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Studies in Sociology 
 
 SOCIOLOGICAL MONOGRAPH NO. 11 
 
 Vol. Ill MARCH 1918 No. 3 
 
 EDITED BY EMORY S. BOGARDUS 
 Department of Sociology, University of Southern California 
 
 THE RUSSIANS IN 
 LOS ANGELES 
 
 BY 
 
 LILLIAN SOKOLOFF. A.B. 
 
 Published by the Southern California Sociological Society 
 
 University of Southern California 
 
 at the University of Southern California Press 
 
 Los Angeles, California 
 

 ^ 
 
 ^ I 
 
The Russians in Los Angeles 
 
 BY 
 LILLIAN SOKOLOFF, A. B.* 
 
 1. Introduction. There are approximately 3750 Russians in 
 Los Angeles. Of this number, about 100 are Pravloslavni, or 
 "followers of the true faith." They are nominally members of 
 the Greek-Catholic Church in Russia, but actually, many are now 
 free-thinkers. They are sometimes referred to in Los Angeles as 
 non-sectarians. 
 
 The remaining 3650 Russians in this city are sectarians. 
 Because they constitute 97 per cent, of the Russian population of 
 Los Angeles, they will be given the chief place in this monograph. 
 It may be noted in passing that no Russian Jews are included. 
 Only persons who belong to the Russian division of the Slavic race 
 are discussed. Of the sectarians, 3300 are Molokans (milk- 
 drinkers), 50 are Dukhobors (evil spirit fighters), and 250 are 
 Subotniks (Judaized Russians). The Molokans, in turn, are com- 
 posed of Priguni (jumpers) and Postoyani (steady) in the pro- 
 portion of 3100 to 200. 
 
 The first group of Molokans, who came here in 1905, settled 
 around Bethlehem Institute on Vignes Street. When others came, 
 a few bought homes along Clarence and Utah Streets. Then the 
 settlement grew in the district situated between Boyle Avenue on 
 the east and the Los Angeles River on the west, and between Aliso 
 Street on the north and Seventh Street on the south. Recently 
 there has been a new settlement made along what is known as Salt 
 Lake Terrace several blocks east of the larger colony. On that street 
 are located many of the somewhat better homes. In a hollow south 
 of Stephenson Avenue and east of Mott Street, there is a group of 
 about sixty houses occupied by Russians only. 
 
 • Editor's Note: The author of this monograph waa graduated from the 
 University of Southern California in 1915. This study was made as a phaise of 
 the work in the Sociology seminar. 
 
 1 
 
2. Sectarian Emigration from Russia. To understand the 
 Russians in Los Angeles, it is necessary to consider briefly their 
 liistorical backgrounds. During the reign of Alexis Michaelovitch, 
 second ruler of the Romanoff family — 1645-1676 — Nicon, at that 
 time patriarch of the Russian Greek-Catholic Church, investigated 
 and decided to change the liturgy. While the ruling house accepted 
 nis changes and formally adopted his type of worship as the state 
 religion, there were many dissenters who would not submit to the 
 dictates of the government in matters of religion. The dissenters 
 were continually persecuted or banished, and were greatly dis- 
 satisfied with the bureaucratic institutions, with the hypocrisy of 
 the priesthood, and with the forms of their worship ; the numbers 
 who sought other types of religion that would satisfy their deep 
 religious feelings, constantly grew. Most of the dissenters were 
 among the people living in that part of the country known as 
 Great Russia. The government of Tambov became the centre of 
 the activities of the sectarians, but soon sectarianism spread also 
 to the governments of Koslov, Samara, Sartov, and Voronezh. 
 
 Prominent among the religious sects that developed, were the 
 Dukhobcrs, the Molokans, and the Subctniks. The last-mentioned 
 are Russians who have embraced the Jewish faith. This result was 
 not through influence exerted on the part of Jews, however, because 
 the Jews do not have any form of mission work for the purpose 
 of conversion to Judaism; nor were there any Jews living in that 
 part of Russia where these religious sects developed. The Subot- 
 niks embraced Judaism as a result of reading the Old Testament. 
 
