Page:The New Europe - Volume 4.djvu/192

Rh Where both sides are to blame it is difficult to decide upon the rights and wrongs of the controversy.

In considering the immediate causes of the war the Ukrainian problem must not be overlooked. The development of the Ukrainian movement in Eastern Galicia, in the anti-Russian form that was favoured in Vienna, was a real danger to Russia, and even Russian Liberals have looked askance at the political aspirations of the Ukrainians. It is a matter of life and death to Russia that the Ukraine should remain an integral part of the future Russian Republic, as an independent Ukraine would threaten to cut off all access to the Black Sea and the Straits. During the war, Austrian and German intrigues with certain Ukrainians in Vienna have made Russians view with suspicion the whole Ukrainian movement in its political aspect.

One of the first incidents in the war was the Russian invasion of Galicia, during which the whole of the territory inhabited by the Ukrainians was occupied by Russian troops. The history of that occupation is painful reading. The first Russian Governor of the occupied provinces, Sheremetjev, adopted from the start a hostile attitude to the Ukrainians, favouring the Poles at their expense and opening Polish schools in Lvov. His policy was too one-sided, and shortly afterwards he was succeeded by Count George Bobrinski, cousin of Count Vladimir. It was not long before the new Governor made his intentions clear. His avowed object was the Russification of Galicia, and, on the ground that it was a Russian country, he insisted on introducing the Russian language and Russian laws. The schools were put under the direction of the well-known Russian Nationalist, Chihachov, who introduced Russian teachers and closed the Ukrainian schools. The Holy Synod was also active, and sent to Galicia the notorious Bishop Eulogius, who tried to impose Orthodoxy, and replaced Uniate by Orthodox priests. The Uniate Archbishop of Lvov, Count Andrew Szeptycki, was arrested and sent to Russia, where he remained a prisoner until the Revolution (see, Nos. and .)

Meanwhile, in the Ukrainian provinces of Russia, the Russian Government were pursuing a systematic policy of oppression. This oppression was not only directed against dangerous political movements, but against every cultural movement, including the suppression of the leading educa-