File No. 763.72119/2697

The Lithuanian National Council to the Secretary of State

Believing in the principles of justice, i.e., the right of an individual as well as of a nation (which is a conglomerate of individuals having mutual interests) to life, property, and liberty, and to the pursuit of happiness, we do hereby respectfully submit the summary of the present desires and requests of the Lithuanians in America as well as of those in Europe, as far as their views are known to us, for the consideration of the United States Government to whose care we, as members of the Democratic Mid-European Union, have pledged the Lithuanian people and their property.

1.
The Lithuanians ask for independence and sovereignty of the Lithuanian state and nation. The Lithuanians in America desire the republican form of government for Lithuania with a guarantee and protection of the rights of racial minorities.
2.
The Lithuanian state should include both Lithuania major (districts of Kaunas, Vilnius, Grodno, Suvalkai, and a part of Minsk) and Lithuania minor or Eastern Prussia (the basins of the Rivers Niemen and Pregel) as specified below, because this extent of territory is the abode of the Lithuanian nation from immemorial times. The port of Memel (Klaipeda) is the rightful way of Lithuania to the Baltic Sea.
3.
Since the Letts and Lettgalls are members of the same race, the Lithuanians do desire, if it so pleases the Letts and Lettgalls, to unite the whole race under the same flag and to form one nation, on the basis of equality and liberty and brotherhood.
4.
Since it is the desire of Poland, all Polish parties entertaining concurrent views, to recognize independent Lithuania only when united with Poland, the Lithuanians who are not Slavs and who live on the shores of the Baltic Sea find their life interests trending toward the peoples living around the Baltic Sea, and therefore earnestly desire to remain in closer contact with the northern peoples, not refusing however to entertain sympathetic and neighborly relations with either the Poles or the Russians. Yet a determination of a closer union whether with Poland or Russia, under the present conditions and differences of the social and cultural development of the respective nations, must be left to future exigencies and needs of welfare and civilization of the nations concerned.
5.
In order to promote the cause of peace between nations and brotherhood of man, Lithuania as an independent nation fervently desires the creation of a League of Nations and a membership therein.
6.
Lithuania has elected the Lithuania State Council (Lietuvos Valstybes Taryba) in Vilnius which is considered to be the provisional government of the country, and the Lithuanians in America have constituted as their respective body the Lithuanian National Council in Washington. For the welfare of the nation it is imperative that the Lithuanians through their representatives shall be permitted to participate in the deliberations of the peace congress when the interests of the Lithuanian nation, its territorial questions, and relations to other nations shall be decided upon.
7.
In order to prevent disorder and lawlessness, leading to bloodshed and devastation among population which under the German military occupation for more than three years has suffered untold oppression and abject destitution, we consider to be necessary either:
(a)
To send a United States military commission to assist in the creation of a national militia or a national army out of the elements which constituted the former Russian Army, and which were dispersed by the Germans and partly by the Bolsheviki of Russia;
(b)
That the United States of America, if the Allies should decide to send an army of occupation, shall temporarily occupy the country by the American contingent for the maintenance of peace and order.
Only by these means can the marauding bands hiding in the forests, which terrorize the inhabitants, be effectively put down, and the irritating agitation which comes from abroad in interests foreign to the welfare of the Lithuanian nation can be allayed, and the country spared the horrors of Bolshevikism. This same measure could serve for the peaceful and orderly convocation of a constituent assembly, elected on democratic principles, in the capital city of Vilnius, which shall elaborate the Constitution, install the government and order the affairs of the new state.
8.
We respectfully request the United States Government to cause a United States Commission composed of experts to be sent to Lithuania to survey the food and agricultural situation and also to accord medical assistance for the suffering people from the effects of war and German occupation. This commission would study out ways and means for relieving the country from material suffering, which if unattended might cause unrest and possible disturbances tending to impair the welfare and peace of the country.
9.
Since Lithuania has been a battle ground between Russia and Germany and has cruelly suffered (like Belgium and Serbia) in loss of life and property, the Lithuanians deem it just and proper to ask for indemnification for the losses sustained, and pray in particular that:
(a)
The Lithuanian exiles into Russia and the war prisoners in Germany must be returned safely to their homes at once;
(b)
The civil population, deported to Germany either for insubordination or as laborers, must be repatriated;
(c)
German colonists who have settled in Lithuania during the military occupation must leave the country;
(d)
All property, carried off to Germany, must be returned;
(e)
Contracts on immovable property, made by Germans during the military occupation, shall be considered illegal.
10.
A commission must be instituted to appraise the damages from devastation of cities and villages, or requisitioning of cattle and horses and cereals and clothing, and the vast spoliation of forests and exportation of timber to Germany for the supply of all the fronts and for domestic manufactures, and that retribution for the damage done shall be made by the liable parties.
11.
The Lithuanians pray that Russia return the libraries and museums which she abstracted during her domination (1832–1864), the money and the property confiscated by the Tsaristic régime (1842 [Page 848] 1864) from the monastic orders, the clergy, and the gentry, as well as the scholarships at the institutions of learning (1832). Besides, returned must be institutions, official acts and documents, savings banks, machinery, commercial and industrial establishments carried off to Russia during the World War. Only on the basis of such indemnification could there be a possibility of determining the responsibility of the new Lithuania for a proportionate part of the debts of Russia to the Allied nations.
12.
Germany should not be permitted to claim any indemnification for the construction of new railways or new highways, the repairing of old roads, the administration of estates deserted by refugees or exiles, because of severe requisitions, unheard-of taxes, compulsory work without any or with only partial remuneration, confiscation of property and carrying off the population in labor battalions to drudge for naught and to starve in Germany. Besides, if there have been any improvements made, their object was the military efficiency of Germany but not the welfare of Lithuania.

