Progress of Ukrainians in America (10/06/33)

Stephen Shumeyko

PROGRESS OF UKRAINIANS IN AMERICA

Approximately 85% of all the Ukrainians in America come from Eastern Galicia, more properly known as Western Ukraine, which prior to the World War belonged to that conglomeration of alien nationalities known as Austria-Hungary, and today to its more modern counterpart - Poland.

And yet, the earliest Ukrainian immigrants to America were those from Ukraine under the former Russian Empire, who, traveling across Siberia, across the Bering Sea, down the western coast of Canada, settled in California in 1860. What motives prompted these early immigrants to make this long journey, is unknown. Possibly, it was the news of the discovery of gold in 1849, and of the subsequent so-called "gold rush."

The real Ukrainian immigration to America, however, did not begin until 1870, and did not assume any appreciable proportions until 1899. Beginning with that year Ukrainians began to arrive in this country in ever increasing numbers, which at times reached the 100,000 mark per year.

The outbreak of the World War, however, put a stop to this rising Ukrainian immigration. Some have come since the World War, but the present stringent Immigration Laws together with the difficulties placed in the way of prospective Ukrainian emigrants by Poland and Soviet Russia, make the present day Ukrainian emigration to America negligible. Indeed, insofar as the Soviet Russia is concerned, it is practically impossible for any Ukrainian to leave that land of unrestrained Bolshevik tyranny.

The earliest Ukrainian immigrants from Western Ukraine were those from the western foothills of the Carpathians then under Hungary. They were followed during the later part of the last century by their eastern neighbors, the Lemkos, the Ukrainian Highlanders. The latter formed in the American-Ukrainian settlements a strictly conservative element. They in turn were followed by the Ukrainians from Eastern Galicia proper. This latter wave began near the very close of the last century, and reached its peak just prior to the War. From Galicia the emigration fever travelled swiftly to Bukowina, Podilye, and Volhyn districts. A comparatively few Ukrainian immigrants came from the Kiev district, but practically none from the eastern part of Ukraine, commonly known as the "left bank."

The cause which prompted the Ukrainian immigrants to leave their dear ones and homes in Western Ukraine, are as follows:

First: - the terrible economic conditions at home caused by the fact that practically all of the valuable lands, which rightfully belonged to the Ukrainians, were in the hands of the Polish "schlachta" (nobility). The Ukrainian peasant, although freed from serfdom by the Reform of 1842, was still in all respects a serf, living under conditions which rivalled those of the Negro slave in America prior to the Emancipation Proclamation.

Secondly: - because of the intolerable political conditions.

The Austro-Hungarian government in order to pacify the Polish demands for independence gave the Poles full rein to exercise their domination over the Ukrainians. The Poles thereupon continued their centuries-old oppressive tactics over the Ukrainians, robbing them of all political, economic, and cultural rights, and destroying everything which pertained to Ukrainianism.

Thirdly: - because of the activities of the various traveling agencies.

And lastly: - because the Ukrainians began to learn that America offered them a haven, a place of refuge from these terrible conditions, in the form of freedom and unequalled opportunity.

These four factors were the principal causes of the immigration of Ukrainians to America. As for the emigration from Ukraine under Russia, it is needless to say that the conditions there were in some respects worse than in Western Ukraine; but this emigration tended to flow mostly into southern Siberia, as far east as the Pacific Ocean, and around the Volga and the Turkestan.

(End of first installment)

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