Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-05-29
NOW DRINK COLOGNE
Russian Government Still Faces
a Serious Problem.
Methylated Spirits, Furniture Polish
and Other Deadly Liquors Are
Said to Be Used as Substl-
tute for Vodka.
BY 6ASSETT DlGsY.

| Correspondent Chicago Daily News)
London.-Apparently total prohibit
ton is not working as smoothly in Rus.
STA as the considerable section of
British press and public that is urging
similar measures over here seems to
imagine. In spite of total prohibition
there is a great deal of drunkenness
to be observed in Russia just now
among the peasants, who form four.
ffths of the nation. Methylated spirits
Is the chief tipple involved.
l had talk with a neutral subject
who has recently arrived in London
from the Russian empire, in various
districts Of which he has lived many
years.
You can Judge Of the Importance Of
the methylated spirits ISSUE" he said,
from the fact that the ministry of
hnance at Petrograd has been organic.
ing an international competition. with
prizes ranging up to 10000 rubles
l$l5,OO0l, for methods of rendering
methylated undrinkable. A second
competition is being arranged for new
and improved methods of utilizing
spirits for combustible and other pur.
poses. In this the prizes range up to
one OF $4,000 rubles. The total awards
In these spirit competitions will
amount to $350,000. Here is a fine
chance, surely, for keen young Amer
lean chemists.
Out in one Of the chief cities of
Siberia leading druggist on the main
street has been doing huge trade in
a new brand Of eau de cologne of his
own manufacture. 1t consists of al
cohol favored with lemon juice and
has a few drops of eau de cologne to
give 1t slight verisimilitude to the
real thing. This, of course, Is beyond
the means of the peasants. They drink
either methylated spirits neat or
mixed with other liquids.
In the last few months a new drink
has made its appearance at the numer-
Gus country fairs in the empire. It is
called ksassok, Kvzass Is theoretically
a very slightly intoxicating liquor
made from fermented rye bread. OF
recent years, however, the name has
been given to all soft drinks consist
Ing OF water favored with fruit es-
sence. The termination ok is d.
minutive, like the chen in German
In this case is implies not only an af.
fectionate regard for kvass but an indi-
cation that there Is only little kvass s
In the mixture. {
when left Petrograd in February Q
lead men often were picked out OF the
snowy cutters at daybreak; they had ,
become blind drunk on methylated
spirits the previous evening, had fallen
unconscious and had soon frozen to
Heath. a
"A preparation Of furniture polish, p
sort Of French polish, also Is being V
mbibed to great extent i,
This methylated spirit tippling is .
ioing a lot of harm in Russia. Unless
he finance ministry's competition ,
PRODUCES results, 1t is expected that y
he ban will be lifted from beer. There p
$ widespread agitation now in favor ii
" permitting the sale of a low alcohol a
percentage beer, to compete with n
Among the middle and upper class ,
IS eau de cologne has become the ia ?
'orite drink-when drink has hold l
IN them. 1t is nicer than methylated.
But that, say the Russians who must
ave drink at any cost, about let's It ii
ut"