Evening star., 1914-11-22

PETROGRAD, Russia, November 21.-
There is prohibition in Russia today
prohibition which means that not
drop of vodka, whisky, brandy. gin or
any other strong liquor is obtainable
from one end to the other of terri
tory populated by 150.0o0.00O people
and covering one-sixth Of the habitable
globe.
The story of how strong drink has
been utterly banished from the Rus
sian empire was related to the AS
sociated Press by Michael Demitrovitch
Tchelisheff. the man directly respon-
sible for putting an end to Russia g
great vice, the vodka habit.
1t should be said in the beginning 6
that the word prohibition in Russia
must be taken literally. Its use does
not imply a partially successful at
tempt to curtail the consumption OF
liquor resulting in drinking in secret
places. the abuse of medical licenses
and general evasion and subterfuge. It
does mean that vast population who
consumed 81 900, 100000 worth of vodka
a year. whose ordinary condition has
been described by Russians themselves
as ranging from a slight degree of
stimulation upward, has been lifted
upward almost in one day from a
drunken inertia to sobriety. The ma
tion has been compelled, virtually over
night, to abandon it's enormous daily
consumption of vodka, liquor that Is
almost pure alcohol, and become alb
stemious to the extent of letting no
liquor pass it's lips.
Shut Up Vodka Shops.
On that day when the mobilization
- rfal
policemen visited every public place
where vodka is sold, locked up the
supply of the liquor and placed on the
shop the imperial SEAL. Since the man
ufacture and sale of vodka is gov
ernment monopoly in Russia. 1t is not
difficult thing to enforce prohibition.
From the day this step was taken
drunkenness vanished in Russia. The
results are seen at once in the peas
antry; already they are beginning to
look like a different race. The marks
ness and improper nourtshment have
gone from their faces. There has been
also a remarkable change in the ap-
pearance of their clothing.
Their clothes are cleaner, and both
the men and women appear more neat
ly and better dressed. The destitute
character of the homes of the poor
has been replaced with something like
order and thrift. In Petrograd and
Moscow the effect of these improved
conditions is fairly startling. On holi-
days in these two cities inebriates al
ways filled the police stations and
often they lay about on the sidewalks
and even in the streets. Things are
SO different today that unattended
women may now pass at night through
portions of these cities where it was
formerly dangerous even for men.
Minor crimes and misdemeanors have
almost vanished.
Largely One Mans Work.
This miracle has been virtually ac-
complished by one man. He is Mi
chael D. Tchelisheff, a peasant by birth.
originally house painter by profess
sion, then mayor of the city of Samara,
and now a millionaire. Physically he
is a giant. standing over six feet four
inches, and of powerful build AL
though he is fifty-tive years old he
display the energy of youth, his eyes
are animated, and his black hair is not
tinged by gray.
Ir Petrograd Mr.. Tchelisheff is gen
orally found in luxurious suite of
rooms in one of the best hotels He
gees about clad in a blue blouse with
tasseled girdle, and baggy breeches
tucked into heavy boots. He offers his
Visitors tea from a Samovar and fruit
from the Crinea.
Speaking of what he had accom-
plished for the cause of sobriety in
Russia, Mr.. Tchelisheff said:
Il was reared in a small Russian
village. There were no schools or hos
pitals, or any of the improvements we
are accustomed to in civilized COM
munities. l picked up an education
from old newspapers and stray books.
One day 1 CHANGED upon a book in the
hands of a moujik which treated of
the harmfulness of alcohol. 1t stated
among other things that vodka was a
poison. ! was so impressed with this,
knowing that everybody drank vodka,
that asked the first physician met if
the statement were true. He said yes
Men drank it, he explained, because
momentarily it gave them a sensation
of pleasant dizziness. From that time
l decided to take every opportunity to
Tells of Famine Time.
AT the end of the eighties there
agrarian troubles. I saw a crowd of
peasants demand from local landlord
all the grain and foodstuffs in his
granary. This puzzled me; / could not
understand how honest men were in
dulging In what seemed to be highway
robbery. But l noted at the time that
every man who was taking part in this
incident was a drinking man. while
their fellow villagers who were alb
stemious had sufficient provisions in
their own homes. Thus it was that
observed the industrial effects OF vodka
drinking.
"At Samara decided to do more than
passively disapprove of vodka. At this
time was an alderman. and many of