Special Footprints of Lithuanian Americans in the struggle for Independence Lithuanian American National Council A FREQUENTLY OVERLOOKED HISTORIC Convention, Madison Square FACT IS THAT LITHUANIA’S DECLARATION Garden, New TH York, March 13- OF INDEPENDENCE OF FEBRUARY 16 , 14, 1918. 1918, DID NOT OCCUR OVERNIGHT. IT WAS, Photo above INSTEAD, THE CONSEQUENCE OF A SERIES in the right: OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND POLITICAL Lithuanian American DEVELOPMENTS. THIS, OF COURSE, DOES National NOT DETRACT FROM THE ACHIEVEMENT Council, delegate pin Whitehead WHICH THE DECLARATION’S SIGNATORIES Hoag, New BROUGHT ABOUT. HOWEVER, IT MUST BE Jersey. REMEMBERED THAT THERE WERE MANY OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE INCLUDING MANY LITHUANIAN AMERICANS WHO ENERGETICALLY JOINED IN AND EFFECTIVELY CONTRIBUTED TO THIS CAMPAIGN. 16 Lithuanian Military Digest Special THE NATIONAL AWAKENING Independence — complete Lithuanian politi- t is generally agreed that the Lithuanian cal sovereignty a year before it was declared in National Awakening of the late 19th centu- Lithuania! ry and the resultant Lithuanian Indepen- Idence movement stemmed from the Polish- A LITHUANIAN MONARCHY? Lithuanian Insurrection of 1863–1864. While The Lithuanian independence movement that struggle did not succeed, it energized the only gradually evolved in the homeland. Initial- nation to continue its efforts to free itself from ly, the leaders of the movement merely sought Czarist rule. The consequent brutal suppres- some modicum of political autonomy, some sion of this insurrection led to an even greater accommodation within the framework of Czar- resolve to resist tyranny. The Russian regime ist Russian Empire. In 1905 the Russians were outlawed the publishing of books in the Lithu- routed in the ill-fated Russo-Japanese War. This anian script; they had to be printed in Russian resulted in an easing of the Lithuanian publica- cyrillic type. At the same time, industrializa- tion restriction. With the advent of World War tion of the urban areas and the transformation I and the ensuing occupation of Lithuania by of the agricultural sector were taking place German forces in 1914, the Lithuanian inde- across the Western world. In Lithuania, like pendence movement considered the option of most other countries, the resulting economic a Lithuanian kingdom within the framework of turmoil led to the departure of one-fourth of Lithuanian American Liberty Bell Medal, 1919 the Imperial German Empire. As part of this the Lithuanian nation. Emigrants sought a bet- awarded for significant donations. effort, some Lithuanian leaders even offered ter life overseas, mostly in America. One would a crown to a proposed new Lithuanian mon- think that the loss of a quarter of the country’s new world, they did not forget their homeland arch, a member of the Wittenberg dynasty who population, in one generation, would have a and the families they left behind. It is suggest- claimed a remote lineage to the Lithuanian devastating demographic effect. Actually, this ed that the Lithuanian National Awakening King Mindaugas. He would have been known flight not only enabled the nation to survive would not have been successful had it not been as King Mindaugas II. Were the Lithuanian po- but eventually contributed significantly to for the participation and financial contribution litical leaders being opportunistic or were they achieving its long-sought independence. made by thousands of Lithuanian Americans just being practical given the conditions they and their organizations. Lithuanians on both faced at the time? In any event, this proposal THE BOOK SMUGGLERS sides of the ocean were directly involved in did not pan out and was soon abandoned. While Lithuanian American immigrants preserving and drawing inspiration from the embraced the liberty and riches offered by the nation’s glorious past. There were many out- LITHUANIAN AMERICANS TAKE standing leaders and writers in Lithuania. At ACTION the time, however, they did not have at their disposal the economic resources necessary to pursue this struggle. Publishing was con- trolled by the Russian government and the printing in the Lithuanian language essentially prohibited. As a result, printing of Lithuanian publications took place in neighboring East Prussia (also known as Lithuania Minor). A clandestine network of book smuggling was established to deliver these books into the hands of the Lithuanian people. This was a perilous undertaking requiring courage and Lithuanian State Bond 100 Auksiniai, an ability to outmaneuver the Russian border 1919 purchased by American Lithuanians to guards. Surreptitious funding of this effort support Lithuania. was received from American Lithuanians and their organizations. In many ways, it