FRESH TENSION IN MEMEL

Southland Times, Issue 23652, 29 October 1938, Page 7

FRESH TENSION IN MEMEL

Nazis’ Demand For Full Autonomy

DEMONSTRATORS SEEK RETURN TO REICH

(United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright) (Received October, 28, 9.5 p.m.) KAUNAS, October 28. The German leaders demanded full autonomy for Memel at a specially called meeting of the Lithuanian Diet. The tension is renewed. Thousands demonstrated throughout the city, and greeted Herr Saucker, one of the Nazi leaders, with shouts of “One Reich! One people! One leader! Out with the Jews!”.

Memel is situated on the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the river Niemen. By the terms of a convention in 1924, which settled the status of Memel Territory (city and a small district), the Governments of Great Britain. France, Italy and Japan provided for the autonomy of the territory so as to preserve the “traditional rights and culture of Its Inhabitants.”

While sovereignty over the territory is Lithuanian, as shown, for example, by the fact that the President of Lithuania appoints the Governor of Memel Territory, al the same time ample provisions are made for the full competence of the local authorities in legislative, judicial, administrative, and financial matters. The Governor is assisted by a directory of five members who act as a sort of Cabinet, but all are responsible to the Chamber of Representatives and its five members may not hold office after the confidence of the chamber has been withheld.

Full provision is made for equality of rights of citizenship as between the inhabitants of Memel Territory and Lithuania who may pass from one to the other. To provide revenues for Memel Territory, agreements are made between Lithuania and the territory which determine what percentage of revenues shall be assigned to the latter from monopolies. Customs duties, excise duties, and commodity taxes. The port of Memel is declared a port of international concern. The expenses for its maintenance and development, and the public waterways, are provided by the Lithuanian Government, with contributions from Memel Territory. A harbour board now administers the port of Memel. It consists of three persons—one Lithuanian appointee, one ' representative from Memel Territory, one member named by the League of Nations. Memel Territory, which has an area of 853 square miles, and a population of over 150,000, was detached from East Prussia by the Treaty of Versailles. German Nazi influence has been rife there for some years.