The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-03-18

A strong effort Is being made to
upset the prohibition law adopted in
Arizona last November. Thos appears
to have been a poorly drawn law and
vulnerable because of its carelessness.
However it is unlikely that any upset
will de more than temporary the SEN
timent in favor of the abolition of the
use Of alcohol having gained such
Roadway everywhere on economic
grounds.
Some recent statements by financial
authorities in Russia, which is fur
nishing the greatest object lesson re-
specting prohibition. are Illuminating.
Mr.. Bark, the Minister Of Finance, in
reviewing the recovery of Russian In
dustry after the first shock Of the war
said recently:
unemployment in the various in
dustries Is not noticeable, except in the
regions where the war is in progress.
Expect the smallportion of Russian
territory occupied by the enemy indus
trial activity shows no important
slackening. This comparatively favor
able showing is due, in the first place,
to the greater productivity of labor
following the cessation of the sale of
spirits. Productivity has increased
from 80 to so per cent and this, to a
large extent, makes up for the short
age of labor consequent upon the cal
ling of the workers to the colors.'
The comptroller of the treasury an
tnounced in the duma on Jan. %. 1915,
that there was no great suffering, al
though the war had produced certain
economic difficulties He ascribed
this condition to the prohibition of the
sale of spirits. In proof of this state
ment he gave statistics of the national
savings banks to show that the people
were better off financially than befroe
the war. The number of depositors in
December, 1918, was 10000, while in
December, 1914, $4,000 persons had
accounts. The total amount of de-
Iposits in December, 1918, was $4,000
loco In December 1914, these accounts
had increased to $42, 100000.
Sobrety Offsets Loss of Men.
In an interview in Paris, Feb. 5, Mr..
Bark reiterated his previous state
Iments, saying; 1.-THE suppression Of
the alcohol monopoly entailed a di-
minution of 47O,0OO,0O0 rubles $685.
900, 000) in the budget of 1914, but the
benefits Of this suppression are already
being felt Although it was feared
that the calling of so many men to the
Icolors would seriously embarrass in
Idustry it has been found that thanks
to the suppression of the traffic in
alcohol the results of labor are from
80 to so per cent higher than the first
half of 1914, when the budget showed
a surplus of 155,0OO,O0O rubles ($77
500, 10000"
These are surprising figures, but the
Experience in some of the cities of New
England that have prohibition by
local option are confrmatory of them
and we do not think that any of the
mine managers Of Montana, Colorado
Nevada, Utah, Arizona, etc, seeing
them in the lights Of their own obser-
!vations, will find them incredible.
Drink a Great Problem in Great Britain
A London newspaper, reporting
,ffairs in Great Britain, remarked
that: Labor still demonstrates the
national situation. Mr. Tenant sug-
rested that Lord Kitchener-or the
lKing-should grant a medal to any
British workman in the engineering
trades who gracously consents to dc
his best upon government contract
1t nearly double wages during the war
IIf what we now hear is correct, the
situation is steadily growing worse
Especially on the Clyde, and many
leases could be mentioned where mer
scarcely put in 4O-hour week, Rates
of pay have risen, with the only result
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