Danzig plays in many ways the same part in relation to Poland as did Memel in relation to Lithuania.
Germany annexed Memel in spite of the fact that it formed a vital part of Lithuania's "Lebensraum," being virtually the only outlet to the Baltic for Lithuanian foreign trade. And Germany has not been Slow to exploit her strong position. Though she agreed, on the cession of Memel, that she would have no further demands against Lithuania, the Government of that country has recently received a peremptory demand from Berlin, claiming a participation of 60 per cent. in Lithuania's foreign trade. This is more than double the proportion of Germany's share in Lithuania's imports and exports during 1938.
Until now, Great Britain held the lead both in Lithuanian imports and exports. The latest German blackmail is thus aimed against British trade, as well as Lithuanian independence. In the past, every concession granted to Germany has merely paved the way for fresh per-emptor demands. There is every reason to expect that, once 60 per cent. of Lithuania's trade had been acquired by Germany, Berlin would put forward further demands, both of a political and of an economic nature. The German annexation of Memel would then be seen in its true light, as a first step towards the annexation of Lithuania through "peaceful penetration."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.