The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-04-02

(washinRtm Correspondence OF the
Christian Science M%onitor.)
II OHIB1TfON in Russia has come
20 stay. In the opinion 81 that
a countg's officials at the Russian
embassy m Washington. because -
benefits have exceeded the most san.
Ruine expectations. The Tsar has
pledged he word Of honor that the
government shall never again engage
In the sale OF llquor, which Il a far
reaching pledge, lnasmuch as the sale
Of liquor heretofore has been a. strict
government monopoly.
Prohibition prevails IN Russia now.
legally and actually. This statement
Of fact il made on authority OF the
counselor o. the Russian embassy
here. a. S~chsrbatskoy, chamberlain TO
the emperor In refutstion OF certain
claims to thu contrary recently pub
iishcd by the National Wholesale
Liquor Dealers association OF Amer
lea. Al the opening OF the war the
.Tsar issued an edict or ukase prohib-
ting t~hropghout he empire the sale
Of vodka, strong wines and other in
.~toxicatinR liquors. during mobiliKa-
ton. The beneficial effects were 40
pronounced that the prohibition was
later extended 20 the end OF the war.
The question OF the sale Of light wines
and light beers vas left 90 local OPP
tion In the cities, but not In rural
communities. and practically all the
cities. Mr. scherbatskoy says. soon
passed laws prohibiting the sale OF
all Alcoholic liquors.
Cnlms OF Association.
The claims OF the liquor dealers
association. based on a letter received
from John VI. snodgrass. American
con~sul-ga,eral at Moscow, are;
That prohibition Is not enforced
in 81 the cities and towns OF tho
Russian empire: that prohibition in
Russia Is no more real than in Kan
sas Name, Georgia or n other
American prohibition state; tnat
may be obtained In the Moscow
that the sale Of vodka has
not been prohibited Tor an time: that
russian trewcries viii reopen In the
The embassy's Information is that
absolute prohibition Is enforced in al
most all the cities and In all towns
and that u - real prohibition; that
carnot be secured In restaur-
ans: and hat the %breweries will not
In the spring. Mr.. S~nodgrass'
letter says that the sale OF intoxicants
is forbidden in 90 per sent OF all cities
and towns In Russia. The embassy
does not deny hat there IL some i
legal trafilc In liquor. but what there
Is Is under cover in violation Of the
law and not in the open. The Tsar's
Is an emergency measure lasting
only through the war. hut there is
every reason to believe that the legis-
latlve branch OF the government viii
write prohibition into the statutes
when the war IL over.
shown IN Mobilization.
Mobilization Of troops In Russia IN
the past usually has been seriously
retarded by the drinking g. intoxi-
can;s.' said Mr.. -ScherLatskoy. ut
has taken sometimes two or three
weeks longer than estimated 90 get
the men together. Farewell parties
were held In the local communities
for the boys who were leaving. result
ing in postponemeat % their depart
ure. Al the beginning Of this war,
under tho prohibition cdict, mobiliza-
tion went forward Without delays and
the men were ready several days be-
fore they we're needed. These results
were 80 satisfactory THAT the order
extended through popular de-
mand throughout the wal.
Russia has bee prepared for this
prohibition edict Tor some time. The
government has gained rapidly In re-
cent years and the government has
received many petitions for perpetual
prohibition. A deputation headed by
Grand Duke Constantine M members
OF the Douma visited the Tsar and
were promised by him that the gov-
eminent never again would engage In
the sale ~ liquor.
Press EasJgs u.
"a drastic prohibition act was
passed by the Douma. but Il was
greatly weakened IN the upper house,
the council Of the empire. The Rus
sian press II for prohibition and ex-
pressed indignation when the upper
house married the measure. There Is
strong sentiment everywhere IN Rus
sia COR absolute prohibition not only