Theo Nash
The Prohibition movement in the United States, which aimed to rid the country of the tyranny of drink, was driven by various organizations and social forces. One of the leading organizations was the Anti-Saloon League (ASL), which was founded in 1893 and became one of the most effective political pressure groups in the country. The ASL, under the leadership of Wayne Wheeler, successfully combined propaganda, religion, and political coercion to make alcohol a wedge issue in elections. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), founded in 1874, was another influential force in the push for Prohibition. The WCTU advocated for the prohibition of alcohol as a method of preventing abuse by alcoholic husbands and creating a “dry sentiment through education. The National Prohibition Party, founded in 1869, also played a role in the movement. The ASL, WCTU, and other groups contributed to the growing anti-alcohol sentiment in the country, which led to the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1919, prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the organization | Anti-Saloon League (ASL) |
| Year of founding | 1893 |
| Leadership | Wayne Wheeler |
| Membership | Millions of Americans, including industrialist Andrew Carnegie and educator Booker T. Washington |
| Tactics | Propaganda, religion, and political coercion |
| Goals | To prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol |
| Achievements | Successfully lobbied for the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages |
| Opposition | The Association Against the Prohibition Amendment, founded in 1918, was the largest of nearly forty organizations fighting to end Prohibition |
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What You'll Learn
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU)
The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was founded in 1874 and was one of the largest and most influential women's organisations of the 19th century. The WCTU advocated for the prohibition of alcohol as a method of preventing abuse from alcoholic husbands through education. Members of the WCTU believed that by spreading their message to children, they could create a "dry sentiment" leading to prohibition.
Frances Willard, the second president of the WCTU, stated that the organisation's aims were to create a "union of women from all denominations, for the purpose of educating the young, forming a better public sentiment, reforming the drinking classes, transforming by the power of Divine grace those who are enslaved by alcohol, and removing the dram-shop from our streets by law". The WCTU's ultimate goal was to achieve a prohibition amendment to the constitution, which seemed like an impossible feat at the time.
The WCTU was part of the larger temperance movement, which had been active and influential in the United States since the 1830s. The temperance movement was rooted in America's Protestant churches and initially urged moderation in alcohol consumption. Over time, the movement's focus shifted, and by the late 19th century, it demanded the prohibition of alcohol at the local, state, and national levels. The movement contributed to the emerging public role of women, as the cause against alcohol was considered acceptable for women to participate in.
The WCTU played a significant role in the push for prohibition, and its efforts helped lay the groundwork for the eventual passage of the 18th Amendment in 1919, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of intoxicating liquors in the United States.
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![Annual convention [program] of national Woman's Christian Temperance Union](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61sEjgyggpL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Anti-Saloon League (ASL)
The Anti-Saloon League (ASL) was formed in 1893 and became one of the most effective political pressure groups in the United States. The ASL was a single-issue lobbying organization with the sole goal of achieving a constitutional amendment to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol.
The ASL's formation was driven by a growing hatred for saloons, which were seen as the preeminent symbol of the evils associated with alcohol. The organization successfully combined propaganda, religion, and political coercion to make alcohol a wedge issue in elections. The ASL had a hierarchical structure, with leagues sponsored by individual congregations, and town, county, and state chapters. This structure allowed the ASL to mobilize local communities and appeal to the popular will to oppose what they saw as institutionalized debauchery. The ASL also had hundreds of full-time, professional organizers funded by subscriptions from local churches and donations from national corporate leaders. This funding allowed the ASL to establish a publishing house that printed the equivalent of 250 million book pages in its first three years.
The ASL's efforts were aided by the emergence of the Progressive Era in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which saw a growing fervor for social reform. Many Progressive reformers sought to improve the living conditions of immigrants, protect the rights of child workers, improve public education, and secure women's rights. They viewed alcohol as the underlying source of various social ills, including poverty and insanity, and thus supported prohibition as a means to address these issues. The ASL's cause was also helped by World War I, as increased anti-German sentiment led to popular hysteria against German Americans, who were associated with the beer industry.
The ASL played a key role in the passage of the 18th Amendment, which was ratified in 1919 and went into effect in 1920, prohibiting the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. The ASL's leader, Wayne Wheeler, was a shrewd and ruthless strategist who was willing to form alliances with any constituency that shared the ASL's goal of prohibition. However, despite the ASL's success in achieving prohibition, the enforcement of the 18th Amendment proved difficult, and the amendment was eventually repealed in 1933 with the ratification of the 21st Amendment.
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The Eighteenth Amendment
Another influential group was the Anti-Saloon League (ASL), founded in 1893, which ran many campaigns against the sale of alcohol. The ASL argued that prohibition would lead to happier families, reduced workplace accidents, and an overall improvement in society. The ASL was led by Wayne Wheeler, who also conceived and introduced the legislation that became the National Prohibition Act, also known as the Volstead Act. The Volstead Act was passed by Congress on October 28, 1919, to enforce the Eighteenth Amendment and define the term "intoxicating liquors" to include liquor, wine, and beer.
While the Eighteenth Amendment led to a decline in alcohol consumption, it was difficult to enforce, particularly in cities. The amendment inadvertently fuelled the growth of illegal alcohol manufacturing, smuggling (rum-running or bootlegging), and illicit bars (speakeasies). Criminal organisations, such as the one led by Al Capone in Chicago, profited from the illegal alcohol trade. Public sentiment towards the amendment turned negative in the late 1920s, and the battle for its repeal began. The Association Against the Prohibition Amendment, established even while the amendment was being ratified, helped mobilise opposition to the law.
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The Volstead Act
The Anti-Saloon League, formed in 1893, became a powerful political force in the push for prohibition. They leveraged the aftermath of World War I to gain support for a national ban on alcohol, exploiting anti-German sentiment and arguing that grain used for whiskey was needed to feed the Allied nations. The League's leader, Wayne Wheeler, conceived and drafted the Volstead Act, which was initially vetoed by President Woodrow Wilson but became law when Congress overrode the veto.
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The Twenty-first Amendment
The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified on 16 January 1919, after years of activism by the temperance movement. The subsequent enactment of the Volstead Act established federal enforcement of the nationwide prohibition on alcohol. However, many Americans continued to drink despite the amendment, and the Prohibition gave rise to a profitable black market for alcohol, fuelling the rise of organised crime.
The Anti-Saloon League (ASL), founded in 1893, was one of the most effective political pressure groups in the U.S. and played a significant role in the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment. The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), founded in 1874, was another influential organisation advocating for prohibition. However, as the negative consequences of Prohibition became more apparent, the number of conservatives who had initially pushed for it decreased. Many farmers who had initially supported Prohibition later advocated for its repeal due to its detrimental impact on the agriculture business.
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Frequently asked questions
The Anti-Saloon League (ASL), founded in 1893, was the most prominent organization pushing for the prohibition of alcohol in the United States.
The Anti-Saloon League played a crucial role in advocating for a constitutional amendment to ban the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. They effectively combined propaganda, religion, and political tactics to make alcohol a divisive issue in elections.
Yes, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), founded in 1874, was another influential organization. They believed that educating children about the dangers of alcohol could create a sentiment leading to prohibition. Additionally, the Prohibition Party, founded in 1869, also contributed to the movement.