was the Let us now recount the Lithuanian Inde- Lithuanian American funding of the nation’s pendence Movement from a Lithuanian Amer- book smuggling effort that kept the flame of ican perspective. The Lithuanian Americans the Lithuanian independence alive. Without were also experiencing their very own version the support of Lithuanian Americans through of a Lithuanian Awakening and their patriotic their writings, political action, and financial organizations gradually developed over the aid, the Book Smuggling Movement would years into nationwide networks. Following have failed and with it the hope of indepen- the first attempt at Lithuanian autonomy at dence. It was these enthusiastic and perhaps the Great Vilnius Seimas in November 1905 sometimes impatient Lithuanian Americans, Lithuanian Americans held their own, First who reveled in all things Lithuanian, who Lithuanian American Political Convention, in Book smuggler Vincas Juška. were the first (in 1917) to declare Lithuania’s Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on February 22, May 2020. No 5. 17 Special government has to exist in Lithuania for the na- tion to be genuinely free and independent. As a result, when a subsequent Lithuanian Declara- tion of Independence was passed on February 16th, 1918, in Vilnius, they immediately rec- ognized and supported the newly established government. ATTENDED PEACE CONFERENCE The Third National Congress of Lithuanian Americans was held on March 13, 1918, at Madison Square Garden, New York, wherein Fifty dollar Lithuanian Liberty Loan Certificate, 1920. both Catholic and national political leaders 1906. There they demanded Lithuanian politi- Taryba, a precursor to the Lithuanian Ameri- representing over 700,000 of their countrymen cal autonomy. By 1908, the many smaller local can Council (LAC) which continues to oper- jointly called for the U.S. to recognize the Vil- Lithuanian community patriot organizations ate to this date. nius declaration and the government formed joined together to form the National Society At the conference, members, representing under it. This resolution was forwarded to of Lithuanian Patriots, which began funding approximately twenty-five percent of the total President Wilson and other foreign representa- Lithuanian publications and supported various Lithuanian world population, in the name of tives. Although President Wilson delayed rec- activities promoting Lithuanian independence. their nation passed their own Declaration of ognition of Lithuanian independence and the The Lithuanian language publications and ar- Independence, a full year before it was done in new government, he authorized the Lithuanian ticles penned by Lithuanian Americans were Lithuania. American representatives to attend the antici- sent to Prussia along with funds to support the pated Paris Peace Conference. As a result, Lith- Lithuanian book smuggling movement. INFORMING As World War I raged in Europe, Lithuanian PRESIDENT American, especially, Catholic organizations WILSON AND THE across the country raised money for Lithuanian VATICAN War Victims Relief, which under a U.S. govern- In accordance with the ment system was disseminated to all war vic- Lithuanian National Coun- tims of the Czarist Russian Empire. As a result, cil of America, the Reverend these funds only helped those Lithuanians who Jonas Zilius and Dr. Julius had fled their homeland during the war and re- Bielskis were to present cop- settled in Russia. ies of this Lithuanian Inde- Finally, the Lithuanian Roman Catholic pendence Declaration to Federation of America, called a special con- President Woodrow Wilson ference on January 10-11, 1917, in Pittsburg, and the representative of the Pennsylvania, to discuss Lithuanian Indepen- Vatican and other foreign dence. The coordination of efforts promoting ambassadors in Washington, Lithuania’s freedom was undertaken by the D.C. This was done a full Lithuanian attendees at the Conference of Lausanne in Switzerland, 1918. From left: Rev. Juozas Dabužis, Kazys Pakštas, Antanas Lithuanian National Council of America which year before independence Smetona, Martynas Yčas, and Balys Mastauskas (Frank Mast). in Lithuanian was known as Amerikos Lietuvių was called for in Lithuania. Also, through Dr. Bielskis’ efforts, a uanian American delegates were in attendance Lithuanian Information Bureau was at the 1919 Versailles Peace Treaty Conference. established in Washington, D.C., Also, Lithuanian Americans substantially fi- which was commissioned to inform nanced the Lithuanian government operations American political leadership, the for several years through their purchase of Lith- media and the public at large that uanian loans and bonds. Several Lithuanian the conference has passed a Lithu- government officials at the time attested