RUSSIA AFTER VODKA LEFT 115 



The statement was vehemently denied. ' If it were 

 so, I would know it," he said, "for I am in daily receipt 

 of government reports and they all' say that never was 

 Russia so sober. You manufacture much in America, ' ' 

 said the consul general, "and this [referring to the 

 magazine article] was manufactured in your country. 

 It is one of the lies of the trade. It is natural to lie 

 when the truth will hurt; Madame need not believe 

 that I know nothing of such evasions. ' 



"But since I came here I have been told that many 

 people have died in Russia from drinking methylated 

 spirits," I urged. 



The answer came with startling emphasis. 



"Let them die! It is better for Russia that they 

 should die. They are a disgrace to their country and a 

 burden to their wives and children. We cannot kill 

 them. Let them kill themselves. Why weep over 

 the death of a few old drunkards when, under our 

 most gracious Emperor's beneficent ukase, Russia is 

 saving millions of youth from a degraded life and an 

 ignoble death? When these drunkards go, there will 

 be no boys to follow them. Russia is facing the 

 future. She will conserve her youth.' 



To my blundering inquiry as to whether he was 

 following the Cz'ar's example, the consul general 

 replied frigidly and with hurt pride: "Madame, I am 

 a devoted and loyal subject of Russia's most noble 

 ruler." 



The woman's viewpoint on this interesting subject 

 was gained one bright April day in Paris, when Ma- 

 demoiselle D'Aubigne, daughter of the author of 



