SLAVS IN AMERICA 175 



under Hungarian rule. Then the Law of Nationalities was 

 passed which recognized the predominant position of the 

 Magyars, but gave some small recognition to the other minor 

 nationalities, such as the Slovaks, by allowing them to have 

 churches and schools conducted in their own language. 



In 1878 the active Magyarization of Hungary was under- 

 taken. The doctrine was mooted that a native of the King- 

 dom of Hungary could not be a patriot unless he spoke, 

 thought, and felt as a Magyar. A Slovak of education who 

 remained true to his ancestry (and it must be remembered 

 that the Slovaks were there long before the Hungarians came) 

 was considered deficient in patriotism. The most advanced 

 political view was that a compromise with the Slovaks was 

 impossible; that there was but one expedient, to wipe them 

 out as far as possible by assimilation with the Magyars. 

 Slovak schools and institutions were ordered to be closed, the 

 charter of the "Matica" was annulled, and its library and rich 

 historical and artistic collections, as well as its funds, were 

 confiscated. Inequalities of every kind before the law were 

 devised for the undoing of the Slovaks and turning them into 

 Hungarians; so much so that one of their authors likened 

 them to the Irish in their troubles. The Hungarian authori- 

 ties in their endeavor to suppress the Slovak nationality went 

 even to the extent of taking away Slovak children to be 

 brought up as Magyars, and forbade them to use their lan- 

 guage in school and church. The 2,000,000 Catholic Slovaks 

 clung to their language and Slavic customs, but the clergy 

 were educated in their seminaries through the medium of the 

 Magyar tongue and required in their parishes to conform to 

 the state idea. Among the 750,000 Protestant Slovaks the 

 Government went even further by taking control of their 

 synods and bishops. Even Slovak family names were changed 

 to Hungarian ones, and preferment was only through Hun- 

 garian channels. Naturally, religion decayed under the stress 

 and strain of repressed nationality. Slovak priests did not 

 perform their duties with ardor or diligence, but confined 

 themselves to the mere routine of canonical obligation. There 

 are no monks or religious orders among the Slovaks and no 

 provision is made for any kind of community life. Catechetical 

 instruction is at a minimum and is required to be given when- 

 ever possible through the medium of the Hungarian language. 



