The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-27
Only -Four Per Cent of Original
Sum Spent For Liquor Is
Now Being Wasted.
FEW DRUNKEN PERSONS
ARE SEEN ON STREETS
Fights, Brawls and Other Diff
culties Fall OFF; People Show
More Hopeful Spirit and
Save Money.


1 Ciated Press correspondent:
After a year and half of prohibit
I ton Russia may be said to have sue
cessfully abolished the liquor tratfc.
! The sale of intoxlcants since Emperor
/ Nicholas put his signature TO the
ukase forbidding the traffic at the
verw outset OF the war has fallen from
nearly a billion roubles (s500,000,-
/ 000l yearly to approximately 4 per
I cent. of that sum. This 4 per cent.
1 largely consists OF the sale OF liquors
I for medicinal purposes, although in
/ X Is included also limited traffic in
wines. for which there Is a restricted
permission in certain parts of the en-
Z pire.
I Vodka formerly the m ost easily OBJ
! tainable commodity in Russia, has
J become as rare as whiskey in the
/ most strictly prohibition community in
4 the United States. Wines are still TO
/ ne had, surrsptitionsly for the most
/ part. but also in some cases and under
prescribed conditions with the knowl-
edge OF the authorities, but at prices
which limit their sale to people of
wealth or woeful extravagance. 1t Is
! possible in Petrograd and Moscow
! for instance. where the ban even on
wines is strict to purchase wines in
! certain hotels, but they may be served
! only IL prIXata dining rooms. and the
! privileges enjoyed by these institutions
are frequently interrupted by the po-
/ lice for some tnfracuon OF the re-
/ strictive rules.
Few Intoxicated Persons
One or the most noticeable results
of the almost complete suppression
/ OF vodka naturally Is the disappear
ance from the streets and other pub
4 lie places OF intoxicated persons. They
have become so rare as to be more or
| less novelty. People observe such
! in q spirit OF curious surpr se, doubt
less the impulse among the majority
! being to wonder how he managed IT.
/ This state OF affairs offers a remark
able contrast to the ante-bellum con-
/ ditton when drunkenness among the
/ lower classes OF society presented n
most serious problem. 1t Is a we'll
/ established fact that each one of the
/ so odd holidays, irrespective OF Sun
days when business houses and fac
1 tories close their doors. used to mean
a Gripping OF business activity on the
!. following day and often for two sue
ceedinR days because OF the sprees
which attended the holiday celehra-
isions. Il is said that the saving TO the
nottingham in this respect alone runs
into prodigious figures, In ono fac
tory in the TulA government. employ
ing 900 men. there were 500 lost
working days in three months during
1914. For the same months in 1915
these were reduced to 40.
The earning capacity or the people
appears TO have outstripped the ad
vance in the cost OF living, with the
result that savings deposits have
mounted ny to an almost unbeleve-
bile extent the peasant js living better
than ne ever did before, and he is ac
duiring r. self-respeCt which he never
possessed in the old days of vodka
domination.
Domestic Rows F'ail on.
i! Among The benefits observed by an
independent investigator. A l. Fare
SOW, who recently travelled through
number Of the central governments,
are: A noteworthy railing off in the
mum Der Of domestic rows. a lighter
and more hopeful spirit among the
people; a decrease in arrears OF taxes;
fields better titled and a growing de-
mand for agricultural machinery;
decrease in alcoholics in the charity
hospitals and other Institutions. and
decrease IN crimes and in the number
of heggars According to this inveS-
tisator. the peasant. instead Of feeling
that he has suffered an injury by the
BOLTON Of vodka. 10 grateful for hav-
ing had n temptation removed which
he knew he himself was poweriess to
resist The Emperor is reverently re-
ferred to as Nicholas the Temper
ate" A peasant ts quoted as saying;
We have now one common enemy
the Germans: formerly every man
was his own enecy."
director OF glass factory at
Moscow said that 30 years more OF
drunkenness would have lost TO the
nasgfan people all capacity for resist
ance and the nation would have fallen
an easy prey to Germany.
\ A typical exemapls OF the recon-
struction In progress Ia to he found
among the Ostyaks. a large popula-
ton In eastern Siberia In the govern
ments Of Tomsk and Tobolsk. whose
chief industry is trapping and fishing
| Formerly they tell eAsy prey to trad
drove sharp bargains for their PRO-
duets. Many branches OF tpis people
were gradually becoming extinct from
excessive use Of alcohol Today they
are said to be completely revolution
tied. Instead of easy Victims they
are becoming clever bargainers them-
i selves. who know how TO get full
velue for their fure and fish
Esnsions Arc Negligible.
! That drunkenness still exists and
! that many substitutes for vodka are
employed cannot be denied. BY COM
1 parison, however, the evasions OF the
| prohibition decree are negligible. Col
oRnes. cosmetics, ana even Varnlshes
are submitted to processes whereby
/ the alcohol In their composition Is OK
/ traoted for consumption: but the ex-
tent Of this practice is barely compar-
able with the blind pig and drug store
abuRes practieed In American prohi-
! bition communities IlNcit nnanufnc- !
turers are constantly bounded by the
police. so that the practice has failed
| 10 assume proportions,
The vacuum left the lives Of for |
mer vodka consumers Ia grad uatiy be-
| Tag niled through the esta blishment in /
! towns and rural districts OF 'narodpy
doms' peoples houses) where stere-
! opttoon and moving picture produc-
! ttons are becoming popular forms OF
amusement. Lecturers are also being
sent out by associations which are |
working for the betterment Of the
people. The Duma has voted i.0o0,- /
! 600 roubies ff50o.000) to promote /
temperance work by City Councils I
the Church and ether organizations. !
| Card playing Ia reported to be on the !
| increase.
Prohibited Forever
There has been much speculation a.
4A ~.