising, production of flax,
of peat deposits for
uel, and other activities. She put
Ter industry, based on agriculture,
uch as meat packing, tanning,
vood-pulp production, and sugar
'eet and potato alcohol refineries,
n a sound basis of domestic con-
umption and foreign trade. I'm
was negligible. Lithu-
MIA fully demonstrated her ability
O manage her affairs as an in
dependent economic unit.
Lithuania's record shows that she