Source: Edward Behr. Prohibition: 13 Years That Changed America (2013)
The many weaknesses and omissions of the Volstead Act and the 18th Amendment were due to the powerful influence of Wayne Wheeler (pictured), the leader of the Anti-Saloon League. Congressman Andrew J. Volstead (R; MN), was merely the facilitator of the law that bore his name. On 27 May, 1919, the bill was introduced to the House of Representatives, and after a three month debate, was passed 255 - 166. Shortly thereafter, the Senate also passed the Volstead Bill, and then President Woodrow Wilson vetoed it on Constitutional and ethical grounds. On the same day, Congress overrode Wilson's veto; at that point, the Volstead Act replaced all previous "Dry" laws in the states.
The Volstead Act (pictured: Representative Andrew J. Volstead) had many exceptions with alcohol, such as brewers could stay in business with "Near Beer" (.05 % alcohol). There was no liquor advertising, and the implements to manufacture liquor were illegal as well, but it was legal to drink in a private home.
The Volstead Act was a hopeless piece of legislation, in that it didn't take into account the willingness and ingenuity of regular citizens and lawbreakers to get around the feeble enforcement provisions. The "Drys" naively assumed that the "Wets" would actually honor the law.
The Volstead Act was a hopeless piece of legislation, in that it didn't take into account the willingness and ingenuity of regular citizens and lawbreakers to get around the feeble enforcement provisions. The "Drys" naively assumed that the "Wets" would actually honor the law.
It was a forgone conclusion that 3/4's of the states would ratify the proposed 18th Amendment, making Prohibition part of the Constitution (Nebraska would be the 36th state to ratify the 18th Amendment). One year after ratification, the 18th Amendment was officially enacted on 17 January, 1920 (immediately, the Bahamas became a "Bootleggers Paradise").
On the night of 16 January, 1920, the level of drinking by the nation's "Wets" was somewhat muted. On 17 January, the celebration of the "Drys" was off-the-charts; it was vitriolic and self-congratulatory hyperbole . . . to the "Drys", they had totally defeated the "Wets"; those that consumed alcohol had become a "conquered people".
On the night of 16 January, 1920, the level of drinking by the nation's "Wets" was somewhat muted. On 17 January, the celebration of the "Drys" was off-the-charts; it was vitriolic and self-congratulatory hyperbole . . . to the "Drys", they had totally defeated the "Wets"; those that consumed alcohol had become a "conquered people".
During that "Grace Period" between ratification and implementation of the 18th Amendment, the government had to prepare for the enforcement of Prohibition. But Congress only allocated a measly $3 million, and there were only 1500 agents in the newly-created Prohibition Bureau (pictured: agents from the Prohibition Bureau in action).
Adding to the future futility of enforcing Prohibition was Wayne Wheeler's idea to put the agents in the Prohibition Bureau under the authority of the Treasury Department, not under Justice (Wheeler had lobbied Ohio Senator Warren Harding very hard for that decision). Very early, that proved to be a disastrous decision, in that since the agents were civil servants, they were poorly paid and equipped . . . the conditions were ripe for corruption at the enforcement level in the federal government during Prohibition.
Adding to the future futility of enforcing Prohibition was Wayne Wheeler's idea to put the agents in the Prohibition Bureau under the authority of the Treasury Department, not under Justice (Wheeler had lobbied Ohio Senator Warren Harding very hard for that decision). Very early, that proved to be a disastrous decision, in that since the agents were civil servants, they were poorly paid and equipped . . . the conditions were ripe for corruption at the enforcement level in the federal government during Prohibition.
Immediately after Prohibition was enacted in January 1920, sprouting up like daisies, were speakeasies, bootleggers, and hijackers. The "Drys" were, of course, surprised, but these shenanigans had been going on at the state level for a long time. "Medicinal" liquor was legal under the 18th Amendment, and in Chicago alone, 15,000 doctors and 57,000 druggist were prescribing liquor to "treat" various ailments.
The ingenuity of clandestine liquor manufacturers / brewers was impressive; it was worth their while to supply that product, in that demand for illegal alcohol was sky-high. Defying Prohibition became the "thing to do" with college students, "Flappers", and much of America's middle class (also, the cocktail was invented during Prohibition, in order to disguise the taste of bad liquor).
Below: America's most famous columnist, H.L Mencken of the Baltimore Sun,
openly and enthusiastically violating Prohibition in a speakeasy.
The ingenuity of clandestine liquor manufacturers / brewers was impressive; it was worth their while to supply that product, in that demand for illegal alcohol was sky-high. Defying Prohibition became the "thing to do" with college students, "Flappers", and much of America's middle class (also, the cocktail was invented during Prohibition, in order to disguise the taste of bad liquor).
Below: America's most famous columnist, H.L Mencken of the Baltimore Sun,
openly and enthusiastically violating Prohibition in a speakeasy.
Prohibition meant that the U.S. was all set for a wild drinking spree that would last 13 years, 5 months, and 9 days. Prohibition would transform the nation's morals, and alter attitudes towards all those in authority; it would also usher in a new "Era of Cynicism". Political immorality flourished at the federal, state, and local levels during Prohibition, which allowed lawbreakers, bootleggers, speakeasies, hijackers, and a new breed of gangster to flourish.
(Below: A segment from Ken Burns' "Prohibition",
tracing the last few years before the 18th Amendment)
(Below: A segment from Ken Burns' "Prohibition",
tracing the last few years before the 18th Amendment)