Evening star., 1933-02-20
PROHIBITION FIGHT
BEGUN IN COLONIES
Drunkards First Put in Stocks
and PeIted, or Tagged
With 3D."
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
The prohibition movement IN the
United States which resulted in the
ban on all intoxicating beverages can
be traced as far back as Colonial days.
1t did not begin as an active plan to
prohibit the manufacture, sale and
transportation of intoxicating liquors,
but as temperance movement directed
toward winning converts by persuasion
rather than by law.
Soon after the earliest settlers came
to America there were moves of one
sort or another to discourage drunken
ness
Notable among these was the placing
of drunkards in stocks to be pelted with
eggs and vegetables by those who passed
by. Other Colonists prescribed that a
large letter d. should be worn about
the neck Of an habitual drunkard
Major interest in the idea of banning
all alcoholic beverages-or prohibition
as it Is known-flrst swept the United
States in the 1850's.
Adoptions in 1846-55
Between 1916 and 1855 13 States
adopted prohibition laws, with Maine
leading the way. but this wave of pro-
AhpAVAO4l cAilehAiiNl1b cDOtl lcCcuEu WI1GIl
some of the laws we're declared uncon-
stitutional and others repealed.
In 1859 the Prohibition party was
organized and was followed in 1874 by
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. With these new leaders in the
Held new interest was aroused and in
1880 Kansas wrote prohibition into its
constitution, then an action not taken
by any other State. Other States were
experimenting, adopting, changing end
repeating their laws, and so by 1905
three States. Kansas, Maine and North
Dakota, had prohibition laws.
Shortly before the World War new
interest in the movement was created
and by 1918 had gained rapid strides.
In that year the Anti-Saloon League
Of America. founded at Oberlin, Ohio,
in 1893. was well established and ready
to lead the movement. Other organi-
zations joined and the list of prohibi-
ton States was increased from three
to nine
In 1913 Congress passed the Webb
Kenyon law, which protected dry States
from importations of liquor over the
veto OF President Taft and In that
year also Senator Sheppard Democrat,
Texas introduced his resolution for a
constitutional amendment for national
prohibition.
The World War gave further impetus
to prohibition.
Ratification Prompt.
An overwhelming vote in Congress and
sizeable vote even in many of the
wet States brought prompt ratification
OF the eighteenth amendment. The
Nebraska Legislature on January is.
1919, completed the list of three
fourths of the States necessary to place
the amendment in the Constitution.
The amendment became effective at
midnight on January is, 1920. A few
hotels in New York draped their tables
IN black cloth.
In Washington a group of prohibi-
oition leaders, including william Jen-
nings Bryan, Wayne B. Wheeler of
the Anti-Saloon League, Senator Shep-
pard and Representative Volstead of
Minnesota, author of the law to en-
force the eighteenth amendment. gath
cred at the First Congregational Church
to await the stroke of midnight
Iwenty-four hours later the An1eri-
can public received its first enforce
ment news-four stills were raided in
Detroit, Mich, and Hammond. Ind.
Ihere were important DEVELOPMENTS
IN opposition to- national prohibition
seven years there were important de-
velopments IN opposition to national
prohibition. In 1926 the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment
joined hands with number of other
organizations. including the American
Federation of Labor. in an attempt to
prove to Congress that the prohibition
laws could not be successfully enforced
Two years ago there appeared to be
considerable sentiment for a recon-
slderation of the whole question of
prohibition and the question was car
ried into the last campaign. Then last
December the House defeated an out
right repeal resolution. Today the
question of submitting repeal to the
States came up again before that
branch.