The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1914-11-20
DRUNKENNESS STOPS
STRONG DRINK UTTERLY BAN
ISHED FROM THE LAND OF
THE GEAR.

Petrograd, Nov. 20.-There is pro-
hibition in Russia today-prohibition
which means that not a drop of vod-
ka, whisky. brandy, gin or any other
strong liquor Is obtainable from n
end to the other in a territory popu-
lated by 50.000.000 people and COW
ering 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 Asso-
ciated Press by Michael ID. Tcheli-
shelf, the man directly responsible
for putting an end to Russian vice.
the vodka habit.
IL should be said in the beginning
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.
1t means hat a vast population that
consumed $1,000, 600, 900 worth OF
vodka a year, whose ordinary c0ndi-
ton has been described by Russians
thtitlcCiftS 90 LANSING oAiehs
degree of stimulation upward, has
been lifted almost in n day from a
drunken inertness to sobriety. The
| population has been compelled vir-
tually overnight to abandon its enor-
nous daily consumption of vodka, a
liquor that is almost pure alcohol.
| and become abstemious to the extent
| of letting no liquor pass its lips.
On that day when the mobilization
of the Russian army began special
| policemen visited every public place
| where vodka was sold, locked up the
| supply of liquor and placed on the
| shop the imperial seal. Since the
| manufacture and sale of vodka Is a
| government monopoly in Russia, II
is not a difficult thing to enforce pro
| hibition.
From the day this step was taken
drunkenness vanished in Russia
The results are seen at once in thu
%peasantry; already they are begin
ming to look like a different race.
The marks of suffering. the pinch
ed looks OF illness and improper
nourishment have gone from theil
faces. There has also been a re
markable change in the appearance
of their clothing. Their clothes arr
cleaner and both the men and womeI
appear more neatly and better dress
ed. The destitute character of thu
homes of the poor has been replaced
with something like order and thrift
In Petrograd and Moscow the effec
of these improved conditions is fairl!
startling. On holidays in these two
\ cities inebriates always filled the pc
lice stations and often they La!
about on the sidewalks and v e IL
the streets. Scenes 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 al
most vanished.
This miracle has virtually been ac'
complished by one man. He is Mich
ael d. Tchelisheff, a peasant by birth,
| originally a house painter by profess
| sion, then mayor Of the city of Sa-
mara, and now a millionaire. Phys
| ically, he is a giant-standing owe 8
| feet 4 inches and of powerful build,
Although he is SIS years old. he looks
much younger. His movements dis
| play the energy OF youth. his eyes are
animated, and his black hair is not
tingsd WITH fray.