Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-27
Bohemians for
Recognition as
Separate Race
Protest Against Being Listed in Com
ing Census Under Head Of
Austrian"

CHICAGO. Feb. 26.-In the last NV dAya
much excitement has been caused amohB
Bohemians In the United states by the
statement % Mr.. Hotchkiss. census man
ager for the First district OF Illinois. that
In accordance with the decision OF congress
TO Indicate political instead OF racial d.
visions in the next federal census, they are
TO be designated as Austrians instead Of
B~ohemlans. The Bohemian congressman,
Mr.. A. J. SABBATH. was almost buried under
kilograms from all parts OF the United
States protesting against such a course.
A great number Of Bohemians In the
United States are naturalized citizens or
citizens by birth, the rest having made at
least their declarations OF intention 70 be-
come citizens. Having thus renowned for
ever all allegiance and fidelity TO the EN-
peror OF Austria, they cannot, OF course,
recognize the political adherence so re-
nounced. They acknowledge ou;y the racial
division, because they keep in sacred re-
membrance their old country. with its
great history and with It's literature and art
OF high standing, is their pride, in the
same manner as the Irish in the United
States always remember their native land.
Being exclusively Americans Of Bohemian
origin, they never want to be called Aus
TRANS.
The Austrian monarchy was born from
the ruins Of the old German empire only
100 years ago. Originally in the middle
ages there existed only little Of the Mar
gravate Of Ost-Mark and a few Alpine
dukedoms which were nearly lost sight
Of in the splendor Of their neighbor, the
kingdom Of Bohemia. The Introduction Of
the Hapsburg dynasty in 1899 united the
Austrian territory, but stnl for a long time
this Austria was without any great his
torical significance, because the Kingdom
OF Bohemia, under Charles ~, in
the times OF Hustle wars and under George
Of Podebrad, absorbed all the attention of
the world. In 1926 Ferdinend ]. archduko
of Austria, as husband Of Anna, sister OF
Louis, king Of Bohemia, was elected king
of Bohemia, and since then the kingdom
has been under rulers Of the Hapsburg
dynasty. In 1904 Francis II declared him
self emperor of Austria, so that his title
would not be inferior to the imperial title
OF Napoleon 1. But until now the emperor
Of Austria has been ruler Of Bohemia only
as king of Bohemia. His title contains
expressly this designation. Take, for ex-
ample, the treaty between the United
States and Austro-Hungary from September
20. 1870. signed by John Jay on the part Of
the United States, which begins with the
following words; His majesty, the en-
peror of Austria, king of Bohemia, ETC."
The Bohemians never renounced thdFr
political Independence, and their rights
have been also several times recognized
even by the present emperor. Thus an
imperial message, addressed to the Diet of
Prague on September "a, 1871, stated that
the sovereign Francis Joseph ]. in con-
sideration OF the former constitutional DO
sition of Bohemia, and remembering y.
power and glory which it's crown had
ferred on his ancestors gladly re-
the rights of the kingdom Of Bohe
was willing to confirm this state
taking the coronation oath. From $50
new representative of Bohemia, after taxi
ing oath in the Parliament in Vienna,
makes a solemn declaration that he enters
the Reichsrath without any prejudice to
the Czech political view to the effect that
Bohemia, with Moravia and Silesia, con
stitute a separate state under the rule o.,
the same sovereign as Austria and HuR.
gary.
Congressman SABBATH acted at once UPON
the protests Of his countrymen and got a
firm promise Of the census bureau that the
decision of congress which has been arrived
at for the benefit of the Hebrews will have
no application to the Bohemians I'm the
United States. Nevertheless the Bohemians
Czech will closely watch the course
OF the census and will oppose any attempt
to change them into "Austrians."