the way of
good food and good service is provided for the traveller, and French and
German are freely spoken.

It is impossible to write on the general social life without mentioning,
though one cannot do more, certain recent events which must have a
tremendous influence upon Russia's future, socially as well as
nationally. There is, for instance, the Emperor's proclamation against
the _vodka_ monopoly hitherto enjoyed by the government, which prohibits
State _vodka_ selling for ever. The effect upon the public life of the
great cities has been astonishing already. No one could have believed
that the "stroke of a pen," so to speak, could have wrought such a
change in the habits of a people. It remains to be seen, of course, how
long the change will last; but, though Acts of Parliament cannot make
people sober, it is a grand step in the right direction to decide that
they shall not make them drunk, as the encouragement given by the State
to the sale of _vodka_ must certainly have done.

Could any other modern government have made a sacrifice such as Russia
has made in giving up the expectation of nearly L100,000,000 of revenue
for the social well-being of her people? Truly she deals with "large
spaces!"

Moreover, the _vodka_ proclamation comes in the natural course of
things, and can have been but very little hurried by the war; for things
were already moving in that direction. Last year but one--1913--a scheme
of "local option" was introduced into the empire; and, in every commune
within its boundaries, I am assured, men and women alike having the vote
for the purpose, the inhabitants were allowed to decide for themselves
whether they would allow _vodka_ to be sold in their villages and towns.
It was recognized that if the men enjoyed getting drunk the wives and
mothers were the sufferers, and so they were allowed to vote.

The whole country, therefore, before the war broke out, was prepared to
face a great issue. And the general war cry, "We've a greater foe to
fight than the Germans!" shows how they faced it, and gives them that
ideal which should enable them to go far. They are out for a holy war,
and far-reaching influences are clearly at work which will profoundly
and permanently affect the whole social conditions and well-being of the
people.

Then there is the proclamation concerning the resuscitation of Poland.
This also does not come at all as an overwhelming surprise to many of
us, as it has been fairly