New-York tribune., 1917-12-17
The Ukrainian Fight for Liberty
II Is Both AnHAu and Ani-Polish and Aims al
Home Rule Not independence
Bv NJ. Stcchishin Editor Of Okrdinian Newspaper

II
a.urc. The only trouble with y IS tnal ''s
development was thwarted b. the merci!es'
persecution Of the government Of the cars
Mr. Frank Bohn ought 20 know that, ~ on
imperial ukase OF 1876, the publication Of
ANYTHING written in Ukrainian was prohio-
ted. Even the Bible was prohibited, and The
folksongs anybody could hear on the streets
in Ukraine we're allowed in print only IN a
Russian or French translation.
An Oppressed Nation
That was the reason why, until the Gar
ukase was withdrawn, in 1908, most Of the
Ukrainian writings were published IN IA
licia-no: all of them, though. What was
not allowed 10 be printed by Austrian author
tiles was either published in Switzerland or
remained unpublished. Because Of the per.
secution Of the Ukrainisn language, most OIL
the talented Ukrsinisns were compelled 20
write in Russian (for instance, Nichoias
Gogol, whose father was Ukrainian poet
The publication OF Ukrainan books IN Aus
tria was only natural sequence OF the taes
that there was no imperial ukase agalhse
such publication in Austria, while there was
one in Russia.
Now, the fact is that Austrian Ukrsinians
(somctimes called Ruthenians) were one Of
the most oppressed nationalities in Austria.
Anybody at all acquainted with the politlcai
structure Of Austria Hungary knows tnas
Austria Hungary is not a nation Austria
Hungary is a conglomeration of nationaiities
forced 20 live under one government Inc
dominating nationality in Austria is German,
while the dominating nationality in Hungary
il Hungarian or Magyar. Yet there IS diI-
ference between Austria and Hungary. The
Uungarians arc the only dominating nation
ality in Hungary, while in Austria, oesides
the dominating German nationality. there IS
also one favored" nationality, the Poles. As
a rule. the Poles in the Vienna parliament
constitute, together with the Germans, the
ruling coalition The trick works out that
way. that while the Germans have free hand
in oppressing Bohemians, Southern Slays
and Italians the Poles are just as free to
oppress Ukrainians in Galicia.
Austrian Brutality
Consequently the Ukrainsns have no love
either for Poles or for Austria. Nor did
Austria waste any love on Ukrainisns.
few months ago the American press pub
lished the reports Of q stormy session of the
Austrian parliament, where the Austrian
authorities we're charged with the senseless
and brutal hanging Of 10000 people IN
Galicia. Later on the report was correct
ed" TO 10000.
There were a few Poles among those
hanged by Austria very few. Most of the
10000 were Ukrainians suspected Of sym
pathy toward Russia. The Ukrainian popu-
lation Of Galicia was decimated Ac-
cording to eyewitnesses. the roads in Eastern
- D,,th IFkraiDIau mart
of Galicia. we're several times practically
transformed into death alleys" of Ukrainian
peasants and cergymen hanging from the
trees. Even after the last retreat of Rus
SLAMS from Galicia, in July, 1917, not less
than 1870 Ukranians were hanged by the
Austrians in the reconquered territory for
giving aid to the last Russian civil Gov
ernor of Galicia, Doroshenko, a Ukrainian
patriot.
Thus Austria treats Ukrainians, whom Mr..
Frank Bohn represents as "favorites' OF
Austria. God save them from being "favor-
ties" any longer.
Mr.. Bohn. however, is right in his predic-
tion of the future of the Ukraine. All news
paper reports about Ukraine proclaiming her
independence are pure inventions. What thc
Ukrainians aim at is autonomy (home rule
for Ukraine within the Federal Russian re-
public. There is not one responsible Ukrai-
nian working for independence" of Ukraine,
and not one Ukrainian newspaper, out Of
some forty now published, conducts such
propaganda. The fact is that the Ukrainian
movement is still Systematically vilifed and
misrepresented, even in Russia, and the news
agencies gleefully represent the Ukrainian
demand for autonomy as a demand for in
dependence, and create an absolutely wrong
impression abroad. The Ukrainians realize
that the modern nations are interdependent;
they see the future Of the world in great
federation of nations, and they are leaders
in the federalstic movement in Russia.
They never thought, and do not think now, of
breaking up Russia, and consider the propo-
stion of creating new separate and inde-
pendent states as undesirable.
VI. STECHISHIN,
Editor of "Narodna VIOLA"
Scranton, Penn, Dec. IS, 1917.