The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-07-24
$4,000 YOUTHS
SLEEP in STREET
In Moscow Students Literally
Fight for Chance to Learn.
CHANGE PLACE EVERY NIGHT

american college students, who fire.
| quently complain that their allowances
are too small would learn what rough
Ing 1t in search of an education ac-
tually means were they to come to
Moscow.
Investigators for the American re-
lief administration have come across
tragic comedy or comic tragedy In
every nook and corner Of the bare,
cold dormitories for Russian youths
at the big universities in Moscow and
in the provinces.
Last September, when the college
term opened there were approximate
ly $4,000 students registered in the
higher institutions of Moscow. Ap-
prOximately 10000 of these were ca
pable Of caring for themselves; an
other 10000 were to be taken care of
by the government, but many of the
other 10000 literally had to sleep in
the street1n because no quarters could
be found Tor them in the overcrowded
city.
Lodges in DoorWays.
One member of the investigating
committee found the task of relieving
needy students almost hopeless be-
cause of the indefinite address given
by the applicants. Peter POpOv, who
was given pair Of shoes and was to
receive food package later, informed
the committee that he was rather a
difficult person to find, because he
slept In different doorway every
night. Two young men from the cleo
trical college were perfectly willing
to be called upon, they said, but
doubted that they could be found In
the crowd at the railway station where
they slept.
So much tire and energy is spent
trying to obtain food and shelter that
many of the students find study impos-
sible. They are always ON the lookout
for odd Jobs that will give them a bed,
meal or a few million rubles
Three girls In one of the UNIVERSE
ties sew four hours a day for a cor
ner to sleep in. After meal at the
student kitchen at p. m. they attend
their first class. Russian universities
always ran to night work, for even in |
the old days the terms student" and |
poor were synonymous.
Conditions In the institutions of |
Moscow today are said to be infinitely |
worse than those endured by the poor
est students before the revolution.
Sleeping 40 in a room, some with and
some without beds, many of these
young seekers after the truth
about science, philosophy or medicine
play balalaikas and sing songs even
when they are hungry.
From Classes to Bed.
Two CHEEKY lads owning one suit of
clothes between them were lucky
enough to find a small room by them
selves. They arranged their classes
20 that one could stay in bed and
study while the other wore the suit to
he lecture. Another youngster had
hree useful possessions, blanket, q
sack of potatoes and a geometry.
in one, he used another for
pillow, while he read the third
Two girls, taking a mathematical
curse, had persistently guarded their
DOM, but one evening they went out
or a moment to buy some food. When
hey returned they found their belong
ngs in the corridor and a new lock on
he door. Two young men had moved
D.
The urge for education is stronger :
throughout Russia these days, particu- r
lrly among sons and daughters of the | u
yorking classes, than it has ever been \
efore, and registration in the higher
chools in some cases has increased \
lore than 20 per cent. \
In thp old DAVIS of the Russian mil | II
erSities there were no dor1nitorieS;
lie students rented rooms and paid for II
leir own board. Now the government II
attempting to feed and house stu II
ents, and pays them a monthly sub Il
dy, amounting approximately to 50
American money. In pre-revolution K
ays $40 month would keep Rus II
an student in ragged but happy COM | is