 The essence of the Dukhobor religion is a belief in the divinity 
 of Christ, and the brotherhood of man. The Dukhobors do not 
 believe in any earthly representative of God; they have no church 
 leaders, and no icons or images. They do not have church cere- 
 monies nor do they believe in saints as do the Greek Catholics. 
 They are opposed to war and therefore to military service. Their 
 religion forbids their indulging in the use of intoxicating liquors, 
 and in smoking. 
 
 The religion of the Molokans sprang from that of the 
 Dukhobors. They call themselves Spiritual Christians, or New 
 Israelites. The name "Molokan, derived from the word "moloko" 
 which means milk, was first applied to them in 1765 by a religious 
 sect in the Goveriiment of Tambov. This name was applied because 
 
 -.2 
 
 iUH .:• J8Bf7 
 
of the fact that the Molokans drink milk every day in the week, 
 while the Greek Catholics abstain from it on Wednesdays and 
 Fridays, which are fast days for them. 
 
 The Molokans had no definite form of religion for many years. 
 During the last years of the seventeenth century, two highly 
 educated men, Skovoroda and Tveritinoff, had come under the 
 influence of the teachings of Luther, Calvin, and other European 
 reformers. These men then preached reform among the dissenters 
 of the Russian Greek-Catholic Church. They thus paved the way 
 for other reformers. For about one hundred years, the Molokans 
 were unmolested by the governmental authorities. Russia was 
 anxious to people her Caucasus region with Russians, therefore 
 she exiled many of the dissenters to that locality. Of all the places 
 of exile, the last mentioned was found to be very desirable by the 
 dissenters and many went there of their free will. Lukian Sokoloff 
 was instrumental in getting many thousands of the liberated serfs 
 to go to the Caucasus region. Between thirty and forty thousand 
 of the Dukhobors, Subotniks, and Molokans migrated there. The 
 men were exempted from service in the army. This privilege was 
 a great boon to them because their religion forbids their partaking 
 in any form of militarism. There were between sixty and seventy 
 thousand of the sectarians living in the Caucasus district in 1875. 
 For a while the conditions there were the best that the sectarians 
 had yet known. A number of them prospered and became wealthy, 
 but the majority remained poor. Their occupation was chiefly 
 cultivation of the soil. A great number were engaged in making 
 butter and cheese, which were sent to Russia. Still others were 
 petty shopkeepers, and teamsters. 
 
 It was not long, however, before the Russian government again 
 began to oppress the sectarians in various ways. The heavy 
 taxation of their land proved to be a greater burden than they 
 could possibly bear. They were again compelled to serve in the 
 army. Some of the more educated among them foresaw disastrous 
 times because of inevitable wars in which Russia was to engage. 
 They therefore began to consider the advisability of emigrating 
 from their country. It is well known that of the emigrants from 
 Russia up to the end of the last century, the greatest number 
 were Jews and a smaller per cent were Poles, but scarcely any 
 Russians proper. In the last two years of the nineteenth century, 
 
many of the Dukhobors left the Caucasus region and went to 
 Western Canada where several thousands now live. 
 
 The beginning of the Russo-Japanese War inaugurated a new 
 era of persecutions for the sectarians in southeastern Russia. They 
 were compelled to go to war. Though many were capable of 
 occupying high military positions, they were prevented from so 
 doing and were put to the most menial work. They also suffered 
 all kinds of insults at the instigation of government officials. They 
 were not permitted to go anywhere without passports — and pass- 
 ports were not granted them. It is therefore not surprising that 
 these people became disgusted with conditions such as they experi- 
 enced, and longed to leave the country. 
 
 The Dukhobors in Canada wrote to their friends in Russia, who 
 came in large numbers to Canada. Among these were several 
 Molokans who at first visited the Dukhobors, but not finding Canada 
 inviting, they traveled along the Pacific Coast stopping at many 
 places until they reached Los Angeles. They were favorably 
 impressed by this city, and beginning with 1905, they began to come 
 and continued to do so until the outbreak of the European War. 
 
 A very small number of the Russians left their families behind 
 when they came here. Those who did so, usually sent for them in 
 a short while. There are approximately the same number of each 
 sex here. 
 
