Individuals in favor of Prohibition, seeing the benefits of the institution, worked together to sustain it. Those against Prohibition, feeling a violation of their rights, acted just as intensely, if not even more so, to stop the movement. The government, ignoring the voice of the people, was primarily concerned with keeping Prohibition alive. However, the right to individual voice, a principle upon which the United States was founded, made it impossible for an institution such as Prohibition to exist suc

The most severe problems resulted from the illegal manufacture of liquor by individuals, and from numerous rebellious acts that brought about more crime. Because of all the negative things that began to occur, many citizens developed a hatred toward the government for instituting Prohibition. The Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform, The National Association Opposed to Prohibition, The Moderation League, and the American Veterans’ Association for the Repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment were just a few of the coalitions that existed during the Prohibition Era which complained about the injustices of making the nation "dry" (Cashman 161). These groups, besides leading rallies against Prohibition, often wrote letters to the United States government discussing the harm they saw in the Amendment. This approach was the route that the less radical of anti-prohibitionists took (Cashman 162-164).

The next action taken centered around the Harrison Narcotics Act. It included a wave of state prohibitions, or local-option laws against alcohol. In the states that were affected, laws concerning alcohol became harsher, and they often became strictly enforced (Thornton 10). This also changed the restrictions on alcohol that were originally applied due to World War I. But, now that the war was over, many citizens were no longer willing to accept these regulations. Again the government did not recognize the growing dissatisfaction of its citizens (Kobler 13). Then came the Wickersham Commission which contained four proposals to the Volstead Act. It first directed that there be a codification of all Prohibition laws over the previous forty years. New legislation would also be required to give extra force to the provisions of the Volstead Act. Thirdly, it was recommended that Prohibition matters be transferred from the Bureau of Treasury to the Department of Justice. The final request included in the Wickersham Commission was that there be trial without jury for any slight violation of the Prohibition Laws (Cashman 208).

The Anti-Saloon League of America was founded in 1893 at Oberlin, Ohio. Throughout Prohibition, its members went from town to town speaking out against saloons and alcohol (Merz 8). On January 16, 1920, they also declared, "it is here at last - dry America’s first birthday" (Kobler 11). Women established a group of their own as well. In 1874, Protestant women formed th

Some topics in this essay:
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