The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1921-02-25
Saturday Evening Post
Articles Describes
Pussyfoot Johnson
Tells of Prohibition Fight Going On
In England

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i'll the February 10 Saturday Evening
Post written by Kenneth L. Roberts,
contains one OF the best accounts of
the liquor situation in England that
has yet appeared i'll any American
publication. OF especial interest to
American Issue readers is this de-
scription OF Pussyioot Johnson and
comments on his work in England:
"Pussyfoot Johnson is tall, thick
set. neutral-tinted person with a soft,
soothing voice, an air Of surprised and
Wideeyed innocence an enormous
store of facts OF nature TO disturb a
supporter OF the liquor interests, and
d nervous ggglc which nc interjects
unexpectedly after ridding himself of
a statement particularly damning to
an anti Prohibitionst. His name is
as well known in some sections OF
America As Is that oi George WASH
ington or Babe Ruth or Charles
Chaplin. In other sections it isn't so
well known. In England there isn't a
town or village or tiny hamlet that
doesn't know about Pussyioot john
son. From the chalk cliffs OF the
Channel and the unpronouneeable
coal-mining districts OF Wales up TO
the wild islands Off the coast OF Scot
land where the natives weave their
tweeds in the mingled atmosphere OF
acrid peat reek and Scotch whisky.
the name OF Pussyfoot Johnson is
household word re has become the
sign manral OF tnc temperance forces
and the living embodiment OF Prohi-
biton. When the vets attack the
Prohibition movement they attack it
through Pussyioot Johnson. His
name has become the generic term FOR
every variety OF temperance worker
and Prohibitionist A Prohibitionist
is pussyfoot so is temperance
worker. The verb TO pussyfoot'
means 10 engage in Prohibition work.
Origin OF Nickname
"Pussyfoot Johnson did his first
bic anti-liquor work as cliof special
officer OF the United States Indian
Service, charged with suppressing the
illegal selling OF liquor to the Indians
ON Indian reservations. He Was
game fighter. and a two-Gsted fighter,
and a gun fighter to boot. when the
occasion demanded it. He got his
nickname from the silent manner in
which he would travel from place to
place and then drop like ton OF lead
pipe on the unsuspccting head OF a
law-breaker. The stories OF some of
his fist fights and gun fights in New
Mexico. Oklahoma, Utah and Mime
sofa are OF the type to make the &C.
ton OF Old Sleuth and Old King
Brady sound as nnocuous as the
Flaxic Frizzle books. Soon after he
lett the Indian Service in 1ol1 he be-
came the managing editor OF the
American Issue publications, which
are the publications of the Anti-Ss-
loon League of America. He visited
Russia and wrote good account of
the vodka monopoly, and in other
ways made his name known in Eu-
rope as a highly successful temper
ance worker.
"There was a violent concentration
OF public interest in the Prohibition
question. The name of Pussyfoot
was feverishly hated on every side.
Loses Eye in Riot
"Pussyfoot made speeches in yari-
Gus parts of the country and was
greeted with what the less refined ele-
ments OF English society know as the
bird. and what corresponding ele-
ments in America delight to term the
razz. Finally, at Prohibition de-
bate i'll London some University of
London students, by way OF a jolly
little undergraduate prank. started
riot against Pussyfoot. The riot
spread and became unmanageable.
piiNS iNoNi NNo WHY NoliNd Ouli dIu
just as the reserves were about to
rescue Johnson someone threw a rock
which put out his right eye. Johnson
is, and always has been, a game
fighter. He suffered intense pain for
many days, but never had word of
blame for anyone. An evening paper
started a popular subscription for
him, and Johnson asked that the
money be turned over 70 ST. Dunstan's
Hospital for blinded soldiers. There
was great revulsion of feeling in his
favor.
A Gem of Wet Thought
"The interest in Prohibition con-
tinued TO grow, and the liquor inter-
ests in England began to be more and
more worried. The definite arrival of
Prohibition in America afflicted them
with some extremely poignant pains.
The rumbles of the local option CAM
paign in Scotland were distinctly au-