 3, An Investigation of Fifty Families. In 1915, the writer 
 personally made a study of conditions of fifty Molokan families 
 in the Russian community in Los Angeles and has obtained what 
 seems valuable information concerning the life of these people. It 
 may be said that the Molckans differ little among themselves in 
 their personal characteristics, in their mode of living and thinking, 
 and in their occupations and earnings. It is safe to assume that 
 the fifty families, being about seven per cent of the total number 
 of Russians who are living in this city, are representative of the 
 Russian population of Los Angeles. 
 
 It is a well known fact that the Russians have large families. 
 The fifty families in question may not indicate that the number 
 per family is unusually large, but it should be remembered that 
 many of the parents are young and that a number were recently 
 
 4 
 
married. The total number of persons in the fifty families was 
 270 ; the average number per family was 5.4. 
 
 TABLE I. 
 The Number of Families and the Number of Rooms Each Family 
 
 Occupies : 
 
 Number of families 17 14 17 2 
 
 Number of rooms per family 2 3 4 5 
 
 The next item is the number of persons, male and female, in 
 each family, earning money. From a careful study of the 
 facts, it may be said that wherever there is a possibility, the 
 wife is earning. In the families consisting of three persons, few 
 of the wives are earning as they are invariably obliged to take 
 care of the child. In the families consisting of four or more 
 members, where there is someone to take care of the very small 
 child or children, the wife is usually employed. Of the thirty-three 
 women who were working, thirty were wives and only three were 
 daughters. With little variation, this status is the prevailing con- 
 dition among the Russians, for as soon as a girl is of working age, 
 she marries and then joins the married women who are earning. 
 
 The weekly earnings of the males ranged in 1915 from three 
 dollars per week, in the case of a young boy, to twenty-three dollars. 
 The greatest number earned in 1915 thirteen and a half dollars a 
 week. The weekly earnings of the females ranged from four 
 dollars per week to ten dollars. The greatest number earned six 
 dollars a week. Of the fifty families, there were only six with a 
 steady income. All the others suffered from periods of unemploy- 
 ment. At the present time, the Russians demand and receive the 
 same standard of wages that is received by any other nationality. 
 As with other nationalities, the standard of living rises with the 
 improvement of material conditions. 
 
 A feature peculiar to the Russians is that a large per cent 
 of them own their homes. Though their earnings were small, the 
 investment in a home was a means of saving for them; they are 
 all eager to save. Of the fifty families investigated, twenty-six 
 owned their homes. The values of these homes ranged from $800 
 to $4,000. 
 
 5 
 
TABLE II. 
 The Number of Faviilies Owning Homes and Value of the Property i7i 1915: 
 
 to $1300 to $1900 to $2300 to 
 
 Value of Homes ^^^00 $1800 $2200 $4000 
 
 Number of families owning homes.... 6 7 8 5 
 
 Total value of homes $48,600.00 
 
 Average value of homes 1,869.23 
 
 Total debt on homes 14,400.00 
 
 Average debt on homes 592.30 
 
 Total equity on homes 33,200.00 
 
 Average equity on homes 1,276.92 
 
 Maximum equity 2,500.00 
 
 Minimum equity 400.00 
 
 In the last few years, the Russians have developed new ideas 
 regarding their desires for the future. They no longer buy homes 
 here for they do not intend to remain in this city permanently. 
 Almost all the Russians who own their homes, do not occupy any 
 more rooms than are absolutely necessary in order to comply with 
 the housing laws. The remaining rooms they rent to others. In 
 almost all cases, there are two or three families occupying one house. 
 Those who rent rooms also use no more rooms than are absolutely 
 required by the housing laws. The habitations of nearly all are 
 poorly furnished. The floors are bare, the furniture is of the cheap- 
 est kind, and consists of beds, of which there are usually two in each 
 room, except the kitchen, where there is a table and a few chairs. 
 These people are not only opposed to icons, but they carry the idea 
 further and have no pictures of any kind on the walls. There is no 
 attempt to make the surroundings esthetic or pleasant. A home is 
 apparently looked upon as a place of shelter only. In spite, how- 
 ever, of crowded conditions (as the total number of persons in fifty 
 families was 270 and the number of rooms for the fifty families was 
 154, the average number of persons per room was 1.75), the habi- 
 tations are fairly clean. 
 
