New-York tribune., 1915-12-19

VODKA IN RUSSIA
.o,ink at Any Price" Pol
icy Brings Doctored
Shirts and Death.
end OF THE WORLD
SEEN BY FANATICS
.... Relieved Prelude to De-
v. '...,,,iou-Newspapers Disap-
near for Lack of Paper.

co,r.sponsenc, to The Tribune
4 ..-.,rad. Nov. 22.-The abolition Of
"s,nment drink traffic, which has
I'D undOubted benefit on the
~ at large, has on the other
OrOdueed deplorable effects on
.l,ments Of the community, name
.,o., who will have drink at all
The number Of deaths from al
-. drinks resulting mainly from
.. 60 assumption Of dOetOred denatured
has become alarming, and IN
has shown that chemists and an
| IAN. trsdesmen have been preparing
| 's,t, made up Of this spirit (dena-
..1 for industrial purposes), made
i liable with various pleasant flaw
including eau de cologne,
r. II. popularity Of the new drink be-
an. promptly obvious. Some chemists
/ p.,,ograd were selling many gallons
| s,v and people were waiting their
"a be served all day long. From
,srts Of the country it is reported
".,,be results Of this semi-clandestine
"a, have been deplorable. From Nizh-
;; ,ones word that a large qauntity OF
- spirit that came into the hands
1 4 ,be people by accident was drunk
| 4. vine. and by evening out OF those
/ .,1,D to the hospital fourteen were
| I,,d and the "volgar" states that the
,ml,. have been even more serious
tsn reported.
On the Caspian Sea, at Astrakan'
s,urkenness has developed alarmingly'
,,s the number Of drunken men met
nth on the streets reminds one Of the
/ Avs when d,ink was openly sold under
\, government monopoly. Nearly ev-
,,v little shop in the town serves as
s.,ributing centre, mostly run by emf
Grants from Persia, who are doing
,osrne trade in wines, vodka, dena-
,.-s5 spirit and other substitutes.
Alcoholic PoisOns Sold.
some food shops now deal entirely
4, what are termed alcoholic poisons.
These likewise are held by Persians.
Measures hitherto taken to reduce this
,layue have proved but feeble. The
sniTi il mainly brought from the Cau-
essus In Pe.rograd and elsewhere
tbs authorities are endeavoring TO deal
with the evil by very energetic decree
limiting the quantities OF medicines
eontsininl spirit that may be sold, and
,sbieeting ali those infringing the dc
eretosvery severe punishment IN the
form Of fine and imprisonment. The
Prohibition extends also TO cosmetic
YremratiOas that contain spirits.
i,sslBy gs result OF the war the
r1gtetic spirit has got control OF
so-e circles, and 10 is reported IN the
sEord Of the Church Moscow. that
iis present hostihties may be taken as
iaiicating the near approach Of the
ED Of the world The prophecy re-
isrrsd 10 ends with these words: I'VE
SIC nearing the end Of the world. The
angel Of death has taken I'D the sword.
iis judgment Of God is being executed
o. the land. Let US bow before Him
With fear after having purified our
teyes with confession and tears. II lt
ysase God 10 destroy the whole race
o. nan, then let the will OF God be
tot in all things. The world has long
been sink Of iniquity, and IL is time
fov io- i 20 be destroyed
Big Flax Harvest.
Reports on the economic situation of
ihe country show that the fax harvest
: expected in quality 10 be somewhat
hke that OF 1913, which yielded 3l,ol3,-
W pools; but. taking into account
TIE reduced area sown compared with
iast year and the war conditions, II IS
assumed that the harvest this year will
rass about 2s,0O0,000 pools.
According 10 reports received, the
tooseeo harvest this year IN Russia has
been larger than the average and great
q than last years. The yield per des-
.stins one dessiatine equals 2.7 acres
tss been greater than the average in
nosi Of the tobacco growing districts,
nc IN only a few has II been under
ne average. There has been a con-
tesrably increased area planted IN
sany districts. though IN some there
iss been decrease. il is remarked
sai there has been a large increase IN
.ss horthern Caucasus, particularly IN
1s hub2n territory.
IFe ros-e~urrer. cru4nr,rfosee cor-
hioiiag several Industries Of the
9lnifles a. monOpolies, and it is now
proposed 70 add 20 these the insurance
..sness A leading paper in Petro-
t'1a says that in view Of the require
asls Of The Imperial Budget Commit
- ihs Ministry Of the Interior has
.,zsn The preparation Of reforms in the
-ssrsnee business. II is said that the
lseessSry data have been collected and
.ave hat government monopoly Of
- business would be chiefly valuable
{ ne Fire Department. The prelim-
Az calculation show that such a
.o.epoly would yield the treasury sew
"a tens Of millions Of rubles per
'en and would make b. unnecessary.
sRect reinsursnces abroad. which
80 mean more satisfactory state
= <Ssirs from that point Of view in
- country. K is felt, TOO. that 70
,1pYonze the insurance business
.'sia make II easier 20 handle the fire
s.,'i,on and % bring the fire brigades
i'sl '''i' '0"-
Newspapers Disappear.
An'ng the many inconvenienees
IN In which the country has suffered
k 70 he closing Of the frontiers
estn a shortage Of paper. Several
s,spepfrs or this account have dis
gesfs9 altogether, while Others have
- % appear iH reduced size and
,si, again, mainly in Siberia. are
J,sefng printed on packing pape-.
reported from Chsbarovosk that
,s..t sst o. paper there has ceased al
i]sIAei. Poster paper is not 20 be
,e sne shite news comes in very
r,..naeoieslly while packing paper. on
80 .ns journals are IN the mean
T.-~&~ Dfla -Nn1H