 With President Antanas Smetona and other government officials abroad in December 1918, they left a political and military vacuum, and Šilingas was able to hold both state and military together.In 1919, he and Lithuania's government withdrew to Kaunas where he was elected Chairman of the State Council of Lithuania, serving until 1920.He had earlier resigned from Santara to protest the party bickering which he could not tolerate.