Dirva = Field. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1915-current, 1945-03-30

people of Lithuania. The Republic
of Lithuania was established on
February 16, 1918 as a modern ma
tion under a constitutional Govern
ment. However, from the earliest
times the Lithuanian people have
developed their own language SIM
liar to the ancient Sanscrit, their
own culture and traditions. They
are not related to the Russians or
to any of the other Slavic peoples,
but descended from an ancient
| people of a distinct nationality. 1t
it therefore not surprising that
they desire independence as self
government as a means by which
to preserve the ideals near and dear
to them, their culture, language
in short, their way of life.
nURING its days of independence
since the last war, Lithuania
demonstrated that it had a decent
respect for the opinions of man.
kind and by its progress in its
economical and cultural life it DEM
onstrated that it's people were
| qualified to assume and discharge
the responsibilities of independence.
In light of the above it would seem
therefore that on the basis of JUS
tice and right, and of the princip-
les announced in the Atlantic Char
, ter and former Secretary of State
Cordell Hull there should be no
question about the restoration of
the Independent Lithuania and yet,
though nearly everyone agreed that
the rights of small nations must
be protected in the postwar world,
there is some hesitation on the part
of some of our representatives in
Government to openly voice their
support of these principles as to
the Republic of Lithuania. They
say: "What about Russia? Russia
intends to incorporate Lithuania in
to the Soviet Union. Lithuania was
part of Russia before the year
1918. Lithuania, they say, was torn
away from Russia in the closing
days of the last war when Russia
was helpless because of internal
revolution"
Well, the answer to that question
is that historically Lithuania was
not part of Russia because if we
go back to the 18th century in the
days when Lithuania was nation
with borders from the Baltic Sea
to the Black Sea, Russia was a
part of Lithuania. Furthermore, it
it not anti-Russian to maintain that
Lithuania deserves to be an inde
pendent nation because Russia has
heretofore solemnly agreed and
covenanted that it would respect
the sovereignty of the Republic of
Lithuania.
THESE agreements were made
not at the time when Russia
was helpless because of internal
revolution but in the years when
the Soviet Union has a strong gov
ernment. On September %, 1926,
a non-aggression treaty, which is
still in effect, was entered into be-
tween the Republic of Lithuania and
Soviet Russia. This treaty was ex-
tended to December 81, 1915. The
language of the following articles
of said pact is as follows:
"ARTICLE 2. The Republic of
| Lithuania and the Union of So
Wet Socialist Republics mutual
ly undertake to respect in all
circumstances the sovereignty
and territorial integrity and in
volatility of each other.
"ARTICLE 3. Each Of the two
contracting parties undertakes
to refrain from any aggressive
action whatsoever against the
other party.
"ARTICLE 5. Should a conflict
arise, and if impossible to liq-
uidate it in diplomatic way,
both contracting parties agree
in such case to nominate con-
ciliatory commissions"
On October 10, 1889, Lithuania
and Russia entered into Mutual
Assistance Pact, = Article reads:
"The realization of this Treaty
must not infringe the sovereign
rights of the contracting par
ties, especially the structure of
their state, their economic and
social systems, military instru-