Readings from Alcohol Prohibition [a thread.] Mitchell Kennerley (1922): "the impression which I received from the book was that if the prohibitionists were obliged to resort to propaganda such as this, there must be something wrong with their cause” 1/

Kennerley: "...we traced some of the propaganda down to its sources. What had been at first merely curious inquiry soon developed into an absorbing study, not only of the theories of the prohibitionists, but also of the forces behind the movement." 2/

Kennerley: "The moral plea on which prohibition was originally put forward had now been subordinated to the question of health. The American Medical Association joined the ranks of the anti-alcoholists and had passed a resolution condemning [it] both as a food and a medicine." 3/

Kennerley: "We followed the activities of the association through its various channels of influence. The trail led from one of the great medical institutions to another, until it finally brought up in the medical departments of the national government." 4/

Kennerley: "We found a giant organization occupying the center of the stage...grasping at any weapon which would preserve its life for even a short time longer." 5/

Kennerley: "We found, indeed, more than the power behind prohibition itself; we found the reason why disease has been able to flourish in spite of all that science has accomplished for its control." 6/

Kennerley:"We found men of international reputation in the world of medicine prostituting their profession, and forgetting their personal honor, to maintain an organization which has long outlived its usefulness and which has no place in a civilized community in a modern age." 7/

Kennerley:"There is but one excuse for prohibition, and that is ignorance. Is the ignorance displayed by medical authorities on alcohol real or assumed? Do they sincerely believe, or merely pretend to believe prohibition will mean an improvement in the health of the people?" 8/

Kennerley:"The question is on par with another: Did the Inquisitors of the Middle Ages believe that the rack...would advance the cause of truth, or did a certain proportion employ these unpleasant arguments to further their own interests and protect their special organization?”9/

Kennerley:"There is no more perilous element in society than the fanatics who really believe in their fallacies, unless it be those who are willing to exploit their false doctrines for profit." 10/

Kennerley: "'Uplift' is being used more and more frequently to disguise personal interest...It has been a characteristic feature of the propaganda to [misleadingly] present the controversy [as] a conflict between temperance on one side and the liquor interests on the other.” 11/

Kennerley: "Prohibition failed as a moral issue...Something new had to be tried...and the leaders of the dry campaign began a survey of the country in an effort to find interests which coincided with their own and which they could utilize." 12/

Kennerley: "Of course, the soft drink manufacturers were not overlooked. But while they might prove helpful from the financial standpoint later on, they were unorganized and of little influence in the country and the selfish viewpoint would be altogether too obvious." 13/

Kennerley: "However, three great and thoroughly systematized interests were found in receptive mood: The American Medical Association, the Life Insurance Companies, and the Standard Oil Company." 14/

Kennerley:"The AMA maintained the most powerful trained lobby in the country...Its interest was so distinctly on the side of prohibition that it has become the great power behind the movement. The financial backing of the other organizations was naturally of great importance."15/

Kennerley:"...the life insurance companies were able to furnish valuable statistics and the private charities of the Rockefellers offered a convenient cloak. How much of the latter were influenced by their relations with Organized Medicine is impossible to say." 16/

Kennerley: "But the plea of health and human efficiency was given the premier position in the propaganda for prohibition. In enlisting medicine in their cause the dry party acquired one of the most powerful agencies in our modern life, the influence of the family physician." 17/

Kennerley: "The general practitioner has not much choice in the matter. It's difficult for him to oppose the settled policy of his professional organization. It's almost impossible for him to remain in the association and defy its crushing disciplinary powers..." 18/

Kennerley: "He can try to do so...Others have sometimes made the attempt and sometimes regretted it…It is not surprising then, that the harassed practitioner, when he differs from the views of the authorities, should decide to feign an acquiescence that he does not feel." 19/

Kennerley: "Only the prominent and pushing—the leaders of cliques and factions—have the privilege of self-assertion in medical circles. The rank and file have to be content with obedience, or the black list." 20/

