prompted by the Hungarian Government and partly paid for by official representatives of that Government; and that it is intended to carry this banner through the United States, the object sought being to preserve the Hungarian nationality of Magyars living in the United States. You will say to the Hungarian Government that such a report has reached us, and inquire whether such a flag, so inscribed, has in fact been sent to go on a tour through this country. I am, etc., [Inclosure.] ALVEY A. ADEE, Mr. Ambrose to Mr. Hay. NEW YORK, August 26, 1902. DEAR SIR: A delegation of Magyars from Hungary is on its way to the United States with the Hungarian national banner to be presented to the Hungarians living in the United States. The banner is the gift of the "Hungarian National League," and it was sent here for the purpose, as the official and unofficial press of Hungary expresses it, "to preserve Magyars living in foreign lands for their native country." Inscribed on it are the words "Be dauntlessly loyal to your fatherland, oh, Magyars!" To defray the expenses connected with the making of the flag, the minister president of Hungary, Kalman Széll, contributed $500. A Government official, a gentleman by the name of Zseny, heads the delegation to the United States, and in New York City another official of the Austro-Hungarian Government, namely, the consulgeneral, Dessewffy, joined with his entire staff the reception committee which is to receive the flag with appropriate honors. A remarkable feature of this is that the flag is not intended for any one in particular, but is presented to all the Hungarians living in the United States, whether naturalized citizens or not. To better accomplish the object for which the flag is being sent here, namely, "to preserve the Magyars living in foreign lands,” and “to foster in them a love for their fatherland," the flag is to travel from one Hungarian colony to another to give all of them an opportunity to touch its sacred folds. "The Hungarians living in the vicinity of New York,' says the Hungarian newspaper, Magyar Hirmondo, under date of August 14, instant, "will participate in this holy effort with flaming patriotism, unselfish enthusiasm, and this celebrated day [meaning the day of the arrival of the banner in New York City] of the Hungarians of America will be worthy of their name and patriotism." Sir, I myself am a native of Hungary, and I view this adulation of the Hungarian national colors in the United States with a mixed feeling of humiliation and shame. Like all other immigrants from the Old World, the Hungarians came to the United States to stay and to found homes for themselves and children. And if they came here to stay permanently and to cast their fortunes with the rest of the people of the country, what feeling other than that of sentiment can they have for their fatherland after their expatriation? The amalgamation of the Hungarian immigrants living in the industrial centers of the East is slow enough as it is, and now comes this disturbing element to retard it. Sir, I happen to be the president of the National Slavonic Society of the United States of America. This society has a membership of over 13,000, all of whom, with very few exceptions, are natives of Hungary. A clause in the by-laws, and one on which we lay much stress, is "That all members should become citizens as soon as entitled thereto." How can we hope to accomplish much in this direction, and make good American citizens out of my countrymen, if the Hungarian National League, and through it the Hungarian Government, is allowed to meddle with us? Hungarians can not pay homage to two flags-to their own and that of their adopted country-and be loyal to both. I protest against this insult to my American citizenship. The American flag is good enough for me and it should be good enough for everybody. Under it we have found material prosperity, freedom, and equality. I am a Hungarian Slovak, and there are some 300,000 of my countrymen in the United States. Most of them work in mines and factories in Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Connecticut, and New York, and many other States, and they earn wages that they never could have made under that Hungarian flag. Hungary boasts of free press and free speech, and yet Slovak journalists are immured in jails every now and then for defending their people against Government oppression. Was ever a Slovak newspaper writer sent to prison in the United States for similar reasons? Hungary points with pride to her Parliament in Budapest, and yet the Government has seen fit to close the door of that Parliament to 300,000 of Slovaks till 1902 by manipulations that every lover of freedom would be bound to condemn. Slovaks may speak their mother tongue in their adopted country without restraint and hindrance. They may build churches here, found schools, organize political, literary, and benevolent societies, and provide reading printed in the mother tongue for their enlightenment and education. Most of these things they may not do in their old home, under the very flag which they now send us to revere. Once more I enter my protest on behalf of my fellow-countrymen against paying homage to this foreign flag. It is un-American. It is disloyal. I am, etc., Mr. Hale to Mr. Hay. A. S. AMBROSE. No. 32.] UNITED STATES EMBASSY, SIR: Referring to the Department's No. 63 of November 3, 1902, inclosing copy of a letter from Anthony S. Ambrose, esq., supreme president of the National Slavonic Society of the United States of America, alleging that a delegation of Magyars was then on their way to the United States with a costly Hungarian national banner, on which are inscribed the words "Be dauntlessly loyal to your fatherland, oh, Magyars!" that this banner was being sent as the gift of the Hungarian National League to Hungarians living in the United States; that the gift was prompted by the Hungarian Government and partly paid for by official representatives of that Government, and that it was intended to carry