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Copyright
© 1958 Lithuanian
Students Association, Inc. September, 1958 Vol. 4, No. 3 Managing Editor P. V. Vygantas |
CONGRESS OF LITHUANIAN-AMERICANS
S. Rimkaitis
Although Lithuanian immigrants have in general
adjusted themselves quite well to the New World, their contacts with
their native land—or the land of their ancestors—have always been
rather close. It was therefore quite natural for the
Lithuanian-Americans to be seriously concerned when, on June 15, 1940,
the Communists occupied Lithuania. The people of Lithuanian descent or
extraction immediately united their efforts to defend the freedom and
the rights of the Lithuanian nation. A natural outcome of these joinfc
efforts was the formation of the Lithuanian American Council, and
August 10, 1940, is considered the birthday of this organization.
The
Council consists of representatives of four major ideological
Lithuanian-American groups as well as delegates of the two largest
fraternal associations. The Council has branches in many cities
throughout the United States and has th? support of practically all
patriotic Lithuanian-Americans.
The Council seeks to furnish the
American people and the free world in general with true information
about Lithuania and about the Communists and their methods. One of the
major aims of the movement is to see Lithuania restored as an
independent republic with her proper boundaries. The Council has been
very active in its efforts to achieve this purpose. Many statements and
memoranda have been submitted to the President of the United States and
to the Department of State. The Council's executive officers have
frequently visited various offices in Washington, and delegations from
the Council have been received by all three Presidents of the United
States who have occupied this high office since the Council was founded.
One
of the Council's chief achievements has been to bring about the
creation of a Congressional committee to investigate the facts and
circumstances pertaining to the seizure and forced incorporation of the
Baltic states into the Soviet Union.
National conventions
sponsored by the Council have been organized to demonstrate the united
desire of the overwhelming majority of Lithuanian-Americans to see the
land of their ancestors a free country once more; these conventions
have proved to be one of the best methods of expressing this aim to the
American people. The fifth such gathering was held on June 27-28 in
Boston, Mass.
The Congress was attended by 296 official
delegates and by many guests and observers. During the proceedings
reports were read by members of the Executive Board setting forth the
achievements and also the problems and difficulties that exist. The
discussions that followed these reports once again made it clear that
Lithuanian-Americans have not diminished their efforts and aspirations
with respect to Lithuania. Suggestions were made toward an even more
successful course of ret ion for the Council. Elections of members of
the Council were held, and the members in turn elected the Executive
Board. Mr. L. šimutis, editor-in-chief of the Lithuanian daily
newspaper Draugas, was again entrusted with the presidency; Dr. P.
Grigaitis, editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper Naujienos, continued
as Executive Secretary; Mr. E. Bartkus, a successful engineer, was
elected Vice-President; and Mr. M. Vaidyla was re-elected Treasurer.
Senator
John Kennedy presented the principal address at the Congress, and
Foster Fur-colo, Governor of Massachusetts, also attended. Greetings
were received from the White House and the State Department, and from
27 Senators, many Representatives and other political dignitaries.
Practically all the greetings included an expression of hope that
Lithuania may soon be free again.
After two days of reports,
discussion and exchanges of ideas and opinions, the Congress adjourned,
and all the participants returned to their homes convinced that their
efforts to achieve their basic aim—freedom for Lithuania — must be even
further intensified, but they also felt reassured that these efforts
and the sacrifices they entail will some day be amply rewarded. Let us
hope that this day will come soon.