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Martynas Yčas (13 November 1885 – 5 April 1941) was a Lithuanian politician.

Early life and education
Yčas was born to a well-off family of Lithuanian farmers that were members of the Lithuanian Evangelical Reformed Church. According to a family tradition, they were of Scottish ancestry (possibly, Yčas is derived from Scottish Eachus). Before the abolition of serfdom in 1861, the family were serfs of the Astravas Manor owned by the Tyszkiewicz family. Yčas uncle was a graduate of the Saint Petersburg University, teacher, poet, and frequent contributor to the Lithuanian press. Yčas' father helped book smugglers to distribute the banned Lithuanian-language press and was imprisoned for three months. Fearing further arrests, he emigrated to United States in 1890 and worked in the gold mines in Lead, South Dakota. He died there in 1913. The father did not support his family and it struggled financially. Nevertheless, Yčas and his older brother Jonas Yčas, with the help of their uncle Dagilis and their Evangelical Reformed Church, managed to obtain higher education.

Yčas attended the Russian primary school in Biržai. In 1900, his brother Jonas took him to Saint Petersburg and prepared him for gymnasium exams. Yčas passed exams to the third grade of the Pärnu Gymnasium in 1903. Already as a gymnasium student, Yčas started contributing articles to Lithuanian press, including  and Vilniaus žinios. In 1907, Yčas continued his studies at the Tomsk University (his brother Jonas worked as a teacher and had his own private school in Tomsk). He graduated with a law degree in 1911. At the time, Governor of Tomsk was, a member of the Evangelical Reformed Church. Nolken introduced both brothers Yčas to the local social elite. Yčas was also active in the small Lithuanian circle in Tomsk, contributed to Aušrinė and Viltis, attended meetings of the Lithuanian Scientific Society and Evangelical Reform Synod held in Vilnius.

In 1911, Yčas returned to Lithuania and settled in Kaunas working as an assistant to Petras Leonas, attorney and former member of the Russian State Duma. He quickly joined Daina Society which organized amateur theater performances and concerts and together with established Lithuanian social club Avilys. Around 1911–1912, Yčas helped Povilas Jakubėnas to establish the first printing press in Biržai: obtained government permit, purchased printing presses, etc.

Russian State Duma
Yčas decided to run the September 1912 elections to the Russian State Duma. As political agitation was prohibited, Yčas recruited, the famous tenor, to hold ten concerts across Lithuania (in Biržai, Rokiškis, Panevėžys, Linkuva, Kėdainiai, Ukmergė, Zarasai, Raseiniai, Telšiai, and Šiauliai). He was opposed by left-leaning Lithuanians, including Mykolas Sleževičius who also ran in the elections. In one of the election stages, Yčas was not elected but doctor Dominykas Bukontas from Zarasai withdrew in his favor. Eventually, Yčas was elected to the Sate Duma and joined the Constitutional Democratic Party (Kadets).

Despite his youth and inexperience, Yčas was active in the Duma. He worked in the Finance Commission, tried to organize a joint bloc with Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian representatives, helped organizing a peasants' group, chaired by. He spoke in the Duma on various topics, including Lithuanian emigration to United States and the hypocrisy regarding Russian outrage about Magyarization given the various Russification policies. In total, Yčas spoke 26 times in the Duma, including during the extraordinary session held on 26 July 1914 during the July Crisis. He also brought more Lithuanians to the Kadet party, i.e. Petras Leonas, elected to the Central Committee of the Kadets,, Stasys Šilingas. He also wrote articles to the Russian press, including Russkiye Vedomosti and Rech. His closest personal friend in the Duma was.

International travels
During its annual meeting in June 1913, the Lithuanian Scientific Society decided to send a delegation to United States primarily to raise funds for the National House, society headquarters that would become a center of Lithuanian culture. It was decided that Jonas Basanavičius should go and that Yčas would accompany him. They departed from Bremerhaven on SS Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm on 12 July. They visited Lithuanian American communities on the East Coast (New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania and elsewhere). They also visited Jonas Šliūpas in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where Yčas met his future wife, Šliūpas' daughter Hypatija. They were discouraged by lax manners of the Lithuanians, infighting between local communities, and attacks by socialists (for example, Vincas Mickevičius-Kapsukas wrote to Lithuanian American socialist press urging to boycott the donation drive). Aboard SS Imperator they reached Cherbourg-Octeville and spent a few days in Paris where they met with Juozas Gabrys. In total, they visited 84 Lithuanian communities in 120 days and collected $23,799 from some 6,000 donors. The money was not enough to build the National House and it was lost in a Russian bank during World War I. At the same time, Yčas collected funds for newspaper Vairas, published by Antanas Smetona in January 1914.