These are in general our fervent requests which we present to the United States Government, looking forward with confidence that the long-suffering Lithuanian nation will find a just retribution and thereby shall be enabled to start its life anew on the basis of equal opportunity with other nations of the world. Presenting their requests and rights, the Lithuanians are by no means forgetful of the duties they owe to the Allies, to the United States, and to humanity. No distemper mars our undertaking; we do not covet what should be the possession of our neighbors, and our sincere belief is that right and duty should constitute the nation’s might.

We append to this paper the detailed description of the boundaries of Lithuania, Latvia (Lettonia), as we know them.

Lithuania consists of the districts of Kaunas, Vilnius, Grodno, Suvalkai, and a part of Minsk; they were under the Russian sway before the World War, while Lithuania minor, known as Eastern Prussia, was a part of Germany. The northern boundary starts with the Baltic Sea and the River Bartava, then goes to Nygranda, Ringe Žagare, Schönberg, Kurmiai, Nertis, Aknista, Bebra, Dvinsk, by the River Duna to Kreslavl and Drisa. The eastern boundary: from Drisa to Dokshicy, Kraisk, Rakov, Liachoviči and Lake Vygonovsk. The southern boundary: from Lake Vygonovsk to Kamieniec Litovsk, Surazh. From the south, northwestward: from Surazh by the Rivers Narev and Bobr to Raigrod, to Angerburg, in Eastern Prussia, Gerdauen, Wehlau, up to Königsberg.

So then, Eastern Prussia, or Lithuania minor, occupies the basins of the Rivers Niemen and Pregel, as is testified by German authors Lohmeyer, Horn, Hagen, etc. Especially is interesting Dr. Alb. Zweck’s standard work Litauen, eine Lwndes-und Volkskunde (Stuttgart, [Page 849] 1898). He attributes to Lithuania minor 650,000 inhabitants and an area of 11,430 square kilometers.

Latvia, or Lettonia, comprises Courland (to the north of the district of Kaunas) and four counties of Livland or Livonia: Riga, Wenden, Walk, and Wolmar.

The Lettgalls occupy a part of the district of Vitebsk (counties of Dvinsk, Riezhica, and Lutzyn). The eastern boundary extends from Disna, to Siebezh, to Marienhausen.

Executive Committee of the Lithuanian National Council
President,
F. Narushevich