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Copyright © 1957 Lithuanian Students Association, Inc.   June, 1957  No.2(11)  Managing Editor P. V. Vygantas

THE DEATH OF POVILAS ŽADEIKIS

The death of Povilas žadeikis, Lithuanian Minister to the United States, has deprived Lithuania of its ranking representative in Washington. Because of the absence of a Lithuanian government or of a government-in-exile, it is impossible, according to the rules of the protocol division of the Department of State, to replace him with a representative of a comparable rank. Only a charge d'affaires can now be in charge of the Lithuanian legation. Juozas Kajeckas, a member of the legation in Washington, now is charge d'affaires ad interim, until a successor will be appointed by Stasys Lozoraitis, head of Lithuania's diplomatic service.

At present, none of the three Baltic States has a representative of ministerial rank in Washington. Lithuania was the last to have such representation. Latvia, upon the death of its minister Alfreds Bilmanis, had to appoint a charge d'affaires. Estonia has only an acting consul-general in charge of legation in New York.

Povilas Žadeikis was born in March, 1887, in Lithuania. Thus, he was seventy years old when he died. Because of the russifi-cation policy of Tsarist Russia, which prohibited the use of Lithuanian - language books written in Latin alphabet, part of Mr. Žadeikis early education had to be acquired in secret. Later he studied at the University of St. Petersburg, graduating with honors in 1912. During World War I, Mr. Žadeikis served in the Tsarist army, receiving several high decorations; later he joined the Lithuanian army where he held the rank of major. In 1919 he was Lithuania's minister of defense, and in 1920-1921, a member of a Lithuanian financial mission to the United States. His diplomatic career began in 1924, when he became the first Lithuanian consul in Chicago. After serving several years, as consul in New York — his next appointment — he was appointed to the Washington pest in 1935, and he held it until his death on May 11, 1957. During the early days, of the Russian occupation in 1910, Mr. žadeikis, as well as i he other members of Lithuania's foreign service, were pres-rured to represent the puppet government of J. Paleckis. The United States supported their refusal and protest by steadfastly refusing to recognize the aggression.

Mr. žadeikis' death was noted by the State Department, Washington diplomats and the press. John Foster Dulles was one of the numerous officials and diplomats to express their condolences to the surviving relatives. Stasys Lozoraitis flew in from Italy to attend the funeral and to confer about a possible successor. Members of the Supreme Committee for Lithuania's Liberation and other members of various Lithuanian groups also attended the funeral. The burial was held in keeping with State Department protocol for representatives of ministerial rank.

K. Skr