Dirva = Field. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1915-current, 1944-12-29
From
WASHINGTON TIMES S-HERALD

here yesterday.
News from reliable sources out
of the Baltic nation should cause
gravest concern to millions of AM
orleans of Lithuanian descent and
to their friends, the legation said.
Deliberate annihilatiOn
Deliberate annihilation of the
Lithuanian nation is taking place,
the legation said, "both by mass
slaughter and mass deportation.
The NKVD, successor of the dread
GPU, or Soviet political police,
followed on the heels of the Red
Army Immediately mass execu-
tions, arrests and deportations were
instituted.
"The Lithuanian inhabitants of
various towns were herded into
the public squares. Al persons
who were indicated by few local
communists as having participated
in the June 1941 insurrection
against the Soviets as well as
those who had occupied any posi-
ton whatsoever under the German
occupation, even village elders,
were executed"
The Legation reported from
Switzerland that during the first
days of the occupation of Siauliai
some 400 persons were killed and
in Birzai some $50 met death. Ex-
ecutions were carried out by the
Soviets regardless of age and sex.
The Russian secret police carried
out pogroms in Vilnius, Kaunas,
Svyriai, Utena, Kedainiai, Marian
pole and other localities, according
to the Lithuanian Legation. Re-
fugees have reported the Russians
as boasting that they will annihilate
all anti-Soviets before the Allied
help can restore any Lithuanian
independence.
Forced into Service
Officers and men of the Lithuan-
ian underground, who fell into So
Wet hands, were regarded as crimi-
nails, the Legation said.
Soviet authorities are distribut-
ing a QUESTIONABLE containing five
questions to be answered by the
Lithuanian people, according to the
Legation. On the basis of their
replies, individuals are assigned to
execution, to deportation, to forced
labor, or to service III the Red
Army.
"a decree demanding the mobili-
zation for military service of all
able-bodied men between the ages
of Is and 65 was made public"
the legation said. "Those incapable
of military service are used for
forced labor, mainly for the trans
portation of ammunition and for
the digging of trenches.
"Similarly, as under the German
occupation, the Lithuanians are
forced into service under the pre-
tence of voluntary enlistment"
DepOrt Anti-Soviets
sTn accordance with the Soviet
policy that was Interrupted in June
1941, 'the deportation of anti-Soviet
elements from the Baltic states -
declared Serov, ccmmlsar of securl-
ty of the USSR, in his strictly Sec
ret instructions = it is task OF
great political Importance
Gee ing Screws instructions,
Guzevicius, puppet commissar OF
the interior of the Lithuanian SSR,
ordered mass deportations Of his
countrymen, former army officers,
employees of governmental depart
ments, members of all political
parties Except Communist, pro-
gressive farmers and factory work
crs, former Communists, citizens OF
foreign countries, persons having
contracts abroad, workers of the
Red Cross, clergymen, business
men, restaurant and estate owners,
and others
The Lithuanian Legation reported
the NaZis became excessively severe
in measures against Lithuanians as
they prepared to leave the country
before advancing Reds. In addition
to slaughtering and deporting the
people, they looted the country OF
materials of every description, even
to entire factories.
Many able-bodied Lithu n ans
were brought to Germany in order
to work at various industries, the
legation said. 1t added that rela-
lively few. Lithuanians escaped the