ii4 RUSSIA THEN AND NOW 



gence in alcohol has ceased. Our soldiers face the foe 

 more bravely; wounds are no longer feared, they heal 

 so quickly and those long winter marches, they have 

 been made without vodka. ' 



It was hard to realize that I was talking to an officer 

 of the imperial army and a member of the Russian 

 aristocracy, when the consul general enthusiastically 

 referred to the democratic application of the Czar's 

 ukase to prince and peasant, staff officer and common 

 soldier alike. It was all so different from the spirit of 

 military caste and privilege that has grown up in our 

 own republican army. 



The grog ration of the soldiers gave way to a money 

 allowance in 1912, and early in 1914 a new order 

 provided for monthly and even weekly temperance 

 lectures in the army. 



The Russian government, which is ecclesiastical as 

 well as political, has always esteemed the sale of 

 intoxicants iniquitous and has never recognized the 

 trade's right to compensation. When as a measure 

 of protection to her people, Russia took over the 

 vodka traffic in 1894, she did not reimburse the liquor 

 sellers; and the present local option laws provide for 

 the refund of a proportionate amount of the license 

 when prohibition takes effect previous to the expira- 

 tion of the license of any retail dealer. 



I had just read an article on Russian prohibition in 

 an American magazine, and I ventured to refer to the 

 charge that denatured alcohol and other even more 

 poisonous substitutes had taken the place of vodka, to 

 the grave danger of the Russian people. 