In spring 1914, with his friend Velikhov, Yčas visited Paris and London. In London, he observed parliamentary sessions in the House of Lords and the House of Commons, visited St Casimir's Lithuanian Church, and met with Peter Kropotkin, an advocate of anarcho-communism. In Paris, they met with Russian ambassador Alexander Izvolsky and Emile Vandervelde, President of the Second International. Back in Russia, Yčas had an opportunity to take a 30-minute demonstration flight on Sikorsky Ilya Muromets. In September 1914, Yčas was supposed to visit Stockholm for a congress of the pacifist Inter-Parliamentary Union, but the plans were interrupted by World War I.

Outbreak of World War I
In August 1914, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia responded to a Polish declaration of loyalty and made vague promises of autonomy. Afraid to be left behind, Lithuanian activists—Jonas Basanavičius, Stasys Šilingas, and Donatas Malinauskas—penned a declaration, which became known as the Amber Declaration, of Lithuanian loyalty to the Tsarist regime. The declaration also expressed hopes for Lithuanian autonomy within the Russian Empire and unification of Lithuania Minor with Lithuania proper. Yčas edited the declaration to reduce its poetic rhetoric and presented the declaration to the Tsar, Prime Minister Ivan Goremykin (in person), Chairman of the State Council Mikhail Akimov, and Chairman of the State Duma Mikhail Rodzianko. The unedited version was published by Novoye Vremya. Goremkin called it nonsense, and only Rodzianko sent a short thank-you note.

Around the same time, the activists established informal Lithuanian Political Center to represent Lithuanian political interest during the war. In October, the Center wrote a letter to Lithuanian American leaders outlining steps and positions towards Lithuania's freedom. To avoid state censors, Yčas traveled via Tornio to Haparanda in Sweden to mail out the letters. To strengthen their political position, former and current Lithuanian members of the State Duma decided to establish the Representative Committee that would have more authority and political weight. However, the Committee soon disbanded as its chairman Petras Leonas resigned in January 1915 in protest of Andrius Bulota's and Mykolas Januškevičius' withdrawals from the Lithuanian Society for the Relief of War Sufferers.

Aid to war refugees
Military action began on the Eastern Front on 17 August 1914 with the Battle of Stallupönen during the Russian invasion of East Prussia. However, refugees appeared few weeks before as residents along the German–Russian border were ordered to evacuate. The first Lithuanian organization to aid refugees was organized on 11 August. The same day, Yčas petitioned the Free Economic Society and received a 400-ruble monthly grant for a soup kitchen run by writer Žemaitė. The Tatiana Committee, founded by the Tsar to aid war widows and refugees, was established on 14 September, and Yčas immediately petitioned for a grant and invited the committee's chairman  to Vilnius. Neidhardt arrived on 20 October and a local chapter of the Tatiana Committee, chaired by the Governor of Vilnius, was established the next day. This chapter soon received a monthly grant of 15,000 rubles of which 10,000 was allocated to Lithuanian refugee organizations. Yčas became a member of the Central Committee of the Tatiana Committee which gave him an opportunity to obtain more funds and support for Lithuanian causes, including increasing the monthly grant to 50,000 rubles in May 1915. Yčas also worked with the All-Russian Union of Towns (VSG) to organize free lunches at railway stations and children shelters in Rietavas, Kvedarna, Jurbarkas. Yčas further obtained 30,000 rubles from the Moscow City Duma—a piece of 200,000 rubles that were collected for the benefit of Poland.

The Lithuanian Society for the Relief of War Sufferers was officially registered on 27 November and its founding meeting took place on 4 December. Yčas was elected as chairman, Antanas Smetona and priest as vice-chairmen. The society worked organizing aid to the refugees – searched for more funding, distributed clothes and food, provided medical care, established shelters, found jobs for the refugees, organized workshops. On two occasions, Yčas toured Samogitia, Russian-occupied areas of East Prussia, and Suvalkija surveying the war damages and organizing local relief efforts. His position as a member of the State Duma gave him great access to military transport and military camps. In spring 1915, he was delegated by the State Duma to Galicia to inspect and supervise Duma-funded mobile hospital, led by Igor Demidov. He traveled via Kiev and Lviv to Jasło, where he witnessed city bombing by Austrian airplanes, and Krosno. In early May, Yčas accompanied Duma Chairman Mikhail Rodzianko to Svidník and Bardejov and was received by Generals Lavr Kornilov and Radko Dimitriev. They had to hastily turn back to escape the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive.