this banner through the United States, the object sought being to preserve the Hungarian nationality of Magyars living in the United States, and instructing this embassy to say to the Hungarian Government that such a report had reached the Department and to inquire whether such a flag, so inscribed, had in fact been sent to go on a tour through the United States, I have the honor to inform you that in reply to my note of September 17, 1902, presenting as per instructions said inquiries, the Imperial and Royal ministry for foreign affairs informs this embassy that such a flag has in fact been sent on a tour through the United States; that the sum necessary to defray the expenses in connection therewith was subscribed to by all classes of Hungarian society, including Government officials, but that the Hungarian National League, which first started and carried out this idea, has been actuated in so doing by patriotic, and not political, motives, Referring to the motto inscribed upon the flag in question, which words are a quotation, being the first line of the Hungarian national anthem, the Imperial and Royal ministry for foreign affairs contends that said appeal is solely directed to the Hungarians in the United States who are not citizens thereof, but who have retained their allegiance to their native land and that "no blame can be attached to anyone who exhorts his countrymen, even when living in a foreign land, to be faithful to their native home and to cherish it, and who appeals to their patriotism." For the Department's fuller information I have further the honor to inclose herewith a copy of said reply, together with a translation therof in full. I have, etc., CHANDLER HALE. [Inclosure.--Translation.] Ministry for foreign affairs to Mr. Hale. VIENNA, October 31, 1902. In the esteemed note of September 17 last, numbered F. O. 20, the honorable chargé d'affaires ad interim of the United States was pleased to make inquiry, in compliance with instructions received from the State Department at Washington, as to the meaning and purpose of the donation of a Hungarian flag sent by the Hungarian National League to the Hungarian associations in the United States, and a circular tour proposed in connection therewith through the United States. In reply to inquiries made to this end the Royal Hungarian minister president now reports as follows: The Hungarian National League which first started the idea of sending such a flag, and which first collected the necessary sum to defray the expenses from all classes of Hungarian society, including Government officials, is a Hungarian association actuated by patriotic motives, without political tendencies. The impulse in donating a national flag was started by the fact that numerous charitable Hungarian associations, whose principal head office was at Bridgeport, Conn., intended to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their founding in New York. There are no political motives which prompted this donation; it is simply a manifestation of a sentiment of unity and of sympathy which the Hungarian National League desires to convey to their countrymen living in the United States. The bearer of the flag, Mr. Josef Zseny, is not an official person, but is simply a retired municipal employee who, as a member of the above-mentioned league, has been chosen as a delegate by the latter to present this flag and to convey at the same time the greetings of the league to the Hungarian associations in the United States. As far as the circular tour is concerned which it is proposed to make with the flag through some of the States of the Union, Mr. Széll observes that the abovementioned league has not given any special directions to the delegates, and that this proposition in all probability emanates from the leading persons at the head of the Hungarian associations in America. Official as well as newspaper reports at hand agree in saying that the celebrations connected with this donation of the flag passed off with due decorum. The celebrations reached their height at the unveiling of the Kossuth monument in Cleveland, Ohio, at which such distinguished public men as Senator Mark Hanna and Governor Nash took part, which would not have been the case if the unfolding of the flag on the part of the delegation had been construed as a manifestation directed against the United States. The words to be read on the flag are the first line of the patriotic poem, “Remember, Hungarians, to be faithful to thy native land.” This quotation shows that the appeal is directed solely to the sons of the country under St. Stefan's Crown and not to the citizens of the United States. No blame can be attached to anyone who exhorts his countrymen, even when living in a foreign land, to be faithful to their native home and to cherish it, and who appeals to their patriotism. For these reasons the Imperial and Royal Government is at a loss to conceive what motives could actuate the State Department to take such steps. It trusts, however, that the explanation here given will remove any doubts which might have been entertained by the leading authorities of the United States. The undersigned avails himself of this opportunity, etc. For the minister: MÉREY. ACCIDENT TO PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. The Emperor of Austria to the President. [Telegram.] VIENNA, SCHOENBRUNN, September 5, 1902. I have received the news of your dangerous accident with deep sympathy and express to you, Mr. President, my heartiest congratu lations upon your escape from this serious danger to life. FRANZ JOSEPH. The President to the Emperor of Austria. [Telegram.] WHITE HOUSE, Washington, September 6, 1902. I cordially esteem Your Majesty's solicitous sympathy. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. STATUS OF NATURALIZED UNITED STATES CITIZENS OF AUSTROHUNGARIAN ORIGIN RETURNING TO THEIR NATIVE COUNTRY-RETENTION BY HUNGARIAN OFFICIALS OF PASSPORT AND CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION OF JOSEF JANCO. No. 19.1 Mr. Hill to Mr. McCormick. