XIV 

 Teetotal Russia 



FROM John Foster Fraser's Russia of To-Day, 

 I quote the following: 



Russia is never going to be drunken again. Alco- 

 holic beverages have been prohibited, and the Russians 

 are getting used to teetotal beverages. They are 

 quite pleased with themselves. 



All stores where brandy, whisky, vodka, champagne, 

 wine, beer, or liquors were sold have been locked and 

 sealed by the authorities. The liberty-loving Briton, 

 sitting in a restaurant and fancying something more 

 potent than mineral water, casts his eyes upon the 

 glass cases behind the counter where are marshalled 

 rows of bottles of "the real stuff, " but locked up and 

 forbidden. He revels in imagination of the time he 

 will have when he returns to England. 



There is a good deal of cold weather in Russia, and 

 there used to be much drunkenness. Before break- 

 fast the Russian workman, feeling cold, would gulp 

 down a bottle of fiery vodka which cheered him and 

 then fuddled him. Indeed, all classes might be de- 

 scribed as heavy drinkers. There was plenty of de- 

 bauchery and sometimes there were horrible tragedies. 



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