While reading our newspapers we sometimes come across a new proposition submitted by the people and at the same time approved by them. But if we try to effect these propositions, we meet a strong opposition, and the result is we don't accomplish anything worth while. A great number of people read about the propositions in the papers and believe them to be beneficial to the community. It is obvious that these people who read the papers don't understand what they are reading about because they don't pay close attention to the articles that are written in our papers. But if they read articles with attention, they will see clearly that our propositions are not so important as they expected them to be. We saw a proposition submitted by P. Sherna long ago, which Dr. Shlupas renewed in 1900. The Poles approved highly of this proposition, even printing it in their papers. They invited Lithuanians to join and support them to carry out the proposition. Our readers knew very well about that proposition, because it was written and explained in our papers.

After a long consideration three nationalities compromised and decided to work as one group instead of three separate groups. This organization consisted of the following nationalities, Lithuanians, Poles and Ruthenians. The purpose of this organization was to raise the funds for publishing a newspaper entitled Freedom, which would be issued three times a week.

The purpose of this paper would have been threefold: first, to protect the rights of our people and further their interests in this country; second, to show the American people the aim of this paper in promoting a good spirit of citizenship; and third, to write and describe the conditions and sufferings of our brothers across the sea. Some of our fellow countrymen agreed on the proposition and contributed their money for that cause. But as the work became unsuccessful, many things became very clear. Their efforts and money were wasted for nothing, and they did not accomplish anything. In the first place everything 3was wrong from the very start of this idea. One paper cannot be managed by three different nationalities because there is bound to be some disagreement and there cannot be any harmony among them.

The Polish papers often mentioned and urged the Lithuanians to work in harmony with them in carrying out the proposed plans. But since all things appeared to be of no value, the Lithuanians decided to drop the idea of the paper. No doubt they could have contributed their share, but since they did not trust their friends, the Poles, their partnership was dissolved.

Maybe they acknowledged Polish fellowship as an untrustworthy partnership; for that reason only they were not in a hurry to make their contributions for establishing the newspaper entitled The Freedom.

I, as an individual, analyzed the situation very thoroughly, but I did not wish to participate in their fight and stop their proposed plans.

I did not dare say anything until I saw an article in Lietuva, No. 32, "What to do with the contributions which were collected for establishing the newspaper The Freedom?"

Then I finally understood that Lithuanians are not supporting P. Sherna's plans introduced by Dr. Shlupas. Now came my opportunity, when I was able to give my opinion about their proposals and collections for establishing a newspaper in the English language. Not desiring hereby to insult neither P. Sherna nor Dr. Shlupas and the people who supported these plans, I only wish to express my opinion and ask a question at the same time. What is the great value of this proposal which was submitted by Dr. Shlupas? From the national standpoint, can a nation derive any benefit from such a proposal? I doubt very much if such things could be made possible without having any friction among three different nationalities. We already had an intimate friendship with the Poles, when we were organizing parishes and belonged to their societies. But our friendship with the Poles proved to be of no benefit to us and 5besides they exploited us. Their friendship cannot be trusted, especially in our case, as Lithuanians cannot get along with Poles because they always took advantage of Lithuanians and exploited them in everything, whenever they had a chance. I want to know if those people who proposed the idea of establishing the paper. The Freedom, expected better results with Poles. After all, this shows that we will not derive any benefit from such proposals, which have been made by Dr. Shlupas.

The people who are reading English newspapers pay very little attention to foreign news and the affairs of foreign nationalities. Now, if we did have our newspaper in the English language, who would read it? It is of no benefit to our own people because our own people don't understand the English language.

Therefore, the readers of the Freedom would have been the people with a limited knowledge of the English language. We also know that the rulers of the following governments, for example, the Tsar of Russia, the Kaiser of Germany and even President McKinley of the United States, 6would not read our paper, Freedom. Only these three governments and no others could have helped and improved our living conditions if they would read the paper, Freedom. It is a hard problem to interest government officials in reading our papers and show them what is our aim. One reason is that our nation is too weak to establish an influential newspaper through which it could appeal to the government for help in time of need.

Therefore, I have hope that the readers of our newspaper will be able to judge for themselves whether this proposed paper, Freedom, would have been beneficial or not to our nation. Propositions and proposers we have plenty of them; but we haven't any good one which would be beneficial to our people and the nation. If we have any organization established, we cannot keep it permanently because there is a lack of unity among us. If we establish one organization then we immediately establish another organization to hurt the first one. But we never made 7any effort to keep one organization permanently. Would it not be much better to keep one and the best organization permanently than have many organizations that cause a lot of trouble and disagreements among the members? As an individual, I wish to mention again The Freedom and give my proposition, which may not meet the approval of the people. However, if we wish to acquaint the American people with our history and national affairs, we can do this by translating one of our histories into the English language instead of having the newspaper, Freedom, (published) by three different nationalities.

We have many history text-books written by well known authors, which are excellent books for translation into the English language. We will benefit much more by having Lithuanian history translated into the English language than by having a Lithuanian newspaper printed in the English language. Thus we will be able to acquaint the American people with the Lithuanian nation and its affairs.

Moreover, the translation of the Lithuanian history would not cost much more than printing the Lithuaian paper in the English language. It is a greater advantage for us to have the Lithuanian history in the English language because a history as a rule is read by intelligent and educated people. We would then have a better change of acquainting Americans with our nation's affairs.

It is not a big job to translate a small Lithuanian history. Any Lithuanian printing establishment or newspapers could accomplish this job without going into big expense. I would like to hear some opinions from the people in regard to my proposition. Especially would I like to know what Lietuva will do and think about my proposition.