 4. Occupations. Of all the Russians in this city, about 75 
 per cent of the working men were employed in lumber yards up 
 to the outbreak of the war. Then the majority entered the ship- 
 building industry. About 10 per cent own and drive their own 
 teams, and work by the day in hauling produce and other com- 
 modities. About 2 per cent are engaged in running little grocery 
 stores and butcher shops, which are patronized by their own people. 
 The remainder — about 13 per cent — are employed in various ways, 
 
 6 
 
e. g., in the metal trades, automobile shops, planing mills, fruit 
 canneries. The last-mentioned occupations are followed by the 
 younger men of the community, who have had some schooling but 
 who left school as soon as the law permitted them to do so. 
 
 It is the usual thing among the Russians for the married 
 women to work. The young women are employed chiefly in 
 laundries. Girls who have attended school and have learned the 
 English language, work in the biscuit factories which are in the 
 neighborhood. A small number of girls work in a candy factory 
 on Utah Street. The older women work in fruit canneries or do 
 housework by the day. Though many of the girls who have been 
 to school for several years, could do other work and perhaps earn 
 more money, the parents are anxious to have them work near 
 home and among their own people. Clerking or office work might 
 cause the girls to become "Americanized" quickly and to this the 
 older people object. 
 
 5. Religion. As stated at the beginning of this monograph, 
 the religion of the Molokans sprang from that of the Dukhobors. 
 Both these sects are opposed to war. They believe in no earthly 
 representatives of God. The Molokans have no ministers or church 
 dignitaries of any kind. They have no rules or traditions as to 
 who shall be their religious advisers. Their pastors are not ordained, 
 do not receive compensation, and are not dependent upon the 
 approval of the community. Their authority prevails only at prayer 
 meetings, marriage ceremonies, and funeral services. It may be 
 said that the Molokan religion has little definite form. It is sys- 
 temless. Many of its phases are exceedingly crude. It is incoherent 
 and inconsistent. It prohibits the use of intoxicating liquors and 
 smoking. Like the orthodox Jews, the Molokans abstain from eating 
 pork and are supposed to slaughter their beef in a certain manner. 
 
 They came to this country, as other races before them had 
 come, to seek a haven where they could enjoy religious freedom. 
 In the course of time a change has come in their attitude toward 
 religion. Originally, religion was considered the chief and only 
 end of life. Now they are beginning to consider it more as a means 
 than an end. They are seeking other goals besides religious free- 
 dom, namely, political, economic and social freedom. 
 
The Molokans are divided into two groups, Postoyani (steady) 
 and Priguni (jumpers). The Postoyani have drifted very little 
 from the Greek-Catholie Church. They have done away with 
 church dignitaries and icons, but keep the holidays as do the Greek- 
 Catholics. But the Priguni have entirely abolished the forms of 
 service as well as the holidays of the Greek-Catholic Church. They 
 celebrate the same holidays as do the Jews according to the Old 
 Testament, having added only that of the birth of Christ, whom 
 they consider their Saviour. 
 
 Both the Postoyani and Priguni consider any clean room a fit 
 place for worship. In the center of the prayer room, there is a 
 table; around the room and near the walls are benches. The men 
 are seated at the right from the entrance and the women at the left. 
 
 There are at present seven churches in the Russian settlement. 
 These are simply very large rooms in which church services are 
 conducted. During holidays, some private homes are also used 
 for religious services. The Priguni conduct their prayers in a 
 unique manner. All pray aloud for some time, until one feels that 
 the "spirit" has entered into him, when in a trance-like manner 
 he comes to the center of the place of worship. The praying goes 
 on in a sing-song loud tone of voice until one by one, every person 
 feels the "spirit" within him. 
 
 Among these sectarians, funeral services are occasions of much 
 prayer and many gatherings. The members of the family of the 
 deceased take turns in wailing and lamentation in a sort of monot- 
 onous, rhythmic fashion, speaking of the good deeds and excellent 
 personal traits of the deceased. These services usually last for a 
 day or two, until the burial takes place. 
 
