Premier Acts to Check Outburst of Anti-jewish Agitation in Lithuania

Premier V. Mironas acted today to check a sudden and violent recrudescence of anti-Semitic agitation in newspapers and on the radio which was climaxed yesterday by distribution in Kaunas streets of a proclamation calling upon Lithuanians to shake off the influence of “aliens” and neither to buy from nor work for Jews. Father Mironas called in leading newspaper editors and, pointing out the harmful effects of an anti-Semitic campaign, urged papers representing the various minorities groups to adopt a “correct attitude” toward each other.

The Premier’s action calmed anxiety of the Jewish public to a certain extent although anti-Semitic articles were again published in some newspapers in the face of his warning. The agitation reached a head yesterday with newspaper attacks on Jews and Jewish leaders. The press campaign was led by Verslas, organ of the Union of Traders and Artisans, which also conducted anti-Semitic broadcasts over the Government radio.

A delegation of Jewish leaders called upon President Vladas Kurkauskas of the Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce and, pointing out that some provincial papers were calling for an anti-Jewish boycott, stressed the inevitable harm of such a development to Lithuanian national economy. After consulting with Government leaders, Mr. Kurkauskas informed the delegation that the Government “resented” the campaign and would take steps to protect the Jewish minority.

Jew-baiting and racialism were condemned by Liudas Gyra, president of the Union of Lithuanian Writers, and other prominent Lithuanian writers at a joint meeting of Lithuanian and Jewish cultural workers. Speakers called for friendship and cooperation in the cultural sphere.

Establishment of a central committee representing Lithuanian Jewry in dealings with the Government, comprising representatives of all economic and political Jewish bodies, has been initiated by Jewish leaders.