Association Against the Prohibition Amendment
Encyclopedia
The Association Against the Prohibition Amendment was established in 1918 and became a leading organization working for the repeal of prohibition
Repeal of Prohibition
The Repeal of Prohibition in the United States was accomplished with the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment to the United States Constitution on December 5, 1933.-Background:...

 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Background

The national prohibition of alcohol occurred in the U.S. between January 1920 and December 1933. It was introduced with high expectations that alcoholism, poverty, crime and many other social problems would largely disappear after the production, distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages became illegal.

Prohibition created a number of unanticipated consequences. An illegal market for unregulated and untaxed alcohol quickly appeared. The resulting beverages often contained mummifying fluid and other products not conducive to good health. Crime syndicates spread, political corruption became rampant, and violent crime increased dramatically. Because alcoholic beverages were often hard to obtain, people tended to drink large quantities quickly when they had the opportunity.

Growth

The Association Against the Prohibition Amendment was founded by William H. Stayton
William H. Stayton
Captain William H. Stayton founded the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment in 1918 and served as chairman of its board of directors. Captain Stayton and the Association played an important role in bringing about the repeal of prohibition in the U.S. .Stayton authored of Naval Militiaman's...

 in 1918. It grew rapidly as the problems caused by prohibition became increasingly evident. Its publicity campaign, begun in 1928, helped mobilize growing opposition to the Eighteenth Amendment (the "prohibition amendment"). Prominent members of the organization included Pierre S. du Pont
Pierre S. du Pont
Pierre Samuel du Pont was president of the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company from 1915 to 1919, and served on its Board of Directors until 1940...

, Irenee du Pont, John J. Raskob
John J. Raskob
John Jakob Raskob, KCSG was a financial executive and businessman for DuPont and General Motors, and the builder of the Empire State Building. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1928 to 1932 and a key supporter of Alfred E. Smith's candidacy for President of the United...

, Jouett Shouse, and James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr.
James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr.
James Wolcott Wadsworth Jr. was a U.S. Republican politician from New York. He was the son of New York State Comptroller James Wolcott Wadsworth, Sr., and the grandson of Union General James Samuel Wadsworth, Sr.-Biography:...


Sources

  • Kyvig, David. Repealing National Prohibition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.
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