Evacuation to Russia
At the start of the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive in May 1915, the number of refugees increased exponentially. As the German Army advanced, Lithuanian institutions and organizations evacuated deeper into Russia. The Lithuanian Society for the Relief of War Sufferers split into two: a section that remained in Vilnius (chairman Antanas Smetona) and a section that evacuated (chairman Yčas). Yčas continued to work with Russian institutions. He was active member of the Tatiana Committee and during its monthly meetings sat one chair away from Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia who liked to draw caricatures of committee members. Yčas, having first-hand experience in dealing with refugees, gained influence and became deputy to chairman Neidhardt. He also helped establishing the Special Council for Refugees (Особое совещание по устройству беженцев) under the Ministry of Internal Affairs on 30 August 1915. The council, chaired by and his deputy, included seven members from the State Duma and Yčas was among them. It allotted 1.4 million rubles to the Lithuanian relief efforts in November 1915.

Many Lithuanian students evacuated to Voronezh. Yčas obtained a permit from Paul Ignatieff, Minister of National Education, to establish Lithuanian boys' and girls' gymnasiums in Voronezh and obtained funding of 100,000 rubles from the Tatiana Committee. The funding allowed to provide the students with full room and board. Boys' gymnasium opened on 10 September 1915 with 500 students. This was the first Lithuanian gymnasium. Two other Lithuanian gymnasiums, the Panevėžys Gymnasium and, opened in German-occupied Lithuania a few weeks later. The girls' gymnasium in Voronezh opened in November 1915 with 96 students. Yčas recruited prominent Lithuanians to become teachers at the new schools, including writer (became principal) and linguist Jonas Jablonskis.

In October 1915, Yčas together with Stasys Šilingas traveled to Stockholm in neutral Sweden to attend what they were hoping was a Lithuanian conference attended by Lithuanian representatives from Lithuania, Russia, Western Europe, and United States, but only Juozas Gabrys was present. They established a war refugee relief organization, the Swedish–Lithuanian Aid Committee (Švedų-lietuvių šelpimo komitetas), of which Carl Lindhagen, mayor of Stockholm, was chairman,, editor of Stockholms Dagblad, was secretary, and Lithuanian Jonas Aukštuolis was manager. Söderberg later visited Lithuania to witness the situation firsthand. They also met with Russian ambassador whose wife was involved in a Russian refugee and prisoner of war relief organization. These contacts allowed Yčas to reestablish communications with German-occupied Lithuania and to send funds to the Lithuanian Society for the Relief of War Sufferers in Vilnius. Lithuanian Americans could send letters to Lithuania only via the Embassy of Spain in Washington, D.C.. In November, Yčas went to Yalta for a medical treatment of his throat. There he met Lithuanian doctor Adomas Sketeris and established a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients.

Delegate of the State Duma
In early 1916, State Duma elected 11 members, including Yčas, for a delegation, led by Alexander Protopopov and Pavel Milyukov, to the Allies – United Kingdom, France, and Italy. The delegation departed Bergen aboard HMS Donegal on 16 April. This gave Yčas an opportunity to revisit Lithuanian affairs in Stockholm. On their way to Thurso, the delegation witnessed the Grand Fleet and stayed at Claridge's while in London. Yčas organized a visit of eight delegation members to the Lithuanian community center at the St Casimir's Lithuanian Church led by priest Kazimieras Jurgis Matulaitis (1868–1945). Later, the delegation was formally received by King George V in the Buckingham Palace and Prime Minister H. H. Asquith in the Lancaster House. The delegation also visited the Parliament of England, various factories, including Vickers Limited in Sheffield which produced weapons for Russia, Glasgow, Edinburgh, flagship HMS Lion of admiral David Beatty. They were also received by the banished Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia who was in charge of Russian military procurement. During these receptions, Yčas was introduced as the "Lithuanian deputy" which gave him an opportunity to introduce Lithuania and explain its political goals of freedom to the various officials.

From United Kingdom, the delegation sailed to Boulogne-sur-Mer. In Amiens, they met several members of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France. In Paris, the delegation stayed at the Hôtel de Crillon. It was received by President Raymond Poincaré and Prime Minister Aristide Briand. They also visited the French Parliament, various factories, and other famous places. Yčas and several other members of the delegation attended a meeting of the Human Rights League, chaired by Charles Seignobos. From Paris, the delegation was taken to the Western Front. There, Yčas met Arthur Conan Doyle and visited the trenches near Béthune and observed Ypres from afar. The next day, they met King Albert I of Belgium.

