Percy Andreae

Percy Andreae was originally recruited by Ohio brewers to police unlawful abuses in saloons that made the liquor industry look negligent. He eventually became one of the most successful spokesmen against Prohibition. With considerable financial political backing from brewers, he was able to mount an effective campaign against the powerful AntiSaloon League. Eventually Andreae took the campaign to a national level to fight the looming Eighteenth Amendment. But anti-Prohibition forces were too disorganized and weakened by internal conflict.

In the following article, Andreae criticizes religious "drys" for their zealous attempts to take free choice out of the hands of the public. He believes their puritan efforts actually disguise a desire to impose religious ideology upon the nation. Such crusaders are blind to the economic and social damage Prohibition would entail. Andreae's stance is one that many anti-prohibitionists would use...