LITHUANIA’S TROUBLES.

Evening Star, Issue 19436, 20 December 1926, Page 6

LITHUANIA’S TROUBLES.

Following the example of Poland, Lithuania has changed its government by a military coup, General Smetona imitating the part which Marshal Pilfsudski essayed successfully only seven months ago. Europe has another “ constitutional dictatorship,” which of late has been a favorite form of rule. Lithuania is the nearest to Poland and Germany of the Baltic States who wore established in their independence as the result of the war. The great days of its people were in the fourteenth century, when its rulers bore sway from the Baltic almost to the Black Sea. Afterwards it became absorbed in the fortunes of Poland, passing with the division of Poland into Russia’s rough hands. Even the name of Lithuania was wiped off the map, and the country became officially part of the northwest provinces of Russia. Yet a national spirit was maintained, in some manner, throughout centuries ot subjection, first to one race of masters and then another, and it had its reward in the settlement of the Great War. But the joy of tho Lithuanians at that deliverance was diminished, only a year or two later, when General Zcligowski, an unconstitutional dictator, by a coup made in peace time seized Vilna, their historic capital, which, despite unceasing protests of the deprived people and appeals to tho League of Nations, has remained ever since a part of P.oland. For tho Poles, it has been said, there is no Vilna question. They have the city and intend to hold it. But for the Lithuanians the recovery of Vilna is a first object of their national aspirations never to be forgotten. Without Vilna, a recent traveller has written, their country is like a statue without a head, a cathedral without a spire. The capital which they have had to use in place of it—Kaunas, Russian Kovno — lias been described as “one of those towns which have honor thrust upon them. It was never intended to bo a European capital, and it wears its distinction as uneasily as a coster would wear a coronet. It is not worthy of the name city, and, frankly, it is filthy. It has no drainage and no water supply—the prudent traveller cleans his teeth, in local mineral water—and its only modern convenience is electric light. Until vast sums are spent upon it, it cannot ho anything more than it was before tho war, a typical Russian garrison town.” Yet it is reassuring to learn that the new Government of Lithuania will not seek the reversal of General Zeligowski’s coup by an attack on Vilna at tho present time. Lithuania is not strong enough to make war with Poland, and if she was there is no place in Europe which would be a worse place for a. new wa: to begin than the troubled eastern frontier of Germany. The Vilna question, it has been said, is the great menace to peace in the Baltic States, for it has made Lithuania the hitter enemy of Poland, whereas it is in the interests of both States to dwell in friendship together, in view specially of the fears which both have ot Russia. It is to bo hoped also that, if it is not so already, the Lithuanian armed political coup will be as quickly decisive as that of Poland was before it. Civil war in this small border State might he too ranch of a temptation to Iho Bolshevists to attempt to recover one of tho lost territories of Russia.