Investigators for the American relief 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 approximately 50,000 higher institutions of Moscow. Approximately 10,000 of these were capable of caring for themselves; other 10,000 were to be taken care of by the government, but many of the other 30,000 literally had to sleep in the streets, because no quarters could be found for them in the overcrowded city.

Students registered in the
Lodges in Doorways.
One member of the investigating committee found the task of relieving needy students almost hopeless because of the indefinite address given by the applicants. Peter Popov, who was given a pair of shoes and was to receive a food package later, informed the committee that he was rather a difficult person to find, because he slept in a different doorway every night. Two young men from the electrical 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 time and energy is spent trying to obtain food and shelter that many of the students find study impossible. They are always on the lookout for odd jobs that will give them a bed, a meal or a few million rubles. 