The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-11-26
PROHIBITION IN RUSSIA.
NO STRONG DRINK OBTAINABLE
IN EMPIRE
Michael ID. TcheliSheff, Peasant by
Biz tn, Started Movement Against
Alcohol.

complete prohibition is ID force TO-
day throughout the entire Russian
empire and not a drop of vodka,
! whiskey, brandy, gin or any other
strong dring is obtainable from one
end to the other of an area popu-
lated by 15O,O00,O0O people and
comprising one-sixth of the habitable
globe.
In every foot of Russian territory
the word prohibition is taken literal
ly. 1t does not mean partially sue
cessful attempt to curtail liquor con-
sumption, resulting in, drinking in
secret places, or use of medical IL
censes and general subterfuges. 1t
does mean that vast population who
consumed 1,OOO,000,O0O worth OF
vodka a year; whose ordinary condi-
tion has been described by Russians
themselves as ranging from a slight
degree of stimulation upward, has
been lifted almost in one day to So
briefly.
Easy to Enforce.
In one day, when the mobilization
began, policemen visited every pub
lie place where vodka is sold, locked
up the supply of the liquor, which is
almost pure alcohol, and placed
on the shop the imperial seal.
Since the manufacture and sale of
vodka is a government monopoly, it
is not difficult to enforce prohibition,
and from the day the shops were
closed drunkenness vanished.
The results already are seen in the
peasantry. They are beginning to
look like a different race. Marks of
suffering, the pinched looks of illness
and improper nourishment have gone
from their faces Their clothes are
cleaner and both men and women
appear more neatly and better dress
ed. Homes of the poor, formerly
destitute, now present something like
order and thrift.
Splendid Results.
In Petrograd and Moscow the ef-
feet is fairly startling. On holidays
inebriates always filled the police sta
tions and often lay about in the
streets. Today unattended women
may pass at night through portions
of these cities where it formerly was
dangerous for men. Minor crimes
and misdemeanors have almost van
ished.
This miracle virtually has been &C
complished by one man. He is Mich
ael D. Tchelisheff, a peasant by birth,
originally house painter by profess
sion, then mayor of the city Of Sa-
mara, and now a millionaire. Ply
sically he is a giant, standing over
six feet four inches. Although 55
years old, his movements display the
energy of youth, his eyes are animat-
ed and his black hair is not tinged
by gray.
Picturesque Figure.
In Petrograd Mr.. Tchelisheff goes
about clad in a blue blouse with a
tasselled girdle and baggy black
breeches tucked in heavy boots. He
offers his visitors tea and fruit.
Speaking today to representative
of the Associated Press of what he
had accomplished for sobriety in Rus
sia Mr.. Tchelisheff said:
81 was reared in a small Russian
village without schools. l picked up
an education from old newspapers
and stray books. One day I chanced
upon a book which treated of vodka.
1t stated that vodka was poison. l
was so impressed. knowing that ev-
erybody drank vodka, that l asked
the first physician l met if the state
ments were true. He said yes. l de-
cided to take every opportunity to
discover more about the use of vod-
ka
Watched Its Influence.
AT the end Of the eighties there
came a famine in Russia followed
by agrarian troubles. l saw crowd
of peasants demand from a landlord
all the grain and foodstuffs in his
grainary, and 1 noted that every man
who was taking part in this incident
was a drinking man, while their alb
stemious fellow villagers had suffi-
cient provisions in their own homes.
AT Samara l decided to do more
than passively disapprove of vodka.
At this time l was an alderman.
Many tenants in my houses were
working men. One night drunken
father in one of my houses killed his
wife. Then l decided to fight vodka
with all my strength.
"On supposition that the govern
ment was selling vodka for revenue,