Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-01-26


A miracle has happened in Russia
miracle that has put bread In the
cupboards of the poor, fire on the
| hearths, reformed the wife-beater,
lifted a people from sullenness and
despair TO happiness and self-respect.
| And the miracle. strangely enough,
was made possible by Russia's auto
cratic form OF government, under
which the little father, by one stroke
Of the pen, put vodka and its tempta-
lions beyond the reach OF the people
--.by prohibiting the sale of strong
drink in any part of the empire.
Wonderful Change In Russia.
Henry w. Hitler, who for the last 81
years has spent half of each year IN
| Russia, managing silver shops for
| Tiffany Il Co., told me of the wonder
| fnl change that had taken place there,
and explained that there was nothing
! halfway about this prohibition. /
| had Just landed In Moscow" he said.
Il felt II little chilly aud sent out for
some rum TO put In my tea. Not q
drop was TO be had. | hadn't heard
| TN then OF the ears ukase, but /
soon saw the effects OF 1t upon the
men when I went to the shops.
a miracle before, but the regeneration
that / saw there was nothing short of
miraculous. The Russian peasants
speak always of Black Monday In
Russia, for they usually come to work
s0dden, stupid and depressed after 4
day spent In the wine shops. And
they're lucky, too, If they don't miss
at least one day through the WORKING
week for the same reason--drlnk. on
payday the wives who came--so UNI
derfed so badly clothed--to wheedle
from them part of their earnings 70
huy food for the children, usually
came too late---ail gone.
Blessing To Women.
"Now" continued Mr.. Hitler, this
marvellous change has swept over
Russia like cyclone--with the noise
left out II Ia wonderful The men
come to work cheerful. sober; their
work has improved Incredibly AMI
the women--as | met them on the
streets, a great burden was gradually
lifted from me. They ceased coming
after their husbands pay, and as the
weeks wore on they and their children
began TO Rockwell. MS IL they had
had n meal--two meals-finally three
meals a day.
es~r ~ tho change----a change from a
people starving, hopeless. inefficient,
slaves TO drink. to people well nourr-
ished, Industrious. regenerated. Aad,
mind You'll left Moscow the last OF
Octobor--this was the result OF less
than three months under this regime.
The chief OF police of Moscow was
iubilant over the almost incredible de-
crease In crime. My job Is fine, he
said genially, There's comparatively
no crime. IL used to be q common
thing 10 see men and women, too,
am sorry TO say, lying dead drunk in
the side streets. You don't see "A
drunken man now. and women eau
walk about without being insulted.'
Reforming the Peasants.
"The Russian peasant, you know, is
the kindlicst fellow in the world, nut
let him get two or three drinks OF
vodka twodky MIR. Hitler pronounces
60 and he's the devil incarnate. When
/ lived in Siberia | had a cook who
was the gentlest sort of fellow, ordi-
narily. but who had been punished
! five times for murder after drinking
and he'd have committed another IL
| 4 hadn't Knocked him senseless with q
/ log one day. Don't think said Mr.,
Hitler, athat this regeneration came
in moment from the czar or his des-
pots. The Russian government gives
only where II has TO. 1t owns the
| LIQUOR trade and gets from II yearly
revenue OF billion dollars. Now the
peasant knows that his glass of vodka
| i not good for him, and eats up his
money and his ambition, but It has q
terrible hold on him.
How Ii Commenced.
Years ago great movement
lagainst liquor started. an expression
Of resentment against government
lthat traded upon the curse Of its peo-
pie. Then came the war. The anti
alcohol people said: Now is the time
10 strike: IL win help mobilization,
and moreover the czar will be afraid
now To refuse us And the ear had
the power to accomplish ut one stroke
what some have been working for for
years. DO you hear grumbllng? Not
very much. OF course. there are al
ways those who think they must drink
or die. and they did die--some Ct
them, for they even took 70 wood al