 6. Social Life. The social and religious life of these people 
 are closely related. It is their religion that has kept them 
 together. It was because of their religion that they were persecuted, 
 exiled, and compelled to live together in Russia. When they 
 decided to emigrate, they came here and settled in this city, close 
 together. Almost all the Molokans in this city are related by blood 
 or marriage. 
 
 They are naturally clannish because of their comparatively 
 recent immigration and because of ignorance of the English 
 
 8 
 
language. Their mutual interest in each other keeps them together. 
 Among their admirable traits, that of mutual self-help is indeed 
 commendable. Very few apply for public charity. If a family 
 or individual among them is in straightened circumstances, the 
 community does all it possibly can to assist. Local charity records 
 show that application for aid has been made by only a few Russians. 
 The Russians consider it a great disgrace to apply for charity, no 
 matter how needy they may be. 
 
 Though the Molokans have no acknowledged leaders in their 
 community, the older people give instructions; they are usually 
 obeyed. The old people are highly respected, both by their children 
 and grandchildren. As long as the grandfather lives, he is usually 
 head of the family in all affairs. Though he be strong and healthy, 
 a Russian usually retires from the active life of earning money 
 when he is about fifty. His children support him. Therefore, it 
 is not unusual to see able-bodied, comparatively young-looking 
 men, sitting around at home or visiting together. Recently, how- 
 ever, many of the older men have been working in the shipyards. 
 
 The Molokans usually marry very young. Girls of sixteen and 
 seventeen and boys of eighteen, are considered of marriageable age. 
 Th« parents arrange the marriages of their children. The young 
 bride always goes to live with her husband's people. Because she 
 works and contributes the earnings to the family exchequer, it is 
 customary for her husband's people to compensate her parents for 
 depriving them of an assistant in the form of a worker before she 
 has paid back to her parents part of the cost of rearing her to a 
 marriagable age. This practice is looked upon by the American 
 authorities as a form of buying and selling girls. But the 
 Molokans are very indignant at such a suggestion. In all earnest- 
 ness, they consider the custom a justifiable practice. 
 
 The form of the marriage ceremony is as follows : The parents 
 of the young man bless the groom and grant their permission for 
 his marriage. The young man then goes to the house of the bride- 
 to-be, where the guests are gathered, all praying. After praying, 
 the bride 's father says to the groom, ' ' I give you my daughter as 
 wife. ' ' Whereupon mutual consent is requested and each promises 
 his faithful love. 
 
 9 
 
The birthrate is very high among the Molokans but infant 
 mortality is also very high. Of the children brought here in infancy, 
 a greater per cent survived than of those who are born here. 
 
 7. Education and Recreation. A very small number of the 
 Molckans who migrated here were literate when they came. This 
 condition was doubtless due to the fact that their economic status 
 was very low. 
 
 The young go to school and learn eagerly. In the Utah Street 
 School, where the writer has been engaged in teaching for four 
 years, there are about 1,000 children. About forty per cent of 
 them are Russian Molokans. These compare very well in their 
 studies with the other nationalities attending this school. It is to 
 be regretted that the Russians do not allow their children to remain 
 in school any longer than the law requires them to stay. No matter 
 how eager the boys and girls are for a higher education, they are 
 taken out of school and sent to work at the age of fifteen. When 
 they finish the eighth grade, they are not sent to the high school. 
 In the past year, about ten completed the eighth grade of the 
 elementary school on Utah Street before they were fifteen years of 
 age. 
 
 Besides the day school, there is also a night school in the Utah 
 Street District. This is largely attended by Russians, the greater 
 number of whom are boys and girls who have had little or no 
 schooling. A few men also attend, but unfortunately, none of the 
 women, though several attempts have been made to induce the 
 women to come. 
 
 Two attempts have been made to have the Russian language 
 taught to the young and adults by teachers which the Russians them- 
 selves secured. Several years ago, the Molokans obtained permis- 
 sion from the Board of Education to use two of the class-rooms 
 at the Utah Street School from three to five o'clock daily. The 
 classes were conducted by a man and woman who were paid by 
 the community. The instructors were not Molokans but native 
 Russians who possessed a good education. After several months, 
 the school was discontinued. Last year, another attempt was made 
 to have a Russian school conducted in one of the private homes 
 but this experiment was short-lived. 
 
