Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-04-20
UKRAiNC,S STRUGGLE
6~ SclG GOVcPNC1cNT
81 Professor r1ichaeIo Hrushev5ky
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About of he
sixteenth century Ukrainian life had lost much
of its strength. The aristocracy deprived of ony
participation in politics. forced to submit to
the paramount race (Poes and Lithuaniansl
while the middle classes subjected to every
kind of vexation.
The peasant had lost the right to possess either
house or land He had become a Serf Numer-
Gus taxes weighed him down till he was mere
accessory of the earth. The Orthodox church.
which in those times was the representative of
the nation, had become dependent upon a govern
ment ill-diSposed toward it as to the peasants
1t underwent a crisis which nearly brought about
its dissolution. Up to this period Lithuanian
Ukraine had progressed slowly. but from the
middle of the sixteenth century it progressed
more rapidly under the influence of the Polish
institutions Moreover, about 1909 nearly all
the districts of Lithuanian Ukraine were taken
from it's rule and simply annexed to the Polish
republic. They were NOlhynia, Eastern PodOlia,
Podlachje (the western Bug district and
Kyjever The Polish ariStocracy came in num-
hers TO reside in its territory the Ukrainlan
aristocracy became Influenced by the Poles and
the individual life Of the Ukraine ceased to exist.
This did not take place without reaction and
"A desire for Il national renaissance. Having re-
gard to the special circumstances in western
Ukraine where the aristocracy in particular had
been nearly demolished, will see that the
intellectual and national regeneration could not
hope to succeed in the long run. 1t found sup
port, however in new social and political fac
which at this critical moment appeared in
eastern Ukraine, that is to say the C0ssacks.
The CosSacks did not hesitate to proclaim the
"munity from all jurisdiction, all foreign suzer-
ainty, all taxes and all personal service of those
who submitted to the power and jurisdiction of
the Zaporogue (CossaclO army. Thus they drew
toward them an enormous number of peasants
who at the end of the sixteenth century We're
leaving western and northern Ukraine for the
east in order to escape the heavy burdens of
sertdom. About 1890 the CosSacks came into
conflict with the Polish government. and their
disagreementS grew more serious as time went on
Each struggle inspired fresh energy in the Tx
ranians, till at last prolonged reprisals O63S-4O
led to revolution. In 1913 the people rose. led
lay Bohdan ChmieInitzky.
The Polish army beaten. and the rising
spread over the Ukraine to the distant re-
gions of the west. In spite of the number of in
SurgentS who totaled about 100000 men at the
beginning of the in 1913 their leaders did not
consider the liberation of the people possible by
the means at their disposal. Chmelnitzky hest
tated between two methods. The one was 10
create a federation of the orthodox states. Mus
"ovy. Ukraine, Moldayta, and the Slavs of the
Balkans. This alliance would have been directed
against Poland and Turkey Several reasons
and above all the weakness Of the Turkish gov
errment, inclined Chmelnltzky to decide for Mus
coYy. For some time Muscovy had not dared to
accept the prOteCtOrate of the Ukraine 1t feared
war with Poland and remembered the cruel de-
featS which that nation had inflicted at the be-
ginning of the seventeenth century. Not till 1853
did Miscovy decide TO extend its protection to the
'ossack army and to the Ukraine by committing
itself to with Poland. In March, 1854, the
treaty sigred bearing the name, Articles of
Bohdan Chmienitzky;" therein defined the
position Of the Ukraine TO Muscovy
From the moment the Empress Catherine
TO the throne the days of the Ukrainan autonomy
were, however, over.
In 1I12 when Poland was first divided up, west
ern Ukraine, eastern Galicia, became part
u OF the HapSburg kingdom in virtue of certain
long standing claims of the Hungarian crown TO
Il ms country Some years later, Bukowina (the
u present region). which formerly belonged to
s. Moldayia was added to it. This passing Of
western Ukraine into the rule of Austria awoke
new national fervor in the country. Insignih-
cant as were in reality the reforms brought about
'his attitude nevertheless created deep impress
sion upon the Ukrainian population which once
again enjoyed OF nationality and lost the
~ieehng OF despair with which 1t was stricken
curing the :@t,A gears of Polish supremacy Even
s. after the Austrian gov nrnment, under the infiu-
u ence Of the Polish aristot ~acy. had characterized
rs tkrainian policy by a strongly reactonary
q feeling the energy of the MATERIAL movement was
NOT completely dissipated.
ON the other hand the Ukrainian territory
Il Nhich had fallen to the share OF Russian rule Oh
he partition of Poland had to look for
any revival of nationalist aspirations. The rigor
q With which the Polish or Poonized aristocracy
ruled the ukranian peasantry became now more
B mercHess still, supported the Poles were by
the authority of Russia.
The longing to the old constitution restored
8 made itself manifest from time to time especially
"n such occasions the Russian governments
NsoGght TO recruit the Cossaca militia in the
n sraiue.
The study of ethnography. and dialects the
searches into the life of the people. the renais-
"A SHHre of the Ukrainian language and literature,
N @loh at the end Of the eighteenth
81 lry and especially in the first half of the nine
81 ''-nth century, brought together the intellectual
q asseS
Under the Influences of which we have just
tpoEeI, and thanks 10 the ideals imported from
estern Europe. JkraInian political thought
!" ndoned It's aspirations toward independ-
Il s1o4 tlat uo loheer feasible in order fo re-
aea them hy reaIIzahle- political program.
@Ae oldest Of these 2rogra lbs that was in any