DOUKHOBORS LEAVING CANADA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16379, 12 March 1924, Page 7

DOUKHOBORS LEAVING CANADA.

3COO RETURN TO RUSSIA

VANCOUVER, Feb. 7.—Canadian immigration officials have been somewhat dismayed at the unexpected announcement that negotiations have been concluded! at Kamsack, in Saskatchewan, whereby 3000 prosperous, productive, thrifty farmers of that district have commenced selling out., ‘‘bag and baggage,” to. an American syndicate, and are making, preparations to depart for Soviet Russia. They will sail to Odessa on the Black Sea. With them they will take something like 7,000,000 dollars, which they have accumulated in the Province of Saskatchewan, and more important still they will carry with them the lessons in farming and general business of a modern character gleaned through the medium of Canadian institutions. Nor does this tell it all. In the land to which they are going these experienced, educated, modern farmers, will proceed to grow wheat on the same scale thqy have grown it on the Canadian prairies, and they will place it. on the world market in competition with Canadian wheat. This is the point which is most disturbing to the Canadian farmer, who depends largely upon the world market for his livelihood. Furthermore, owing to the different labor conditions, it is expected that these Doukhobor farmers will market this yet implanted! grain at a low price, which will help to bring down the profits of Canadian fanners. The 3000 constitute one-third of the independent Doukhobor farmers in this Canadian district. They will be followed within the year, unless something unexpected happens, by tho remaining 6000, who will take out with them something like a further 14,000,000 dollars. Another .6000, composed 1 of members of the orthodox Doukhobor sect, still remainnig in this district, have voted down the orders of their patriarch, Peter Verigan, and are planning to depart as soon as thqy can dispose of their land. This will leave about 100,000 members of the sect in British. Columbia and the United States, but among these, too, the “Soviet Ho” movement has already taken deep root, and the majority are expected to follow in the footsteps of their Kamsack brethren. SHIP CHARTERED. The 3000, or, to be exact, the 2800, us 200 left a year ago, have already chartered a ship to take them across the Atlantic.

Details of the exodus were arranged through an agent of Soviet Russia, who far the last two years has been concentrating every resource on securing this valuable addition to their population. Tlie land is Crimean Russia, on which the returning emigrants will raise cheap wheat, and it has a.ready been staked out.

The arrangements with the Soviet Government, on which they* will handle their farms, have been completed. Nothing remains except the settlement of the final details of their selling-out price, and that is now proceeding at Kamsack, witli the Doukhobor Council, the Northwestern Trust Company of Winnipeg, and the American Syndicate, as the parlicioants.

The Poukhobors originally left Russia been lse of severe persecutions for their liteiii] following of Christian ideals. They believe that the spirit of God is present in every man, and acknowledge this divinity in their fellows by bowing d'eeoly when they meet. The Poukhobors do not hold tliat, a formal church or church service is essential, and they oppose all forms of violence. All wealth of the community is held in common. About 100 years ago all the Poukhobors—they were all peasants —in Russia wero collected by the Czar ami transported to Taurus. Some years later, between 1810 and 1850 refused to serve in the army, and were banished to Transcaucasia, near the Turkish frontier, where it was hoped the wilderness, the bad climate, and the presence of wild hill tribes would exterminate them. But Poukhobors cleared the wilderness, survived the climate, and’ made friends with the tribes. They became prosperous, and relaxed their religious beliefs enough to take service in the army. But in 1895 new persecutions caused a religious revival. They burnt their arms and refused to obey the conscription law. In Canada- they declined to serve in the army in the late war.