PROPHECY MADE BY MR. TAFT AND NOW FULFILLED - No. 4 - Published March 1, 1929

Sep 21, 2026

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The document presents an assessment of the Eighteenth Amendment and the practical effects of U.S. Prohibition after its adoption. It quotes a prophetic statement attributed to Chief Justice William H. Taft predicting corruption and the expansion of federal enforcement powers, then argues that those predictions largely came to pass. The text outlines patterns of illicit alcohol production, enforcement scandals, and corruption across multiple major cities, using reported conditions and case digests to support the claim that Prohibition could not be effectively enforced.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Prophecy Made by Mr. Taft and Now Fulfilled

The Failure of Prohibition

Corruption in Five Large Cities

Philadelphia (Police)

Chicago (Gangsters)

Pittsburgh (Moonshine Ring)

Detroit (Border Patrol)

Buffalo (U. S. Customs)

An Ohio Treasurer Convicted

Nation-Wide Conditions

97-84072-10 Association Against theProhibition AmendmentScandals of prohibitionenforcement Washington COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD Reproductions may not be made without permisslon trom Columbia University Lbranies. RESTRICTIONS ON USE: TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mmREDUCTION RATIO: 9:/ IB IMAGE PLACEMENT:IA DATE FILMED: 515/97 NITIALS: ILM TRACKING\#: 23727 FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. SCANDALSOF PROHIBITIONENFORCEMENT Prepared by the ASSOCIATION AGAINST THEPROHIBITION AMENDMENTNATIONAL PRESS BUILDINGWASHINGTON,D.C. 308 Z 1304231 Research DepartmentJOHN C.GEBHART,Director No.4—Published March 1,1929 291,3m，teOJw工 CONTENTS Page Hon.William H. Taft's Prophecy………………………2 The Failure of Prohibition……………………………………3 Corruption in Five Large Cities………………………3 Philadelphia(Police)…………………………………………4 Chicago(Gangsters)………………………………………8 Pittsburgh(Moonshine Ring)………………………13 Detroit(Border Patrol)………………………………16 Buffalo(U. S. Customs)………………………………18 An Ohio Treasurer Convicted………………………………20 Nation-Wide Conditions……………………………………………21 A Digest of Typical Cases……………………………21 Dismissals of Dry Agents………………………………23 Alcohol Mortality Rising…………………………………24 Alcoholic Insanity………………………………………………25 Seizures of Sills and Liquor…………………………25 Growing Appropriations……………………………………26 Liquor Imports From Canada………………………26 Stills or Rum-Runners?………………………………………27 Under-Cover Methods of Volsteadism…………………28 Casualties of Enforcement…………………………………………30 Life Terms for Having Gin……………………………………31 A Baby in a Reformatory……………………………………31 Congestion in Courts and Prisons……………………32 Solution of the Liquor Problem………………………34 # PROPHECY MADEBY MR.TAFT ANDNOW FULFILLED When the Hon.William H.Taft,now Chief Justice of the UnitedStates Supreme Court,enjoyed theprivilege of expressing his opinionson controversial questions,he madethe following prophetic statement re-garding the Eighteenth Amendment,which at the time was up for adop-tion: "A national prohibition amendment to theFederal Constitution will be adopted againstthe views and practices of a majority of thepeople in many of the large cities and inone-fourth or less of the States. "The business of manufacturing alcohol,liquor .and beer.will go out of the handsof the law-abiding members of the commu-nity,and will be transferred to the quasi-criminal class.In the communities wherethe majority will,not sympathize with aFederal law's restrictions,large numbers ofFederal officers will be needed for its enforce-ment. The central government now hasvery wide war powers.When peace comesthese must end,if the republic is to be pre-served.If,however,a partisan political headof the internal revenue department,or of aseparate department created for_the purpose,shall always be able through Federal detec-tives,and policemen to reach into every ham-let,and to every ward,and to every purlieuof a large city,and use the leverage of anintermittently lax and strict enforcement ofthe law.against would-be dealers in liquorand their patrons,he will wield a sinisterpower,prospect of which should makeanxious the friends of free constitutionalgovernment..·· "The reaching out of the great centralpower to brush the doorsteps of local com-munities,far removed geographically and po-litically from Washington,will be irritatingin such States and communities,and will bea strain upon the bond of the national union,It will produce variation in the enforcementof the law.There will be loose adminis-tration in spots all over the United States,and a politically inclined national adminis-tration will be strongly tempted to acquiescein such a condition.Elections wil

FAQs

What does the document claim about Taft’s prophecy and Prohibition?

It states that Taft’s forecast regarding enforcement pressures, illicit alcohol production, and election-driven enforcement outcomes has largely been fulfilled. The document links these results to the workings of Prohibition.

How does the document explain the rise of corruption under Prohibition?

It argues that political corruption, bribery, and graft grew alongside the volume of the illicit liquor industry. It treats the enforcement environment as a driver of social disorder.

Which cities and enforcement contexts are highlighted to illustrate Prohibition’s effects?

It provides city-by-city examples, including Philadelphia (police), Chicago (gangsters), Pittsburgh (moonshine ring), Detroit (border patrol), and Buffalo (U.S. customs).

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Aria