New-York tribune., 1917-12-17

To Ire Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: There appeared in The Tribune OF De-
cember l2 an article by Frank Bohn. Ph. d.,
on The Foundation Of Russisn National
Unity The article contains a few deplor-
able mi3statements In order 10 clear the
matter take liberty 20 repeat sentences OBJ
jected to:
"The national movement in the Ukraine is
largely artificial. II has been developed BY
Austrian agents, who have worked through
the Ruthenian population of Galicia. Ukraine
shows as much difference from Russia proper
"a New England does from New York, or
Kentucky from Ohio. The national move
ment has been coached along By the ostab-
lshment on the part Of the Austrian govern
ment OF Ruthenian university, TO which
Ukrainian students from Russia were in
vited This university has evolved. under
the careful supervision of the Austrian
agents. a Ukrainian literature" for the edi-
lication and instruction OF the Ukrainians in
Russia. Such is the danger which threatens
Russian unity from that source
| happen TO be not only an Ukrainisn born
in Austria. but also an editor of a Ukrainian
newspaper, and therefore most intimately ac
quainted with Ukrainian affairs. For that
reason | deem it my duty 20 deny most
vigorously the statements of Mr.. Frank Bohn.
No Ruthenian University
The facts are:
There is none, and there never was any
Ukrainisn Cor Ruthenian) university estab-
lshed anywhere by Austria or anybody else.
There are about five Ukrainian chairs, in
proportion to some fifty Polish chairs, at the
University of Lemberg, Galca, Austria, but
the Ukrainians were never satisfied with such
an arrangement, and in view of the fact that
the 100000 Ukrainians in Austria-Hungary
have no university of their own, while the
Poles, whose population is less. have two
universities (Cracow and Lemberg), have
persstcntly demanded from the Austrian
government the creation in Lemberg Of
purely Ukranian university. This the Aus
trian government has steadfasty denied
them, thus creating great dissatisfaction
among the Ukrainian population in Austria
Hungary. eliminating eventually in whole
sale leaving Of the Lemberg University by
900 Ukranian students (l90D, in many
bloody encounters. resulting even in death
Cl910). between the Ukrainian and Polish
students, in wholesale arrests of Ukrsnian
students by the Austrian authorities, hunger
strikes and so on.
There was usually a number of Russian
born students at the University Of Lemberg.
They were. however almost exclusively Rus
sian Poles, not Ukrainans. There was no
Polish university in Russia The number Of
Ukrsnians from Russia studying at the Uni
versity OF Lemberg was practically nil. In
fact. there are in Russia better universities
than the University OF Lemberg-and they
are less foreign to Ukrainians.
Ukrainian Men of Letters
Consequently no university has ever
evolved, under the careful supervision Of
the Austrian agents, Ukrainian literature
for the edifcation and instruction of the
Ukranians in Russia As matter Of fact,
all the greatest Ukrainan writers, except
one, Franko, were born, raised, prosecuted
and buried in Russia. Most of them have
never been near the Austrian boundary line.
The father of modern Ukrsinian literature"
Kotlarevsky, of Poltavs, Russia, published
his first book in the Ukrainian language in
Russia in 1898, thirty nine years before the
first Ukranian book was published in Aus
tria and promptly confiscated by the Aus
trian authorities because of its language.
Not only this. Before the first Ukrainian
book made its appearance in Austria, which,
by the way, was composed under the infu-
ence OF the Ukrainian writers from Russia,
the greatest Ukrainian bard, Shevchenko,
born near Kieff, Russia, had already written
most Of his poems. The greatest Ukrainian
philosopher, Skovoroda; the greatest dram
atist. Kvitka- -Osnoyianenko; the greatest his
torians. Kostomaroif and Hrushevsky; the
greatest story writers, Marko Govchok and
Netchuy-Levitsky; the great author, Kulish,
as we'll as the greatest political teacher of
Austrian Ukrainians, Drsgomanov, were all
Russian Ukranians. In fact, the Ukrainian
movement in Austria was living principally
off the Ukranians of Russia.
The modern Ukrainian literature is not
something negligible and recent, as Mr.. Frank
Bohn makes it appear. It is less than 200
years younger than the English literature,
and almost as old as the great Russian liter