After the return to Paris, Yčas separated from the Russian delegation to attend the Lithuanian conference in Lausanne. The conference, attended by Swiss Lithuanians and three Lithuanian Americans, was passionate and argumentative as representatives tried to decide which great power – Russia or Germany – should be relied on in hopes for future independence. Because Yčas was the chairman, the conference avoided anti-Russian statements but protested against exploitative German policies.

Yčas reunited with the Russian delegation in Rome. They were received by Prime Minister Antonio Salandra, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sidney Sonnino, and Prince Thomas, Duke of Genoa, as King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy was away commanding the troops, and Queen Elena of Montenegro. At the time, the Brusilov Offensive was launched which was met with celebrations in Italy. The delegation met with Russian emigres Georgi Plekhanov and Alexander Amfiteatrov, visited various attractions including Terni. Yčas again separated from the delegation to gain an audience with Pope Benedict XV and Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Gasparri. He requested the pope to announce one day on which all Catholic churches would collect donations for the benefit of Lithuanian refugees. Similar collections had already been carried out for Poland and Belgium. Yčas received promises of support, but due to various intrigues and delays the collection day was held only on 20 May 1917.

Yčas returned to Russia via Switzerland, Paris, and London. In Paris, he had a private meeting with President Raymond Poincaré where he had a chance to elaborate on Lithuania's goals of freedom. He later had a chance to visit the front, this time near the Battle of Verdun. In London, he had a private conversation with Roman Dmowski, future Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, who tried to persuade Yčas that Lithuania should abandon "separatist" ideas and instead join a federal with Poland, akin to the old Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In Sweden, Yčas and other delegates met with members of the Peace Ship organized by the American industrialist Henry Ford.

Trip to United States
In July 1916, together with priest, Yčas decided to travel to United States to collect Lithuanian American donations for the war relief efforts. Due to the U-boat activity in the Atlantic Ocean, they decided to travel via the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Pacific Ocean. They made a detour to Beijing and with the help of Russian ambassador toured the major attractions, including the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City. Then they sailed to Japan where they spent two weeks visiting Kyoto, Tokyo, Shimonoseki, and sailed from Yokohama aboard SS Shinyō Maru via Honolulu to San Francisco arriving on 12 September. From there, they traveled to Chicago, New York, and other Lithuanian communities on the East Coast. Though it was not their primary goal, in total, they delivered 13 speeches and collected $3,094. On 28–29 September, they attended a meeting at the Lithuanian Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Brooklyn that discussed Lithuania's economy after the war. Yčas opined that a Lithuanian bank should be established as soon as possible to support Lithuanians wanting to buy land and thus prevent foreigners from grabbing cheap land after the war. The meeting resolved to establish the Lithuanian Development Corporation with the hopes of raising $1 million.

The Lithuanian Society for the Relief of War Sufferers had sent Stasys Šimkus as its representative to the United States. Socialists, particularly Andrius Bulota and Žemaitė, campaigned against the Lithuanian Society accusing it of misusing the funds (for example, instead of helping the masses of starving ordinary people, it created the Lithuanian gymnasiums in Voronezh that provided cushy jobs to a few members of the Lithuanian intelligentsia) and supporting church-goers while neglecting socialist-minded refugees. With the help of House Representative John J. Casey, Lithuanian Americans managed to get President Woodrow Wilson to declare 1 November 1916 as the Lithuanian Day when contributions would be collected by the American Red Cross for the benefit of the Lithuanians. Yčas and Žilius tried to reach a compromise with the socialists and agreed to share the collections. To increase publicity, Yčas enlisted the help of Mikhail Mikhailovich Ustinov, Russian consul in New York, and Joseph A. Conry, honorary Russian consul in Boston, to hold a reception at the Boston City Club and a meeting at the Faneuil Hall on 30 October. In total, the American Red Cross collected $176,825, more than similar efforts of other nations. However, due to various complaints and the American entry into World War I in April 1917 (it was prohibited to send cash to enemy-occupied territories), the Red Cross managed to spend only $49,461 by the end of 1917. The rest of the funds were distributed in 1919. Yčas further attempted to gain support from the Rockefeller Foundation but the plans failed due to the blockade of Germany.

On 6 November 1916, at the St. Nicholas Collegiate Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in New York, Yčas married Hypatija, daughter of Jonas Šliūpas and then a student at the Cornell University. The reception was held at the Waldorf Astoria. After about two weeks in Washington D.C., the newlywed couple sailed across the Atlantic aboard SS Nieuw Amsterdam and landed in Falmouth around 1 December. Yčas returned to Saint Petersburg via London and Stockholm.

Business ventures
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