No Famine in Vodki.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 168, 16 July 1892, Page 3 (Supplement)

No Famine in Vodki.

While the Russian peasants are reported as starving, the manufacture of vodki, a species of whisky made from grain is as large as ever. The people may starve for want of bread, but the usual amounb of grain must be used for making alcohol. Were all the grain that is used for thia purpose in Russia made into bread there would be no famine. Women and children may' starve, bub men must' have their toddy. -A poor man once scraped together a . few ..dollars tand gent by a neighbour1 who was going to town*" for some necessary articles to keep his family from starving. Among other Mings was & jug' of whisky and some tobacco. As a neighbour was driving away the man shouted after him, 'If there ain'b money enough to get all the things, get the whisky and tobacco anyway.' If th**, manufacture of strong drink could be stopped, every man, woman and child in Russia could be abundantly fed. The bestowal of charity in thie case is entirely misplaced. The cargo of the steamship Indiana mighb better have been kept ab home. Could bhe manufacture of .intoxicabing drink be stopped, the price of bread would at once be lowered more than onehalf. Still, the sending of the relief ship to Russia has enabled certain people to pose as philanthropists. The rage for notoriety which is smouldering in the breast of every citizen seizes all opportunities to manifest itself.—'St. Louis Magazine.'