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 19, 1901. SIR: I inclose copy of a letter from Josef Janco, complaining that upon a visit to his father at Styavink, Hungary, in July last, he was arrested and brought before a court on a charge apparently of evasion of military service. He showed to the court that, though he was born in Hungary in 1869, he had become naturalized as an American citizen. He exhibited his certificate of naturalization and his passport. These papers, in spite of his repeated requests for them, have not been returned to him, although he was by the court discharged and set free. You will investigate this matter and report thereon, and you will ask that the documents of Mr. Janco, referred to above, be returned so that they may be transmitted to him. I am, etc., DAVID J. HILL, Acting Secretary. [Inclosure.] Mr. Janco to Mr. Hay. PITTSBURG, PA., November 13, 1901. DEAR SIR: I write to lay before you a complaint which I have to make against the Government of Hungary for indignities which I, as an American citizen, received at the hands of that Government during a visit made by me last summer. The facts are as follows: I am 32 years of age, and was born January 2, 1869, in Styavink, county of Trencsén, Hungary, where my father, John Janco, still lives. I came to this country in August, 1888, and was naturalized about six years ago by the courts of Armstrong County, Pa. I am, and have been for several years, engaged in the grocery business at Natrona, Allegheny County, Pa.; am married, and have a family. I sailed for Hungary on the steamship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse on the 23d day of June, 1901, and arrived at Styavink aforesaid on or about July 7, and went to the office of Hahn, a notary at that place, and exhibited my passport, dated and issued some time in June, 1901, and stated to the said authority that I was an American citizen and came as a stranger to visit my father. The said Hahn demanded from me the sum of 50 florins, which he stated was for the use of the military fund. I refused to pay this sum, and three days after was arrested by a gendarme at 4 o'clock in the morning and was taken from my father's house, put under arrest, and compelled to accompany the officer to Velka Bytea. The gendarme insisted at first on my accompanying him over a circuitous route, but on my insisting upon the privilege I was allowed to make the trip direct to the last-named town in a conveyance which I FR 1902, PT 1 engaged and paid for. My treatment by the gendarme was violent, and his language, when I showed him my passport and citizen's papers was to the effect and in substance as follows: The passport is not even good enough to use for a toilet paper. (This was expressed in stronger terms unfit to write on paper.) At Velka Bytca, I was placed in prison and kept there two hours, then brought before a judge named Domanicky and delivered up my passport and citizen's papers. After some consideration the court discharged me, but my passport and citizen's papers were not returned, although I made frequent demands for them, and as a consequence, when I returned to this country, I was compelled to remain for two days at Ellis Island and put to other expense and inconvenience. I make this complaint for the purpose of drawing the attention of your Department to the treatment I received, which is but a fair example of that to which many, if not all, of the citizens of this country who return to Hungary under like circumstances are subjected to. I would like of course to have my papers returned, if possible, and to have any other action taken by your Department which under the circumstances may seem meet and proper to you. If this conduct of the petty officers of Hungary were properly presented to the Hungarian Government, I believe much, if not all, of the inconvenience and humiliation now endured by citizens of the United States in their travels in Hungary would be done away with. Yours, most respectfully, No. 53.] JOSEF JANCO. Mr. McCormick to Mr. Hay. UNITED STATES LEGATION, SIR: Replying to the Department's No. 19, of the 19th ultimo, inclosing a statement from one Josef Janco, complaining of the treatment which he had received at the hands of the local authorities at Styavink (Styavink), Hungary, I have the honor to state that my experience already has demonstrated the importance of informing myself as to the truth of all such statements before presenting to the ministry for foreign affairs the case to which they apply and asking for its intervention. In many instances these statements are grossly exaggerated if not absolutely untrue, and Janco's case appears to fall within the former if not within the latter category, as will be seen from the report made to me by Mr. Chester, our consul at Budapest, who made a visit of investigation to Styavink at my request. This report which I have just received, in substance is as follows: 1. That all persons liable or to become liable for military service who leave the country without having performed such service must on their return to this country report immediately to the local authorities that the facts connected with their case, including that of their naturalization in accordance with the terms of the treaty of September 20, 1870, may be established. This is practically set forth in the Department's circular "Notice to American citizens formerly subjects of Austria-Hungary who contemplate returning to that country" of date February 1, 1901. 2. Janco showed his passport to the town clerk, who informed him that he, the town clerk, would have to report his (Janco's) arrival to the chief sheriff; that otherwise he himself would be liable to a fine of about 50 florins, and that he (Janco) must also report himself to the chief sheriff or be subjected to a similar fine, which statement differs widely from that made by Janco. 3. Although Mr. Chester does not give any reason for, and in his report protests against the sending of gendarmes to take Janco to the |