Evening star., 1918-01-27

or4es still center in Cracow. 1t was
the seat of Latin learning in the mid
die ages. of the great university, which
had $4,000 students, of the Academy of
Science, and is still the center of Polish
culture. 1t also has a geographic and
economic significance, since 1T is the
head of navigation on the Fistula to the
Baltic. The creation of free, autono-
nous and independent Poland. with ac-
tcess to the sea, as voiced by President
Wilson, would seem to include Cracow.
The Ruthenian section of Galicia, in
the past, has not been SO serious a
question for Austria as has the Polish
section. Racially, the Ruthenians be-
long to that great section known as
Little Russia. Their language is akin
to that of the Ukraine, which has set
up the Ukraine republic. Under Rus
sian absolutism there was no reason
why the RuthenianS should turn from
the house of Hapsburg to the Roman
offs either for material betterment or
to crafty nationalistic aspirations.
They are rural people. Although al
most equal in numbers to the Poles in
Galicia, they acquiesced in Polish
supremacy, only insisting on kind of
autonomy within autonomy for their
schools and church.
Austria, for reasons of policy, estab-
lished in Galicia a genuine autonomy
based on the implied recognition of Pol
ish nationality without ignoring the
Ruthenians. For the last fifty years
Galicia has been in the main self-gov-
erning province, with a minister and
delegates representing 1t at Vienna
The form of government Is that of
council of administration with a parlia-
.ment or diet. In this parliament are
not only Poles and Ruthenians, but
Jews, Greeks and representatives Of the
minor nationalities. The Poles always
maintain a majority larger than their
numerical relation to the entire popu-
roJJ Jnir tv, m Ia IN
said to be an example of Polish self
government under limited parliament
tary institution. Galicia also is treated
by Austria as a separate, economic di-
vision with considerable latitude in It's
own fiscal affairs. and with special
laws for the encouragement Of its man
'ufactureS.
Under this system Austria for the last
third of a century has had much less
trouble than with the Czechs in Bo-
hemia. or the Slovaks. Slovenes and
Croats in other parts Of the empire. 1t
may be that this has been due to the
very small Teutonic element in Galic1a.
The Jewish element also has been a
conservative force, and since it is the
principal factor in trade and finance
ITS influence has been considerable.
Notwithstanding that the treatment
of Galicia by Austria has been more
liberal than that of Russian Poland by
Russia or Prussian Poland by Prussia,
it does not appear that the Galicians
have been sympathetic to Austria's 8
war policy. Galicia has had to furnish
her share of the troops. but there
have been reports of insubordinatton
amounting to mutiny Galicians in the
United States have shown little sym
pathy for Austria. even before this
country entered the war.
The Galician Poles in the United
States also have shown little faith in
restore the Poland of old, but. II that
should be done, apparently they expect
Cracow to become a part of that Po-
land. Herein lies one Of the Difficult
ties of Germany and Austria Hungary.
The Ruthenian situation is likely to
prove equally embarrassing to Austria.
While the Ruthenians felt little to
draw them to absolutist Russia, the
new Russia. in spite of the present
chaos. has strong appeal for them.
men. They are too near geographic
ally to be out of touch with the
Ukraine republic, whether 1t be a fed
Grated state Of a greater Russian re-
public or be entirely independent.
Lemberg. which filled so large a
space in the dispatches telling of the
military movement two years ago. is
the center of Ruthenian culture. It is
" tAeHt Whdt SIdCOW Is IHo Gdll-
clan Poles. They conceive of it as their
capital. both political and literary.
Ruthenians in the United States be-
ence reacts in Galicia. They talk of
the recognition of the rights of small
natfonalities as something that natu-
rally includes the Ruthenians
Thus Austria, Notwithstanding the
autonomy that Galicia has enjoyed. is
confronted by the possibility Of Ru-
thenian as wen as Polish separatist
movement which, II realized, means
that Ga!icia. as part of Austria-Hun-
gary. will CEASE tn extst