The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-10
Prohibition
In Russia Has
Come To Stay

Because OF certain claims sent out
in publicity material of the Nation
al Wholesale Liquor Dealers Asso-
citation of America TO the effect that
prohibition in Russia is a very lin
tied and Intellectual policy, the
! Christian Science Monitor has Just
published information secured from
A. Scherbatskoy chamberlin to the
/ Emperor and counselor of the Rus
sian embassy at Washing ton. It ap-
pears from what Mr. Scherbatskoy
has said that prohibition prevails in
Russia, legally and actually.
At the opening of the war the
/ Tsar issued an edict or ukase pro.
hibiting throughout the empire the
sale of vodka, strong wines and
other Intoxicating liquors. during
mobilization. The beneficial effects
were so pronounced that the prohib-
ition was later extended to the end
of the war. The question of the sale
of light wines and light beers was
left to local option in the cities, but
not in rural communities. and prac-
tically all the cities, Mr.. Scherbot-
skoy says, soon passed laws prohib-
iting the sale of all alcoholic liu-
uors.
Officials of the embassy were of
the opinion that prohibition has
come to Russia to stay, because its
benefits have exceeded even the most
sanguine expectations" Mr.. Scher-
batskoy declared that the benefits
from the policy were great enough
to completely compensate for the
loss of the revenue many times over.
Prohibition is increasng the pro-
ducing power of our people," said
Mr.. Scherbatskoy. They are spend
ing their money for other things
than liquor now, wearing better
clothes and taking better care of
their families One interesting thing
is thai Monday, which heretofore has
been regarded as a holiday on which
the men recuperated from their
Sunday indulgences, will now be
productive working day. Monday
has not been regarded as a working
day in Russia; it has just been
counted out of the week for this
reason.
Savings Are Increased
Thepostal savings banks show |
encouraging indications as a result |
or prohibition. In war time people |
draw their savings out of |
the banks, and at the beginning of |
the present war our postal banks
showed a light decrease, but soon
after the prohibition edict the saw
ings began to return to the banks
and there has been a marked in
crease over previous years
'One incident serves to Illustrate
the effect on other industries of pro-
hibiting the sale Of liquor. Early in
the war when there was a scare
$500" 'At oSi hluhS WE'RE 1Q-
vance on Petrogad from the north
through Finland there was fren.
lied haste to throw up Notifications
IN the vicinity of the capital. Large
crews of men were employed IN the
earthworks at good pay. One group
OF men, having accumulated lit
tie money, thought they would 20
down to Petrograd for weekend
celebration. They were told that
they could not get drop of liquor.
but they said they would try. They
went to city and tried but could
get no liquor, and the next day thew
returned to their work, every man
Of them wearing new suit Of
clothes.
"A friend of mine recently came
here from Russia He is a man who
drank wine, but he told me one
could not get drink of liquor in
the Petrograd or Moscow cafes for
love or money. as he expressed it,,