 10 
 
The night school in the Russian neighborhood is well attended 
 by little boys and girls who would otherwise be on the streets. 
 They come and play various games in the school rooms, directed by 
 a teacher ; or en the playground, which is well lighted and has an 
 attendant in charge. 
 
 The Y. W. C. A. maintains a Club house on Utah Street to 
 which a number of girls are attracted. 
 
 There is little time for many of the Russian children to play. 
 Almost all the older children who attend school have many home 
 duties. As both the parents are working, the boys and girls take 
 care of the younger children after school. During school hours, 
 the small children are placed in the school nursery of the Utah 
 Street School, which has two trained nurses in attendance. Besides 
 taking care of the little brothers and sisters, the boys and girls 
 prepare the meals for the family and perform various other house 
 duties. 
 
 If any children do have a chance for recreation, they eagerly 
 fall into playing like other normal children. The older people 
 have very few forms of amusements. They do not have outings like 
 other nationalities. Their gatherings are usually at the church 
 or in the homes for the purpose of prayer. During holidays, there 
 is much feasting in the homes and churches. Weddings, christen- 
 ings, and funerals are occasions for gathering and feasting. 
 
 During the years that these people have lived in Los Angele? 
 they have learned that the principal of the school to whom they 
 send their children, is their sincere friend. Therefore, they have 
 great confidence in her and come to the school for advice concern- 
 ing their most intimate affairs. As an interpreter between these 
 people and the principal, the writer has had opportunity to 
 become well acquainted with them and their hopes and ideals. 
 True Americanism is being interpreted to the Russians in a 
 splendid way by the principal. Through her, their faith in 
 America is steadied and strengthened. 
 
 8. Assimilation and Amalgamation. Owing to the fact that 
 the Molokans live in a community by themselves, the adults among 
 them have not adopted American customs. Their religion, too, 
 prevents them from becoming Americanized. Intermarriage with 
 
 11 
 
other racial representatives is strictly forbidden. Thus far, of all 
 the Molokans here, six girls have married out of their own religion ; 
 these have been disowned by their parents and ostracized by the 
 community. 
 
 Because the Molokans are opposed to war or militarism in any 
 form, they refuse to become naturalized. Of the members of the 
 fifty families which were specially studied, none of those eligible 
 to naturalization have taken advantage of the privilege. They 
 state that one of the chief causes for leaving their native land was 
 their opposition to war. But since they are subject to being drafted 
 into military service in the event of war in tliis country, they do 
 not want to become naturalized. Though many of them have 
 declared their intention to become American citizens by applying 
 for their first papers, none have become fully naturalized. During 
 the war none were drafted and none enlisted. Very few bought 
 liberty bonds as that procedure according to their ideas, meant 
 supporting war. However, they voluntarily made substantial 
 contributions to the Red Cross. Each head of a family gave from 
 $5 to $10. 
 
 The narrow sphere of their activities and occupations causes 
 the adults of the community to remain ignorant of American 
 customs. There are a few things which they have of necessity 
 learned. But the vast differences between the customs and laws 
 in Russia and in the United States are understood by only a few. 
 The m,ajority of them have only a vague idea of the American 
 conception of liberty, and a number of them are disappointed 
 when they find it is not the same as their conception. This disap- 
 pointment, however, does not result in lawlessness. When told 
 that the law requires the children to stay in school till they are of 
 a certain age, the parents naturally submit, but remark that it is a 
 strange law that does not permit the parents to have entire control 
 of their children. 
 
 The younger element among the Molokans, on the other hand, 
 are rapidly becoming Americanized. The effective agency in this 
 particular is naturally the public school. The children learn eagerly 
 and rapidly. Considering that they hear English spoken only in 
 school, we may conclude that they acquire the language quickly. 
 
 12 
 
In some instances, the young who earn and they who are in 
 contact with liberal ideas begin to show signs of revolt against the 
 customs of their elders. This results in real tragedies in the homes. 
 It is not always the best American traits that the young foreigners 
 acquire. When the young men of the Molokan community began 
 to frequent saloons and other undesirable places there was a great 
 disturbance in the community. Above everything else that the 
 Molokans in Los Angeles are grieved over, is the fact that the young 
 are drifting away from parental authority. They see in this 
 tendency the destruction of their most cherished ideals. 
 
