Shanghai, May 23.
'The Russian community evinced considerable interest over a letter from Mr, F. S. Mansvetov, former Chairman of the Vladivostok' Government and for the past 15 years residing in New York where he carries fon work for safeguarding Russian youth from de-nationalization, Russian colonies in the United States have come to the conclusion that only the Russian school and the Russian theatre can effectively help conserve Russian youth for Russia. It is often outside the powers of the family to combat de-nationalization, especially ju Amerien where children quickly become virtual Americans.—Only the theatre in all its forms—the Drama, the Opera, Chorus-Singing—can be of aid in. keeping alive "Russianism;" only the theatre can make them fond of the Russian Tongtiage and breed in them love of Russian culture and the past of their country. For every child is a born factor, singer or dancer, That tittle Song learned in school, that little scene acted ina theatrical circle—these things take possession of a youngster's whole being and awaken in him an artistical taste which he retains all his life.
It Is a pity, however, that—as in other aspects of life in emigration—'2 persistent overlapping is evidenced work done among youth. There fare too many organizations, too many of Which ate completely or almost completely identical; and existing Between most of them is a spirit of unhealthy competition. Let us take, for instance, the Scout movement, There are the Russian Scouts. But there are also the "Razvedchiki," the "vitinal" and others although all these organizations work among Russian youth in emigration, Eagh nas Its badges, shirts, ribbons, systems and even mottos, although it. is often very dimeult to settle in what Fespect one association differs from another. The results are disunion and Individual isolation, which with the far from unlimited material means of emigration serves only to impede matters. Were the move-mont for fighting de-nationalization united, much could be accomplished.
Divided Families This de-nationalization of Russian youth proceeds on a gigantic scale, land the further it goes, the stronger it becomes, There are often families Where parents speak to their children ju. Russian. and are answered English or French, and often a father find himself unable to converse with his ten-year-old son who has for one year been a boarder in a foreign School and whose stock of Russian words is limited in the extreme. Investigations in France and America show that the better Russians are in material way, the firmer they have planted themselves and the better they have succeeded in entering the life of the local communities, the less anxiety they reveal over the denationalization of their children. The Invocation of separate partics—mostly Russian priests—is_a voice crying in the wilderness. Everyone listens to them, no-one argues with them and everyone agrees with them, and then proceeds to do what the realities of the situation demand, that is, do nothing, but give way to the natural course of events.
'A study of the problem in France, where 400,000 Russians are living, reveals that out of the 26 young men between the ages df 18 and 23 who were questioned, only three read Russian newspapers regularly; while the rest—even those with a perfect Knowledge of their language—hardly ever touieh Russian newspapers and books and lican their information on Russla—if that country interests them at all—from the French press. In Shanghai the situation is different. Here de-nationalization has not yet sunk its roots so deeply. Here there is the Russian Theatre, the Opera, and Russian Clubs where lectures on Russian history and ture are often held. And, generally speaking, in spite of the de-nationalization of Russian youth in Europe and America, even there one often meets completely Russian children and youths well acquainted with the eulture, history and literature of their country and the present life there. Their education in this field, how-over, was given them not by their schools but by their families—lonely Russian families struggling with need, who under great diMeulties give their children a foreign education and themselves teach them to love their country, their people and their culture. For where a family was willing and able to counteract the stormy effect on the child exercised by foreign schools, friends, films and books and the surrounding life in general by something specifically Russian, where families succeeded in doing this in such a way that this Russian something do not seem to the children poorer or weaker than the foreign life around them—in such eases happy results" inevitably eventuated. Summer camps aid greatly in this respect, but this year, unfortunately, Russian children in Shanghai will in all probability be unable to make use of the summer for a trip to the sea or the mountains, Russian Theatre in New York In his letter, Mr. Mansvetov relates that a group' of Russians in New York have, for the last three years, been carrying on preparatory work for creating a permanent Russian theatre in America. At present this theatre is touring states containing Russian colonies, such as Detroit. AIL box-office receipts go towards the covering of expenses and actors' salaries. In addition to younger members, many old actors like former Artistes of the Moscow Art Theatre Zolitsky and M. A. Razumov have joined this group. Only the experienced actors and actresses accompany the theatre on its tours, as in every city there are amateurs with whose help plays are produced according to the rules of Russian stagecraft. At the same time, cultural and scholastic enlightenment 1s doing pursued. The last three years have given birth in many patts of the United States not only to amateur actors and actresses but even to producers, If it is true that the theatre is a powerful agent against desnationalization, then Shanghai must be acknowledged especially fortunate. As Feodor Chaliapin remarked two years ago, Shanghai is the only city outside of Russia where the Russian Operetta still ives. Neither in Paris nor in Riga does it exist any longer.
'A requiem service on the occasion of the first anniversary of the death of Gen, D. L. Horvath was conducted in the "Russian Cathedral last week. Gen, Horvath was, prior to his death, the head of Russian emigration in the Far East, and before that the chief construcior—and for many years the manager—of the Chinese Eastern Railway. "The solemn service was conducted by Bishop Juvenalius and the clergy, with the choir of the Bishop's Church participating. Many wore present at this occasion, headed by Commander N. G. Tomin of the National Committee. As it is known, the late Gon. Horvath enjoyed unusual popularity in all circles of Russian emigration, Help for Unemployed The question of extending practical help. to local Russian unemployed—touched upon in these columns last week—continues to occupy the mind of the community. Further answers to. the questionnaire suggest the desirability of forming Professional Schools for men. Today there is only one such school in the French Coneescion—that for radio-technician and many young graduates of this institution are at present employed on ships. At one time Shanghai boasted a privately-run. school "for chauffeurs and mechanics.
'Again, there are many men in dhe Russian' colony experienced in ing; and with a certain amount of help, model farms could be ereated—not without profit for parties assign ing the money, for such an enterprise Har to those created by Russian emigrants in Pranes, South America, Australia and Canada for breeding fowl, goats and pigs, growing superior grades of vegetables, and s0 on. Of further help to unemployed would be cheap medical service, on the lines of that existing in Dairen where for ity cents a month one is eared for by the best specialists, The plan of forming @ cheap. restaurant giving meals, of quite free of charge, but fat modest prices, is at present close to being realized, Unfortunatel there has so for been no registration fof unemployed men by professions. Should an organization " possessing such data exist as part of the Emlgrants!
Committee, it could supply the needs of firms wanting good specialists not oe salaries. "A group is for cheap passage to Sydney, Austra Mrs. Tatiana E, Perfilieva, wife of Col. D. S. Perflliev and an outstanding seulpteess, has recently arrived in Shanghai. For the past few years Mrs, Perfllieva resided in Italy' and Jugeslavia. "A pupil of the best professors of Europe, she gave several exhibitions of her work in Rome, the home of the best sculptors in italy and the meeting-place of artists the world over. Of her busts one should specially mark out the bust of His Excellency Prince Alessandro Rus-poll, Gran Collare dellOrdine di Cristo while one of the best examples Of her compositions is "Adam and Eve." In New York her work was quickly bought by. private collectors. While her bust of the Cardinal at present graces the Carnegie Museum
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.