The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-11-24
EVEN SIBERIA IS
B00zi!'ELESs NOW.
The Women are Keen to
Have rohibition Be
come Permanent.

i = 81 *
vLADIyosToK, Nov. 24.-vodkal.
ess vladlyostok has been realized in
spite Of the predictions that sea-
port which Is the gateway!to a rough
frontier country could not be render.
ed non.alcoholic. 81
The imperial edict against alcohol
has been SO thoroughly enforced that
but little liquor is sold. Punishment
OF bootleggers Is so harsh that few
men care to engage in the forbidden
traffic, regardless Of the immense
profits 1t offers.
Vodka is the one drink which per-
sons OF all classes OF ssociety cherish
in Siberian Just as in European Rus.
sia. Before the Cars order against
liquor Vodka sold in vladlvostok at
about fifty kopecks or twenty-five
cents gold a pint. Hardin, which is
located in Manchuria and consequent.
~ Is under Chinese control, is the
nearest, place to Vladiyostok where II.
quor is sold and the liquor smugglea
In from that point for secret sale in
Vladiyostok brings as much as five
rubles, or about $3.50 gold, a pint.
This prince is prohibitive for most
men of the humber classes. Yet a
Few OF them manage 10 get liquor and
an occasional drunken peasant Is en-.
countered staggering through the,
streets.
There seems to be little disposition
on the part of persons higher in the
social scale to evade the prohibition
for! alcoholic drinks in the restaurants
and music halls. II the tip is heavy
enough wine may be had in private
dining rooms at some OF the cafes.
But the walters must be sure of their
customers and subject them to the
third degree before producing the for
hidden beverage.
When asked IL the war order against
alcohol would be made permanent
bank manager said he thought such
action quite probable. "The women
of Siberia are quite as keen to have
permanent prohibition as the women
of European Russia" he replied.
They are urging 1t in every way pos
.sible. 1t means more food and com.
forts for them and their children. Wo:
men talk to me nearly every day
about 1t. They have money now in
spite of the higher cost Of living
brought about by the war" 8}
\ Before the war Vladiyostok was one
of the gayest places In Asia. Its
cafes ran at full blast until 6 or even
z o'clock in the morning and dinners
seldom got under way before mid
night. The miners, railway men, cat
tlemen and furhunters from Eastern
Siberia all centered at Vladiyostok.
and the sailors Joined them in large
numbers. But the war has brought
many changes. Siberia has been
drained of men Of military age. Now
the shipping has grown amazingly and
there are seldom less than, ten freight
steamers in the harbor discharging
war supplies. Consequently the float
ing population is large and the all.
night reyels would probably. go on as
usual wereit not that, liquor has van
ished, the police require ALL places
OF amusementSto close at I o'clock,
and take wanderers iii custody who
are not properly accounted for at their
lodging by that time.
+ So the dinner hour In the Siberian
Paris has been moved up to i o'clock
and the orchestra and performers in
the cafes chantants open their pro. 4
grams at that hour. The gayest Of
these cafes is now Offering revue
something after the order Of chose
produced in European capitals. Polit.
ical jokes are the chief features OF
the performance.
Moving picture theatres are numer.
Gus in Vladiyostok and very well at
tended. War pictures are especially
popular. In one OF these theatres the
correspondent Of The Associated Press
saw a film purporting to show war.
ships preparing to move against the
Dardanelles from which the artist
failed to blot out the Brooklyn Bridge
and the names on American battle
ships passing review.