Existing comment:
Brewing Dissent: Applauding Prohibition (briefly):
Indiana cheers the temperance movement. Most Hoosiers endorse its goal of protecting families and communities by banning alcohol. But the reality of Prohibition quickly dims the theory of Prohibition. Drinking its deeply rooted in custom and culture, particularly among German and Irish Hoosiers. Prohibition's social and economic impact quickly erodes support.
Indiana outlaws alcohol in 1917, two years before the Eighteenth Amendment bans liquor nationwide. The Women's Christian Temperance Union and Anti-Saloon League lead the campaign. Local groups such as the Legislative Council of Indiana Women join in, supported by Indiana's governor.
The economic price of Prohibition is steep. Brewing and distilling had been Indiana's third-largest industry. As business dries up, industry leaders lobby to repeal Prohibition, which ends in 1933. |