The greatest holiday of this country, the commemoration of the declaration of American independence falls on Thursday of this week, July 4. One hundred and forty-two years ago, on July 4, 1776, the congress of the American colonies declared the complete independence of this country.

The Declaration of Independence of the United States is therefore an old document. But how amazingly it fits our present times! In the Declaration of Independence are included the reasons for which the American colonists of those times took up arms and, having thrown off the yoke of oppression, fought for their freedom and created a government which made America known as a "free country." Those principles will never die. Today all of humanity is taking up arms, as the 2American colonists did 142 years ago, to protect those principles.

Those principles are expressed in the Declaration of Independence as follows:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."

These principles were expressed by the American colonists when England's 3Germanized King, George III, attempted to curb and then to destroy their freedom, with the assistance of a hired German army. The American colonists spilled their blood in order to force the acknowledgment of these principles. Then was born the free America, which, for 142 years has remained an example of liberty and democracy to the whole world.

Today, when we celebrate the memory of that day, let us honor those colonists who fired the torch of Liberty. Let us honor those who, during the past 142 years, have fed their blood to that flame so that it would not go out.

Today a larger war is being waged on the bloody fields of Europe for these same principles. Today the whole world is fighting for that for which, 142 years ago, the American colonists fought alone. Then, they fought for the freedom of the American colonies only. Today we fight for the freedom of all nations, for the freedom of the whole world. And America joins the other 4countries in defending the freedom of the world from the threatening attempts of despotic Germany.

Today, therefore, as we celebrate Independence Day, it is fitting that all of us liberty-loving people dedicate this day to a declaration of independence for all of the nations of the world, as President Wilson announced in his message to the foreign-born American citizens.

May this day, which once brought independence and freedom to America, now bring independence and freedom to all nations of the world--among them, Lithuania. To achieve this end, we Lithuanians, along with other liberty-loving people, shall not begrudge either our fortunes or our lives, until the flame of liberty brightens the whole world.