 The recent tendency on the part of the girls to drift from the 
 old customs may be said to be desirable from a liberal standpoint. 
 The girls object to being "married off" to young men simply 
 because the parents are satisfied with the arrangement. They show 
 desires for better things in life than their mothers have experienced. 
 They also show the natural trait of girls in their desires for pretty 
 clothes. They are no longer contented to wear the same style of 
 costumes they had worn in Russia ; they do not wish to be distin- 
 guished by their peculiar style of dress. They also seek to go to 
 dances or moving picture shows. This desire is considered most 
 outrageous by the elders in the community. Though many of the 
 young people desire the enjoyments of youth which are mentioned 
 above, very few dare to indulge in them. And here the tragedy 
 comes in. The older element in the community considers this 
 drifting away of the young from old traditions, the result of living 
 under modern city conditions. Therefore their most ardent desire 
 and sole hope is to leave the city and establish themselves upon 
 the soil. With very few exceptions, the Molokans are looking 
 forward to the time when they can leave the city. Many have 
 already done so. Between three and four hundred families (per- 
 haps 2,000 individuals) have left Los Angeles within the last six 
 years and have gone to other parts of the country where they have 
 bought land. Many of them went to Mexico ; others went to New 
 Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Washington, and Oregon; a few others to 
 different parts of this state, but in every instance away from cities. 
 The complete statistics of the fifty families indicates very clearly 
 that within the last eight years, few of those who came here have 
 bought their homes. They are now determined not to remain in 
 
 IS 
 
the city permanently and therefore do not buy homes as they 
 once did. 
 
 9. Conclusions. The Molokans in this city are frequently 
 referred to as Russian peasants. The writer was born in Russia 
 and as a child lived among the peasants in that part of the country 
 known as "Little Russia," or the Ukraine, which comprises several 
 governments in the southern part of European Russia. The 
 peasants there are indeed on a very low plane of civilization. 
 Almost all of them are illiterate and ignorant. Their mode of 
 living, their customs and habits are crude. But the Russians in this 
 city belong to a distinctly higher class. By coming in contact with 
 the Molokans, one will soon realize the difference. 
 
 During four years of teaching at the Utah Street School, at 
 which almost all the Russian children attend, the writer has had 
 occasion to come in close contact with the adults. It is true that they 
 are illiterate in a great majority of cases, but they are of that class 
 vrhich has had the courage to suffer for an ideal. They have been 
 persecuted at the hands of the Russian Government and have 
 suffered many cruelties and hardships because of their religious 
 convictions. Their religion may be considered crude and narrow 
 in many instances, but it can not be denied that these people have 
 high moral standards. Along the way on the march toward civ- 
 ilization, it is the people who have the courage to suffer for what 
 they considered right who have risen above those who merely 
 drifted. So it is that these dissenters from the Russian state church 
 have also risen far above the average Russian peasants. 
 
 In Russia they learned through bitter experience that laws 
 were for the benefit of the leaders and the detriment of the masses. 
 They look forward to just laws and are anxious to abide by them in 
 this country. They desire law but not lawlessness, such as they 
 experienced in Russia. • 
 
 On the whole, it may be said that the Russians in this city 
 are a quiet, law-abiding people. They are not given to any of the 
 vices or crimes as a class, that are found among other nationalities. 
 There are records of only several cases of arrests of Russian men 
 for drinking. Thus far there have not been any eases of arrests 
 of women for any misconduct or vice. A number of small boys 
 have been known to get into trouble because of petty larceny, and 
 
 14 
 
have been detained in the Juvenile Hall. If anything of this sort 
 occurs, the entire neighborhood is generally astir. The parents 
 are greatly alarmed and are ready to follow advice that M^ould 
 prevent recurrence of such trouble. Like other people of meagre 
 income, they send the boys to sell newspapers in the business 
 sections of this city. The freedom in the handling of money, to 
 which these boys are not accustomed, and the dazzle of the things 
 that they see have a very bad influence over those who go. The 
 parents, therefore, do their utmost to keep them away, if they find 
 that the effect is harmful. 
 
