America Struggles with Intoxication … Or at Least Its Definition

While the 18th Amendment[lak]18th Amendment prohibited “intoxicating liquors,” Congress was left to define what fell under that definition. After weeks of intensive debate in both Houses of Congress, the Volstead Act[lak]Volstead Act was approved in October 1919. The Act restrictively labeled intoxicating drinks as those containing more than 0.5% alcohol by volume. Brewers, who had long contended that beer was a non-intoxicating temperance beverage, were extremely disappointed. Within days of Prohibition’s enactment, members of Congress submitted Volstead “modification” bills hoping to allow beer. Although the quest for modification continued throughout the 1920s, it made no progress. The election of 1928 was disastrous for the “wet” cause as the dry candidate Herbert Hoover won in a landslide and dry politicians gained seats in both the House and Senate. Prohibition, it appeared, was here to stay.