The Russian colony in America has considerably changed the character of its aspirations. Many persons have acquired a new idea, new aspirations; many have even begun to reason in a new way. This applies even to former staunch idealists who used to have a firm faith in the inevitability and the nearness of important political and economic reforms and who were eager to fight against the "old world," "where famine, poverty and suffering dwell," and for a new world -blooming, fragrant, where the great ideas of truth, love, equality and fraternity would shine, where there would be no room for the enslavement and oppression of one man by another man. Where there would be no shooting or hanging of political adversaries. Where not only would the life of men be changed and the waters of life would flow into a new bed - flow quietly and freely - but where it would seem that even the sun is shining with a renewed vigor, the air is richer in moisture, water flows swifter and nature itself 2serves man, and only man. This new world would not be confined in narrow limits; there should be enough room in it for a mighty human soul. In this new world all that lives would sing and rejoice - sing a new, great paean to fraternity and love.

The dreams of such a world were haunting the minds of many Russian immigrants; they were living on such dreams and were getting their inspiration from them.

This faith in the rise of a new world in Russia and in other countries inspired the people with courage and bright dreams about the future.

But what do we see? Some time elapsed, and this spirit of buoyant enthusiasm was gone. The beautiful dreams had petered out ..... Matter of fact work-days had set in.

Now most Russian immigrants have begun to harbor quite different ideas. Many of them, having viewed the sad material conditions in 3which they were living, began to do some hard thinking. How many years they have been living only on dreams and have not given a thought to their personal lives, never having viewed distinctly the inmost depths of real life. And more than ten years had vanished having been spent to no purpose. These years had gone speedily and cannot be returned. And the flight of the years overwhelms man. Man begins to feel the approach of old age, an oppressive weariness invades his soul. And if a man, while he was still young, did not consider the problem of establishing his personal life on a sound foundation - now, when he feels concerned about his future, he begins to think about it, to regret that he had wasted so much irrecoverable time in the past; he begins to try to better the material conditions of his personal life.

Many begin to consider the question of buying a cottage or a lot of land. One of the reasons why many Russian immigrants have adopted this course of solving their difficulties is that the frontiers of 4Russia have been closed. Many were expecting the time when it would be possible for them to return to their native country; they have been waiting a long time in vain and, having been disappointed, they gave up their hopes and began to take some measures in order to establish themselves lastingly in this country.

Some of the immigrants settled on farms; many acquired houses of their own; a certain part settled in suburbs having bought small parcels of land - just a few acres - and built themselves in a very primitive way small frame cottages, in which they are living a quiet life now.

The fact that Russians settle on the land or in cities like that can be only welcomed. But it is sad that among these Russians there are some who have become entirely engrossed in improving their material welfare and have become quite indifferent to those things in which they believed before - to all ideals.

J. Ossipik.