92 Hattie Plum Williams 
volved in these divorce suits. In 21 cases there were no children 
by the marriage ; in 8 cases there was only 1 child affected ;87 and 
in 5 cases there were from 2 to 6 children. In six out of a total 
of eight cases dismissed by the plaintiff, from one to six children 
were involved in each, while in the 5 suits between persons of 
second marriage, there had been no children. These facts point 
very definitely to the conclusion that children are a decidedly 
binding factor in the family life of the Russian German; and 
although no general statistics are at hand, it is very probable that 
the presence of children is a much greater preventive of divorce 
in the Russian German than in the American family. 
The proportionate number of divorce suits filed and then dis- 
missed by the Russian German is more than twice as large as 
for the state as a whole. In 1911 and 1912, 9.4 per cent. of all 
divorce suits filed in Nebraska were dismissed by the plaintiffs, 
while the Russian Germans in Lincoln dismissed 21.5 per cent.28 
This shows their deep-seated, instinctive aversion to divorce and 
their willingness to withdraw under the persuasions of relatives, 
friends, or minister. It is also suggestive of their readiness to 
use the divorce court as a weapon with which to bring a recal- 
citrant spouse to terms, and of their litigious tendency elsewhere 
mentioned.*® There seems to be no difference in this regard be- 
tween men and women for in these 8 dismissals, 4 plaintiffs have 
been men and 4, women. 
The proportion of divorces among Russian Germans who have 
intermarried with other nationalities is less than is generally sup- 
posed, particularly by the Russian Germans themselves. In the 
last fifteen years (1900-1914) there has been one intermarriage — 
for every 6.99 marriages among the Russian Germans; while 
there has been one divorce among the intermarried for every 5.66 
divorces. Contrary to expectation also, the Russian German has 
87 In one of these cases there were three adult children beside the one 
minor child affected. 
88 While large numbers are here compared with small ones, it is probable 
that it is a fair comparison between the Russian German and the native 
population. 
89 Cf. Bauer, Geschichte der deutschen Ansiedler an der Wolga, 100 ff. 
218 
