Publisher's Synopsis
Introduction Benjamin Rush, one of the foremost Physicians of the late eighteenth Century, believed in moderation rather than Prohibition. Rush argued that the excessive use of alcohol was injurious to physical and psychological health, labeling drunkenness as a disease. A resolution calling for aConstitutional Amendmentto accomplish Nationwide Prohibition was introduced in Congress and passed by both Houses in December 1917. On October 28, 1919, Congresspassed theVolstead Act, the popular name for the National Prohibition Act, over PresidentWoodrow Wilson'sVeto. Supporters of the Amendment soon became confident that it would not be Repealed. Prohibition began on January 16, 1920, when the Eighteenth Amendment went into effect. Prohibition's supporters were initially surprised by what did not come to pass during the Dry Era. When the Law went into effect, they expected sales of clothing and household goods to skyrocket. Real Estate developers and landlords expected rents to rise as Saloons closed and neighborhoods improved. Chewing gum, grape juice, and soft drink companies all expected growth. Theater producers expected new crowds as Americans looked for new ways to entertain themselves without alcohol. None of it came to pass. Instead, the unintended consequences proved to be a decline in amusement and entertainment industries across the board. Restaurants failed, as they could no longer make a profit without legal liquor sales. The growth of the illegal liquor Trade under Prohibition made criminals such as Al Capone and other criminals millions of dollars. As the decade progressed, Court Rooms and Jails overflowed, and the Legal System failed to keep up. The Eighteenth Amendment was Repealed on December 5, 1933, with Ratification of theTwenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Despite the efforts ofHeber J. Grant, President ofThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aUtahConvention helped Ratify the Twenty-first Amendment. This is a lesson for all times. Humans need some type of pleasure from Alcoholic Spirits. Therlee Gipson"
