Partisan and factional struggles have developed among Lithuanian-Americans to an appalling degree. No matter what Lithuanian newspaper we read, we immediately receive the sad impression that there is nothing more important among Lithuanian-Americans than to decide which is the best party and which party should be permitted to dominate Lithuanian-Americans.

When we consider the struggle among the various Lithuanian-American parties and factions, the following picture comes to mind: Three dogs were hunting a bear in the woods. Just as they were approaching a bear's den, they came upon a dry, marrowless bone. The dogs began to fight so hard for the bone.... that they were unable to see that a bear was standing nearby, ready to break their backs as they fought among themselves.

There are three major political parties among Lithuanians: the Nationalists, the Catholics (or Clericalists), and the Socialists. The Lithuanian nation is threatened with grave danger from the Germans, the Poles, and the Russians. Either of these is sufficient to break the back of the Lithuanian nation. But our parties, instead of employing their combined strength against the dangerous enemy, are fighting among themselves for a "dry bone", for supremacy.

The middle Lithuanian faction, the so-called Nationalists, has tried up to now to form a united front with any party which recognizes Lithuanianism and is willing to assist in the movement for the liberty and independence of Lithuania. In other words, the Nationalists have been going along with those who have been unhesitatingly fighting against the "bear" we have just mentioned. This the Nationalists should always keep before their eyes; they should continue to unite and go along with those who oppose the external enemies of the Lithuanian nation. We can cope with domestic enemies later, when the external danger has disappeared.

The policy of the Nationalists should be, as it has been in the past, to form a united front with every faction that stands for the independence of Lithuania, regardless of whether that faction is the Socialist, the Catholic [Clericalist], or any other faction. But they should never form a united front with the Clericalists merely to overcome the Socialists as Socialists, nor unite with Socialists merely to overcome the Clericalists as such. It is not important at this time for the Nationalists to make any efforts to overcome one or another Lithuanian-American political faction. Such activities at present would not be in the best interests of our fatherland. The most important thing at present is to win independence for Lithuania. And for this reason only, the Nationalists should strive to form a united front with other factions.

To form a united front with all those who oppose the Socialists or with all those who oppose the Clericalists would be forgetting a more important aim; it would mean devoting our efforts to a minor partisan aim; it would be 4leading our people off the main road into petty partisan struggles.....The primary and most important objective at present is the freedom and independence of Lithuania. We will have plenty of time later on to carry on our partisan and factional struggles.

Therefore, we believe that the advice of the publication Ateitis (The Future) to the Nationalists to unite with all factions who are opposed to Lithuanian Clericalists," although such unity might lead to a successful fight against Clericalism,is unworthy of acceptance at this time because it would take the spotlight away from the more important aim--the liberty and independence of our fatherland, Lithuania.