THE “BAD BOY” OF LITHUANIA

Hokitika Guardian, 2 September 1930, Page 3

THE “BAD BOY” OF LITHUANIA

For some years past, up to quite recently, M. Valdemaras, then Prime Minister of Lithuania, was head and ■front of the Lithuanian opposition to Poland. When the frontiers of Poland and Lithuania were settled.,, af.ter the Peace of Versailles was signed, the Conference of Ambassadors .to iwhont this duty was deputed, gave Poland certain' commercial and territorial rights in the province of Vi 1na. The Lithuanians hold that this ijs wholly their country, ayd refuse to -admit that.., the Poles . can Have any -/rights there. The. League of Nations in vain endeavoured' to...effect, a compromise; but with ; Pilstidski, the Polish Dictator, on one side of the border and Valdemaras on the other, the "•quarrel dragged along:;;-interminably. On Nationalist grounds the. Conference of Ambassadors ivas probably mistaken, but the Poles were certain-ly--within ,their legal rights in holding their ground. At last the Lithuanians themselves grew tired of the endless controversy, and, having received, certain guarantees from the League,, they were prepared to drop active opposition. But ..Valdemaras' was quite implacable. Jim,people deposed him from liis post as „Prime Mjjjisgter,, mar.tip.l. v la\v,. ji was declared, andf ’the new -..Preiihier-t; has . ordered that Valdemaras he kept- isolated in a ismail;; countfy house.- under, 'a constant guard. 'So for'the time the “Enfant Terrible’’ of the League of Nations 'disappears fi-oin the scene, with much .'advantage' to the : prospects of European peace.