Kennerley: "It was realized if [chemotherapy] theories were sound, chemistry would play the chief part in medicine in the future...if it should replace serum therapy, the vast sums manufacturers and other advocates of serum were receiving might be turned to another channel." 21/

Kennerley: "There seemed but one way out, the passage of laws to insure complete control [of chemotherapy/germicides] to medical associations...the legislative campaign against patent medicines demonstrated that restrictive laws could not be passed without outside help...” 22/

Kennerley: "The success of the drug law, however, suggested a way out of the difficulty. If, through a trade with the prohibitionists, the [medical] association could put whisky on the prescription shelf..." 23/

Kennerley: "...it'd be but a short step further to extend the law to proprietaries containing alcohol. And this might be pushed further still to cover all pharmaceuticals, including germicides, once the people had become accustomed to government regulation in such matters." 24/

Kennerley: "In 1916 the AMA was notified that a new germicide had been produced and its effectiveness substantiated. Some time was spent by [the org]...negotiating for the control of the formulas and process." 25/

Kennerley: "But it was evident that control could not be established in this way and that legislation must be resorted to..." and in 1917 the AMA passed a resolution stating... 26/

Kennerley: "the use of alcohol is detrimental to the human economy and its use in therapeutics as a tonic, stimulant or for food has no scientific value." AMA opposes its use as a beverage and resolves "the use of alcohol as a therapeutic agent should be further discouraged." 27/

Kennerley: "Thus the situation was created that the legality of a Constitutional amendment might become dependent, not upon the decision of SCOTUS, but upon the fiat of a medical junto whose avowed purpose was to safeguard 'the material interests of the medical profession.'" 28/

Kennerley: "A program had already been adopted by AMA's Committee on Legislation.." supporting legislation for the "control of medical education and license to practice..." and "control of sales of proprietary formulas through physicians' prescriptions..." 29/

Kennerley: "To these was now added the sole privilege of dispensing alcohol. The monopoly would serve [both to] help accustom the public to medical control of foods and drugs. It would also prove remunerative..." 30/

Kennerley:"How lucrative prohibition proved to the medical profession is shown...In the city of Chicago during the first 4 and 1/2 months of national prohibition 500,000 physicians' prescriptions for whisky were issued [of which] 300,000 evaded the spirit or letter of the law"31/

Kennerley: "To put the association's program into effect, control of the legislatures would be necessary...this could only be accomplished with strong financial backing, but the support given to the prohibitionists by the association was worth any price..." 32/

Kennerley: The Standard Oil Company through The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research aided the AMA "materially in its conflict with the newer schools." In turn AMA put its stamp of approval on the petroleum laxative manufactured by the Standard Oil Company 33/

Kennerley: "So we find a collection of associations and corporations whose interests were all closely allied. Yet it were foolish to assert prohibition was the result of an arch conspiracy, although there was much plotting and planning within the organizations themselves." 34/

Kennerley: "And what of the Anti-Saloon League? For years these men had been living on prohibition. Time after time the law had been brought to the point of passing only to be held over...because they feared with prohibition [the League] would no longer be needed." 35/

Kennerley on propaganda: "It is not so much was is said as what is left unsaid that brands many of these representations as the rankest sophistry. For example..." 36/

Kennerley on propaganda: Dr. Fisk writes that research "found the resistance of the red blood-cells much reduced after the administration of champagne...showing that 20% of the red cells lose their resistance after the administration of 250 cubic centimeters of champagne." 37/

Kennerley on propaganda: "If it were the alcohol which caused the injury...we might reasonably expect a similar result from other wines or liquors in proportion to their alcoholic content. As this is not the case, we must look further for the harmful effect." 38/

Kennerley on propaganda:"Champagne contains a deadly poison, carbon dioxide...there is probably more of this gas in champagne than in any other beverage. If Dr. Fisk has forgotten his chemistry was there no one...who could have brought these elementary facts to his attention?"39/

Kennerley on propaganda:"The prohibitionists have endeavored to create the impression that alcohol is a chief cause of insanity." But in prohibition states "as the consumption of alcohol had been diminished...admission to the insane asylums and poorhouses had increased" 40/