Page 53 - All About History - Issue 186-19

Female
campaigners
were often
satirized
by political
cartoonists as
prohibition
became a major
in t e att e a ainst rin . Li e t e WCTU, it issue in the late
which from lobbied at all levels o government or a ban on 19th century
he manufacture and sale of alcohol. Many of its
a growing readership – at its high point it had a ost prominent mem ers were young enoug to
circulation of 90,000. The WCTU also roduced ave grown up in t e sc oo s an communities
am hlets that were distributed widel and taken so heavily in luenced by the prohibition ideas
on the increasing number of visits to mining and pus e y t e WCTU. T ey were a so new masters
railroad cam s at po itica manipu ation, wor ing strategica y to
ithin a few ears of its formation, the eturn can i ates w o wou ac an a co o an.
WCT d bec me ne f the m t influenti l By t e time t e Unite States entere Wor War
organisations in America. Under the energetic One in 1917, t e pro i itionists a e po itica
eadership of Frances Willard, it be an to focus um ers to ma e t eir reams a rea ity.
more on ringing a out egis ation to ac ieve nationa Pro i ition too o in 1920,
its aim of a ban on booze. In 1882, she steered it women’s organisations continued their fight
towar s an a iance wit e Pro i ition Part , a ainst a co o . T e Women’s Nationa Committee The Pr hibit n Amendment wr te ll rm
w ic a een set up in 1869 an was gaining For Law En orcement was set up in 1922 to to fellow women. Pauline Sabin’s article, ublishe
votes ear on ear. In t e 1884 resi entia campai n or stricter en orcement o Prohibition i Ou oo Ma azine out ine e ro ems
e ection, t e WCTU encourage mem ers to pus laws, and within ten years it had millions o s e saw in i ega y rewe co o an e ri
t eir ma e re atives to ac e roup. Wi a em ers. Women gaine e vote in 1920 an of s eakeasies. ‘’I was one of the women who
and her administrators also offered support in ook on increasin ly public roles in politics. In avoured prohibition,’’ she wrote, be ore adding,
organising t e Pro i ition Party to maximise its 1926, the committee’s oundin member, Lucy ’’I am now convinced it has oved a failure.’’
revenues an votin appea . Peabody, appeared before Con ress to ar ue for a She began to attract a group of new female
he two were natural bed ellows. The arsher endorsement of the ban. Howeve while campaigners. M e c ass an moneye , t ey
Prohibition Party had backed female suffra e from circumstances had changed, the guiding ethos saw repea in Pro i ition as a socia necessity an
its earliest days and allowed women to stand or o the women’s movement on rohibition hadn’t. t eir cause soon attracte i num ers.

“P P LI TP LITI IANWILLIAMJENNIN BRYANA KN WLED EDTHAT‘W MENARELAR ELYRE P N IBLE

FOR NATIONAL PROHIBITION WHICH WAS SECURED WITHOUT EQUAL SUFFRAGE’”

major roles in the group, while the WCTU also Luc Pea o to er au ience t at ‘’we re resent roups against a booze ban sprang up. The
actively campai ned or total su ra e. But or he home, the school, the church’ Women’s Or anisation For National Prohibition
Willard and fellow hi h-profile campai ners like o i ition i ro uce an im ovement eform be an in 1929 while Molly Pitcher Clubs,
nna Gordon, rohibition was one wa in which u ic ea t an socia con itions. But it a so named after the American Revolution heroine also
their voice could be heard. Willard encoura ed brought other changes for women. Saloons campai ned to repeal the 18th Amendment.
her followers to “do everything”, inspiring them and bars had been the reserve of men but was this new roup that won the day. In 1933,
to campai n on a wide ran e of issues to try s ea easies, w ic so contra an ooze, weren’t the 21st Amendment brou ht Prohibition to an
and bring about social change. While the female so restrictive. T ey were i e a anyway so a no end. The WCTU continued its uest to remove
rohibitionists couldn’t cast a ballot, the were notion o upholding any law that orbade entry to lc h l fr m Americ n life but the i ue h d l t
increasingly aware o their ability to change laws women. Within a few ears, female drinkers were its potency in politics. The pictures announcin
and the overnments that made them throu h ru ing s ou ers wit men t e repea were ominate y men an e
their social in luence he underground trade in drink, and the often lone female fi ure of Pauline Sabin. But all
ut as the 20th centur dawned, the ound role or anised crime played in its continuation, those looking at them, as Prohibition inished,
a new su orter of their lans for Prohibition. led another group of women to join the fight were aware t at t e att e over ooze a een
The Anti-Saloon Lea ue, ormed on a national to r eal Prohibition. In 1928, the wi e o a ominate women an eir crusa es a
level in 1895, uick became a owerful voice leadin member of the Association A ainst chan ed America orever.

ME BREWIN WA
TRAN P RTIN INDIVID AL WERE LL WED WITHIN
LI UOR RE UIRED TILL ALL WED T EASON – EACH
PERMI BUT BUY INTOXICATIN HOUSEHOLD COULD
PE PLE WERE LIQUOR IF PR D E P T A TLAWED
ALL WED T PRE RIB Y 2000 GALLONS OF N NO ONE WAS
MAKE SELL AND DOCTO T THEY N N-INT XI ATIN LLOWED TO
ARRY AL H L E IMITED T IDER R FR IT VERTI E ZE
FOR SACRAMENTAL E PINT EVERY JUI E’ A YEAR A R ALE
PURPOSES TEN DAYS N IT WA BEL W
. F