1914-07-27ss

“The growing alarm that the present crisis in Europe involve more than Servia and Austria has aroused much interest among foreigners.”

Hamilton Spectator.  July 27, 1914

 For many Hamilton residents the relentlessly escalating  war preparations in Europe were more worrisome than for others.

Recent immigrants from the countries immediately involved in the imminent war faced the real possibility that they might be required to return to their native countries to serve in the army.

The Russian community in Hamilton watched the events with fear:

“Russia’s step in making preparations for war was taken anything but kindly by her native sons in this city, the majority of whom remember the hardships in the struggle with Japan, and vow to remain here.

“Russia’s population in this city is made up largely of Russian poles, and as they are hostile subjects, they can be depended upon to stay here and watch the proceedings from a distance.”¹

¹ “Local Russians : Will Not Return to Help Their Country Fight” .

Hamilton Spectator.  July 27, 1914 .

The Spectator in preparing his story for July 27, 1914 investigated whether there was any efforts being made by any of the other Hamilton immigrant population groups to return home to participate in any hostilities which might arise:

“Local steamship offices say that they had had only the usual number of inquiries re rates to Europe, which means that the present trouble has not tended to give many the inclination to return home and fight for their respective countries.”¹

The Hamilton Times edition, published also on July 27, 1914, contained an article focusing on another potential combatant country in the looming war, Austria, and what that country was doing as regards Austrians living in Hamilton:

“The Austro-Hungarian Consul-General, H. Hann Von Hannenheim, whose headquarters are in Montreal has, through his subordinate officers notified all Austrians in this city to leave immediately for their native land to take up arms in defense of their country.”²

² “Must Return to Home Land : Call Has Come to Local Austrians to Fight”

Hamilton Times. July 27, 1914.

AS opposed to Hamilton’s Russian population, the Austrians in this city did not intend to resist any call to return to their native countries:

“There are many of these men employed in the east end factories, and they have given notice to quit their work here.

“When spoken to about the training they would require to get them into a condition for the hardships of war, one of the race who acted as spokesman for the others, said that they would only have about ten days’ preparation in their country before they were sent to the front.

“They all have been thoroughly drilled in the accomplishments of war in their younger days, and will not take many days before they are in condition to fight with the best of them.”²

The very day, the Hamilton Times renounced the spirit of the story that had appeared about the Austrians of Hamilton and their collective willingness to return home to help the military of the native country:

“It was denied by Louis Lefkovitz, and other prominent citizens who hail from the countries of Southern Europe that the Austrians and Servians who reside here were hurrying in droves to return to take up arms in defense of their respective countries.

“It is true that there are some who are anxious to return for this purpose, but, as far as can be ascertained, not more than ten have applied to the steamship offices for rates to their native land.”³

³ “Not Anxious to Fight in European War : Less Than 750 of Both Nations Here : And They Would Prefer to Stay Here.”

Hamilton Times.  July 28, 1914.

The Times reporter speculated that there were not more than 100 Servians living in Hamilton in July 1914, although there were no definite statistics available since Servians were not classed as a separate nationality by the Canadian government.

As for Austrians, in 1911, official figures put  543 Austro-Hungarians living in Hamilton, 370 in East Hamilton and 173 in the west end of the city. In the intervening years, it was estimated that there had been an increase of 20 per cent in those numbers.

The Austrians living in Hamilton were mainly men who had families and small farms in their homeland. They had emigrated to Hamilton to get work and enough quick money to pay off mortgages and debts encumbering their families in their homeland.

 Austrians, no matter where they might currently reside, were required by law to take up arms in defense of their country if required by the government to do so. If they did not accede to the demands of the government, Austrians abroad risked not being allowed back into the country.

Hence, Austrians in Hamilton in July 1914 faced a heavy dilemma :

They have learned the benefits of living a peaceful life here, and appreciate the fact that they can earn money twenty times as quickly, as in their own land.”³

While full scale war between Austria and Serbia seemed increasing inevitable as July 1914 neared an end, all Hamiltonians of Austria or Serbian heritage could do was anxiously follow the details of the hostilities.

There was the possibility that other nations might be drawn into the conflict, so Hamiltonians of Russian, French and British backgrounds equally kept apprised of the worsening situation fearing that they might have to leave Hamilton for home.