I must also thank Mr. Markham, Mr. Le Gallienne and Mr. Montague for the use of their poems.
CONTENTS
| CHAPTER | PAGE | |
| I | The Phenomenon of Prohibition | [1] |
| II | Our Great Unhappiness | [10] |
| III | Our Endless Chain of Laws | [17] |
| IV | Too Much “Verboten” | [26] |
| V | Making the World Safe for De-mockery-cy | [46] |
| VI | The Infamous Volstead Act | [62] |
| VII | A Triumvirate Against Prohibition | [83] |
| VIII | “The Fear for Thee, My Country” | [88] |
| IX | Drying Up the Ocean | [109] |
| X | The Mullan-Gage Law, the Van Ness Act and the Hobert Act | [120] |
| XI | Bootlegging and Graft | [129] |
| XII | “Don’t Joke About Prohibition” | [138] |
| XIII | How Canada Has Solved the Liquor Problem | [150] |
| XIV | Crime and Drunkenness | [156] |
| XV | The Literary Digest’s Canvass | [163] |
| XVI | Literature and Prohibition | [176] |
| XVII | America Today | [183] |
| XVIII | Other Reforms | [194] |
| XIX | Is Europe Going Dry? | [202] |
| XX | What Are We Going to Do About It? | [208] |
THE RISE AND FALL OF PROHIBITION
CHAPTER I
THE PHENOMENON OF PROHIBITION
The strange phenomenon of Prohibition, after an appearance amongst us of over three years, is still non-understandable to the majority of a great, and so-called free, people. It is one of the most astonishing manifestations the world has ever witnessed. It came upon us like a phantom, swiftly; like a thief in the night, taking us by surprise. Yet the Prohibitionists will tell you that no one should be amazed, since for years—for almost a century—quiet forces have been at work to bring about this very thing.
Most of us can remember how, not so many years ago, when we wished to throw away our vote, we cast it for the Prohibition ticket. Some unknown “crank” was running for office on a dry platform. “What a joke,” we said, “to give him the weight of our affirmation, to enlarge his pitiful handful of white ballots! It will be a good way to get even with the arrogant Mr. So-and-So.”