The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-12-07
LOSE DUKH0bOnS
Peculiar Sect in Canada Going
Back to Russia.
Their Departure Few Years Ago
Would Have Been Hailed With
Delight, but Sentiment Has
Undergone a Change.

The announcement that Peter Vert
gin, the leader Of the 10000 to 1l,000
Russian Dukhobors, or DukhobortSy,
has declared his intention Of returning
to Russia with his followers has caused
mild sensation in Canada. Fifteen
years ago similar announcement
would have been received by the pe0-
pie Of western Canada with cXllcs-
sIons of devOut gratitude. The IL
litcrate peasant "spirit-wrestlcrS,' rs
their name implies, were diSliked as
religious fanatics, who hcrdcd to-
gether in community houses, and
though peaceable and Industrious
clan laws and regulations or to ar-
cpDt nationality. But now everywhere
in western Canada they are recognized
as remarkable colOnistS, even if bad
citizens, while Peter NCri:in is a.
lnowledged to be Il genuine leader Of
men.
Tie DukhObOr has never been war
derer Of his own free Will. He has
moved from place to place in Europe
IS the result Of consistent persecution.
Church and state went for him "ham-
mor and longs" the one telling him
that all religious sects must be brought
tito conformity with established Creek
Catholicism, the other that he must
become a soldier under the cOnScrip-
ton act of 1887. At first he complied
with the military law and went off to
battle, but with the distinct under
standing between him and the elders
that if he were compelled to discharge
his rifle he would fire it in the air.
For he has always been consistent
uOnreSistant, and so consistent an 0n-
ponent of war of all kinds that. in exile
II the Caucasus, the community threw
away the weapons that had been con-
sidcred necessary 70 protect its men,
ters from wild animals.
Tn the first year of their settlement
In Canada, the men scattered in order
to earn wages on farms, Oh railways,
and sawmills. Meanwhile, the women
built the future residences and. lack
ing horses, plowed the land by har-
ressing themselves, IL pairs of wom-
en- to a pillow with one plowman to
drive them!
Brilliant, in British Columbia, is one
of the great DukhobOr centerS and the
socialists Utopia. Here the cOmmu-
nifty is wholly self-contained and has
realized something of that equality Of
&c, nj ,,.I;n
is so much striving in the world to-
Cay. In contrast to the modern city,
there are no anxieticS concerning the
source of the next days needs. There
are evidently no divisions between
'mine" and thine" no jealousies or en-
YES over the possessions of another, for
70 man is richer than his fellow No
money Is in circulation. One member
Of the executive does all the outside
selling and buying, and oil moneys
received are turned over to the
Il easury. Money, in fact. has no
purchasing value within the commu-
nifty. All the necessa-ies of life are
doled out without it by the various
departments in charge. Everybody
has the wherewithal, which is not of
silver and gold, and there is no theft,
any more than there is visible machin-
cry of government. The govern
lnent is the people. Once week they
crowd into the large assembly hall and
discuss the affairs of the commu-
nifty, and the managers of the sew
eral departments are given their in,
structions according to popular sen.
timent. The Dukhobors possess the
system of initiative, referendum ard |
recall in an admirably simplified |
form; their officials and tempo: |
raj representatives hold office as
long as they do their work well.
What is the explanation of these
peculiar people who live SO simply
on farm or ranch which may
stretch for miles along the road and
stately Columbia river? And can
Canada afford to lose the Sisters
and "brotherS" of q community who
have builded better than they knew,
who have created unique state in
he midst of the Wild?-Christian
Science Monitor.