One day just by chance at a cab driver's dance a wonderful girlie I found--a bootlegger's daughter who always drank water unless there was liquor around. So I married the bootlegger's daughter and really it isn't so bad. I work all the day, but it's nothing but play just taking out orders for Dad. I know that the stuff's full of poison, but me and my sweetie won't die. When we want a drink, we go out to the sink--the bootlegger's daughter and I!
When I asked her to wed "Go to father" she said he's down at the still making gin. Said he, "It's a joy that I welcome you, boy--just hang up your hat and come in."
So I married the bootlegger's daughter and she was a terrible quince. I kissed her goodnight where the moonlight was bright and I've been on a jag ever since. They say that her money is tainted though it...as they say. She came with a breath that would scare you to death, but Listerine took it away.
So I married the bootlegger's daughter, and now I'm just rolling in dough. The way she drinks gin is a terrible sin, but "girls will be girls," as you know.
Prohibition's the least of our worries for the whole bloomin' world may go dry. Her Dad made his will, and he left the old still to the bootlegger's daughter and I.
Written by Frank Crumit
When I asked her to wed "Go to father" she said he's down at the still making gin. Said he, "It's a joy that I welcome you, boy--just hang up your hat and come in."
So I married the bootlegger's daughter and she was a terrible quince. I kissed her goodnight where the moonlight was bright and I've been on a jag ever since. They say that her money is tainted though it...as they say. She came with a breath that would scare you to death, but Listerine took it away.
So I married the bootlegger's daughter, and now I'm just rolling in dough. The way she drinks gin is a terrible sin, but "girls will be girls," as you know.
Prohibition's the least of our worries for the whole bloomin' world may go dry. Her Dad made his will, and he left the old still to the bootlegger's daughter and I.
Written by Frank Crumit
This song shows the vulnerability of Americans back in the Prohibition time period. The sudden change with alcoholism was not one many Americans were comfortable with. Frank Crumit was able to portray the dependence America had on alcohol, since the man in the song married a bootlegger's daughter, and when the bootlegger died, he and his wife inherited the supply of alcohol. This song was written in the middle of prohibition, 1925. Also, Crumit shows shows how easy it was to want alcohol, and in some cases, drink it. The wife and the husband were able to go and drink it whenever they wanted because they could, a possible reason for why the man married the bootlegger's daughter. This further proves to show how dependent America was on alcohol.
Volestead Act
But, why vote for America to go dry?
For a long time, ever since the first colonists stepped off the Mayflower in Plymouth, Massachusetts, alcohol has been tied with American lives. Back when George Washington was president, he listened to his Secretary of Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, and issued the whiskey tax. That was quite the rebellion. However, while the rebellion was in response to an economic event in America- paying off the debts from the American Revolution- the prohibition was an entirely different cause.
It was noted that alcohol consumption had gone up significantly over the years, building up to the moment when the government decided to create a perfect society- one that was dry. While the amendment, which quickly turned into a law, was not banning the consumption of alcohol, it banned the sale and purchase of alcohol. This affected those who conducted trade. Government officials were convinced that there was a correlation between the amount of alcohol drank per year and the increasing crime rate. They also found that many people were falling ill due to a side-effect of drinking profusely. The scientific discovery convinced the officials of America to go dry. But it did not convince the frustrated public, more so because President Wilson was not on board with this amendment. Congress had to override his veto in order for this amendment to be passed.
President Wilson was always thought to be a key figure in the ratification of this amendment. In reality, he vetoed it because he felt that there should be no such federal law dictating how one should live his or her life. Rather, he felt that it was important to promote moderation over a ban. In his reelection in 1916, he felt that the dry states carried him to office. From the Sheppard Act to making DC go dry, Wilson was in a compromising situation. In 1917, when America declared war on Germany, brewers were targeted as most were German. Professor Irving Fisher, from Yale Economics, prepared a report claiming that if brewers were forbidden from using barley, the resulting savings in grain could produce “eleven million loaves of bread a day.” Later, the Volestead act came into office, sponsored by Republican Representative Andrew Volestead from Minnesota. It spread throughout the state governments since it gave Congress the power to enforce it. The Volestead act was the push needed to have the 18th amendment ratified.
In the 1800's, America preached the Temperance Movement, when abstinence of drinking alcohol was practiced. However, as trade increased, alcohol was an easy product to trade and make money from. This, in turn, promoted excessive drinking. As seen in the graph below, before the amendment was passed, alcohol consumption was very high.