 It is gratifying to say that by far the greater number of older 
 boys and all girls are of splendid character. The affectionate care 
 which these boys and girls give the younger brothers and sisters, 
 is most inspiring. They distinguish themselves in almost all 
 branches of elementary school work and would undoubtedly do 
 likewise in the higher branches of education, were they given an 
 opportunity to pursue them. Above everything else in school, the 
 clean m.orals of the growing children can not be spoken of too 
 highly. If there is any psychical characteristic that can be said 
 to be more predominant than any other among these children, it 
 is that of stubborness. When rightly directed, this trait becomes 
 an asset. 
 
 The children of the Russians have undergone a remarkable 
 change in the last three years. They were in the habit of conversing 
 among themselves only in Russian. Now they always speak English. 
 The girls formerly came to school dressed in their national mode 
 of attire with bright-colored or black lace shawls over their heads. 
 In the summer, they wore white shawls made of muslin and 
 embroidered in the Russian cross-stitch of red and black embroider- 
 ing thread, edged with lace. There was scarcely ever a girl who 
 was seen with her head uncovered. Nov/, however, all this situa- 
 tion is changed. All of the girls come bareheaded and dressed like 
 American children. They pride themselves in not being different 
 from other children in their manner of dress. If they are asked 
 to put on their Russian costumes for any occasion, they do not 
 want to do it because, as they say, they are ashamed to be seen 
 on the street other than as American children. They are confiding 
 and affectionate and one feels that with proper environment, they 
 will grow up to be splendid men and women. 
 
 15 
 
There is this to be added, however, that judging from the 
 desire of the older element in the community, there is scarcely a 
 chance of many Russians remaining in Los Angeles. Everywhere 
 among them one learns that they are here temporarily, and that 
 they are in constant hope of going out upon the land where they 
 wish to establish themselves permanently. In either case, whether 
 those growing up remain here or move out into rural districts, 
 there seems to be no reason to think that the Russians will ever 
 be a serious problem to this city. In view of their excellent 
 personal characteristics and the hope that they will adopt the 
 best of our American customs, we may look forward to seeing 
 them develop into desirable American citizens. Much, however, is 
 to be done in improving their material circumstances, in bringing 
 about better living conditions, and in giving them the best ideals 
 that we can offer them. 
 
 18 
 
STUDIES IN SOCIOLOGY 
 
 Sociological Monographs 
 
 No. 1. * ' Legal Training for Social Workers, ' ' by Harry J, McClean. 
 Sept., 1916. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 
 
 No. 2. "Causes of Fatal Accidents on Highways," by William 
 Smith, Dec, 1916. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 
 
 No. 3. "Causes of Truancy Among Girls," by Inez D. Dunham, 
 March, 1917. Pp. 14. Fifteen cents. 
 
 No. 4. "Leading Sociological Books Published in 1916," by 
 Emory S. Bogardus, May, 1917. Pp. 20. Twenty cents. 
 
 No. 5. "The Teaching of Sociology in High Schools," by Theron 
 Freese, Sept., 1917. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 
 
 • No. 6. "Causes of Truancy Among Boys," by Ernest J. Liekley, 
 Oct., 1917. Pp. 12. Fifteen cents. 
 
 No. 7. "Social Thought in the Current Short Story," by Elva B. 
 Murray, Feb., 1918. Pp. 12. Fifteen cents. 
 
 No. 8. "Leading Sociological Books Published in 1917," by Emory 
 S. Bogardus, May, 1918. Pp. 24. Twenty-five cents. 
 
 No. 9. "Social Work as a Profession in Los Angeles," by Mary 
 Chaffee, Oct., 1918. Pp. 12. Fifteen cents. 
 
 No. 10. "Social Thought in American Fiction," (1910-1917), by 
 Hazel Wilkinson, Dec, 1918. Pp. 24. Twenty-five cents. 
 
 No. 11. "The Russians in Los Angeles," by Lillian Sokoloff, 
 March, 1919. Pp. 16. Fifteen cents. 
 
 Address communications to the Secretary, The Sociological Society, 
 University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif. 
 
 649 
 

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