Dirva = Field. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1915-current, 1944-08-25
By Joseph Belazaras, Jr.

Now that Russian Armies are
once again streaming across the
Baltic States and Lithuania is fire.
quently mentioned as in their path
it is more than ever essential that
Americans should know something
of the actual facts about Lithuania
Most people, having only vague
notion that Lithuania is small
country somewhere between Russia
and Germany, and having heard Of
it as strip Of territory taken away
from Russia after the First World
War, imagine that it should be re-
turned to Russia, as it's "rightful
owner', after this war.
Although under foreign occupa-
ton since 1910, Lithuania is still
recognized as an independent gov.
ernment by the United States, and
the Lithuanian Legation in Wash
ington is still functioning. Despite
this stand of the United States, So
Wet Russia has laid claim to Lithu-
ania as an integral part of the u.
S. s. R. Under the Russian 1910
occupation, forced elections" we're
| held, and on the outcome Russia
staked her claim. So it is obvious
that the problem of Lithuanian in
dependence, unless that nation is
"sold out" and betrayed by the
United Nations, far from being re-
solved by Russia's arbitrary action,
will be one of the main issues to
be decided by any just peace settle
1 ment.
Lithuania, with an area of rough
ly Sits square miles and a popu-
lation of about 100000, its an
cient capital the city of vilnius.
first declared her independence on
February 'l6, 1918. On July IL, 1920,
Soviet Russia signed a treaty rec
ognizing Lithuania's independence
and renouncing all claims to her
territory t'.*
: Poland, Designating the estab-
lished borders of Lithuania, staked
her own claims on the historic VIII
MUS territSry. The League of Ma
tons having interviewed to prevent
an armed conflict, on October z,
| 1920, Poland likewise signed a
treaty at Suvalkai, renouncing the
City of Vilnius. In direct contra
vention of that treaty, only two
days later Polish force comman-
ded by General Zeligowsh stormed
the city, once more seizing Vilnius
for Poland. Although the League
of Nations and the rest of the
world denounced this military coup,
Poland retained the city. Protest
ing this criminal act, Lithuania
severed relations with Poland.
On January 10, 1923, the citizens
of Memel (Klaipeda territory, as
sembling in the city Of Silute, de-
clared their adherence to Lithua-
MIA, and in 1924 this status was Of
ficially recognized by the League
of Nations. Lithuania, thus ac-
quiring a fine deep-harbor seaport
at Memel (Klaipeda), although she
could not consider her boundary
problems settled, was contend to
let them rest while she bent all her
energies to reconstruction of her
war-torn lands.
In the post-1s1s Years Lithuania
had no other source of livelihood
but agriculture. Her people, cooper
ating wholeheartedly in an inten-
sive national farming program,
earn Lithuania the title: ,"Granary
of the Baltic. Twenty-Five years
of agricultural achievement were
destroyed when, in 1910, Russia
occupied Lithuania. Though Russia
declared her troops were there to
protect Lithuanians from Nazi Ger
many, the so-called elections" rig
ged by the Soviet had the same
mysterious effect as Hitler's Nazi
plebiscites: according to Moscow,
Lithuania unanimously" was in
favor of being Incorporated into
the Soviet Union. This is indeed
strange in view of Lithuania's in
comparably higher standard Of liv-
ing than that to be found in the
u. S. S. R. at that time.
Notwithstanding Lithuania's be-
ing cleansed of the voracious Nazis
by the advancing Soviet Armies,
Lithuanians themselves, and Lithu-
anian-Americans, too, can never
recognize Russia's claims to their
country. Unable to put UP any
large-scale armed resistance, Lith-
uanians can none the less still aid
in guerrilla fighting, sabotaging
and hindering the Nazi legions.
Since they can thus help to speed
the day of Germany's unconditional
surrender, Lithuanians still feel
| thew have right To hin their