It was noted that alcohol consumption had gone up significantly over the years, building up to the moment when the government decided to create a perfect society- one that was dry. While the amendment, which quickly turned into a law, was not banning the consumption of alcohol, it banned the sale and purchase of alcohol. This affected those who conducted trade. Government officials were convinced that there was a correlation between the amount of alcohol drank per year and the increasing crime rate. They also found that many people were falling ill due to a side-effect of drinking profusely. The scientific discovery convinced the officials of America to go dry. But it did not convince the frustrated public, more so because President Wilson was not on board with this amendment. Congress had to override his veto in order for this amendment to be passed.
President Wilson was always thought to be a key figure in the ratification of this amendment. In reality, he vetoed it because he felt that there should be no such federal law dictating how one should live his or her life. Rather, he felt that it was important to promote moderation over a ban. In his reelection in 1916, he felt that the dry states carried him to office. From the Sheppard Act to making DC go dry, Wilson was in a compromising situation. In 1917, when America declared war on Germany, brewers were targeted as most were German. Professor Irving Fisher, from Yale Economics, prepared a report claiming that if brewers were forbidden from using barley, the resulting savings in grain could produce “eleven million loaves of bread a day.” Later, the Volestead act came into office, sponsored by Republican Representative Andrew Volestead from Minnesota. It spread throughout the state governments since it gave Congress the power to enforce it. The Volestead act was the push needed to have the 18th amendment ratified.
In the 1800's, America preached the Temperance Movement, when abstinence of drinking alcohol was practiced. However, as trade increased, alcohol was an easy product to trade and make money from. This, in turn, promoted excessive drinking. As seen in the graph below, before the amendment was passed, alcohol consumption was very high.
Wondering why there is a downward trend before the amendment was officially passed? Many states had already began regulating prohibition in the state government, making it easy to ratify the amendment. Then why did alcohol consumption skyrocket one year after the amendment was passed? Unfortunately for the American federal government, organized crime rate increased rapidly once the ban of alcohol was placed. Al Capone was one such person. He was going to build his illegal money palace by brewing alcohol illegally. His empire was called Chicago Outfit. He earned up to $60 million annually for selling illegal alcohol. Such people were known as bootleggers. Many people were so desperate to get the taste of alcohol again, they went to illegal extremes, by participating in dangerous criminal activities of black market trade.
However, there was a loophole to the 18th amendment. Since it only banned the sale of alcohol, those who owned breweries could continue to make and sell liquor legally. But people like Capone used this loophole to create a vast illegal empire by selling bootlegged alcohol in speakeasies and other underground saloons. This did not bode good news to the American government since organized crime rate increased with a vengeance.
Did women play a role in prohibition?
The Women's Christian Temperance Union was a key figure in the passing of the amendment. This union went back to the days of Elizabeth Stanton. The two groups fought hand in hand for both the 18th and 19th amendment. Many women felt that the 18th amendment would improve life as it did in the Temperance Movement. The Union's motto was that prohibition would protect the innocent wives and children who were abused by drunk husbands and fathers.
On the flip side, the progression of the Flapper generation had more women involved with alcohol than before. As Flappers explored the world for what it was, they also explored alcohol. In the speakeasies, one would not just find men there, as one would in saloons, but there would be numerous women present. This lead to a difficult situation of female alcoholism.
On the flip side, the progression of the Flapper generation had more women involved with alcohol than before. As Flappers explored the world for what it was, they also explored alcohol. In the speakeasies, one would not just find men there, as one would in saloons, but there would be numerous women present. This lead to a difficult situation of female alcoholism.
In general, prohibition for America was not healthy. Now, America had to choose between drinking and high levels of organized crime units. More people were affected by the crime rates than before. As seen in the graph above, while the general alcohol consumption rate did decrease from the 1910's, it stayed relatively stagnant from 1923 to 1929. With the flappers changing the old Victorian culture, the prohibition period caught America in a transitional period which did not accept change well.
References:
http://www.rustycans.com/HISTORY/prohibition.html
http://constitution.laws.com/american-history/constitution/constitutional-amendments/18th-amendment
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/2011/10/07/how-prohibition-changed-women’s-relationship-to-alcohol/
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/roots-of-prohibition/
http://www.rustycans.com/HISTORY/prohibition.html
http://constitution.laws.com/american-history/constitution/constitutional-amendments/18th-amendment
http://www.drinkingdiaries.com/2011/10/07/how-prohibition-changed-women’s-relationship-to-alcohol/
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/prohibition/roots-of-prohibition/