YESTERDAY'S NEWSREEL - PROHIBITION & BOOTLEGGING

a vision highlights of the news of yesteryear [Music] world war 1 is over and so are America's days of legal alcoholic drink convinced self-sacrifice and sobriety will bring prosperity and peace as it won victory in war Americans praised passing of the DRI law and then promptly proceeded by every possible means to repeal eighteenth Amendment [Music] here's shy Andrew J Volstead father of act that became federal law january 16th 1920 and that enforcement begins in boston as in every other city government agents fight hopelessly against illegal liquor these homemade stills are but a few of thousand seized and destroyed other thousands produce millions of gallons and countless hundreds prosper in business of bootlegging in Florida swamps federal agents search for stills reported working in isolation of Everglades government men get forty to fifty dollars a week for this it's work well done here as in all 48 states still and product are discovered and destroyed mash mint for marketers bootleg booze is poured into the mud it's similar story in New Orleans where agents get rid of loot of recent raid fire water sure flows freely here and gang Lords move freely here Al Capone enter Chicago court at height of his career and leaves still king of bootleggers his reign of terror still to take its toll of dead in an underworld and war [Music] [Applause] others like Texas Guinan ranked high among prohibitions royalty to fame speakeasies of times men bring their wives it's against the law to drink so drinking is suddenly smart there's bootleg liquor on every American lip shiny flask on every hip by the middle nineteen twenties nightlife is having its heyday for America's dry and high [Music] in New York customs officials fight flow of scotches and rise from overseas some is confiscated after ships have docked but many a crew and cargo is captured by Coast Guard units patrolling open waters 12 miles from shore run running is another profitable business of the day but dangerous and not always successful this is stuff that's just off the boat alright but your bootlegger never brought a bottle of this to your back door this heads for us warehouse and prohibition heads for doom at Faneuil Hall Boston thousands demonstrate against the folly of the Volstead Act upon talk of repeal champions of dry laws storm Senate headquarters in Washington try later mrs. H Lippincott brings a petition signed by 16,000 New Jersey sympathizers and women who saw their dreams come true in passage of 18th amendment are determined that it shall remain part of our Constitution leader of women's Christian Temperance Union mrs. Ella our pool has this to say attention to the women in New York named Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia adds his voice to wet side of controversy to repeal the law of gravitation wet twin members of Congress Hale passing of beer bill and March 22nd 1933 President Franklin Roosevelt makes the three point to beverage legal 16 days later from tap after tap brew and foam flow freely once again then full repeal goes to States for ratification in Albany New York Elihu root Al Smith and governor Lehman appear before state legislature its Smith who sounds keynote of historic gathering as he says it will have its place in history it will stand out as a lesson you know a lesson and a warning right and to come to the people of this and of every other state to be very careful in the future and never allow anything like the 18th amendment to get into our Federal Constitution all in favor say aye and it's unanimous then ratification of 21st amendment brings end to Prohibition and Americans everywhere drink a lusty legal toast to Uncle Sam crazy with the feat in New York City in early 1920s dance director and partner face the music its demonstration of Dance Times newest nifty in case you haven't guessed it's called the cat's step wiggle this fancy footwork is no feat for jumpin joe's and Josephine's of jazz in early 20s the cat step wiggle is the cat's meow [Music] here's author HG Wells in 1923 probably doing first draft of another best-selling novel famed for his brilliant outline of history Wells made history with his amazing pen Anita Paige Hollywood's leading Wampus Baby in 1929 Anita's full-fledged actress now after starring role and telling the world with William Haynes this blue-eyed blonde from Long Island is bright page in movie history Anita page that is here's Fred Stone in Freeport New York in 1920 when he performed for sells ran through circus fred walks tightrope with same skill he walked boards of theaters he shares spotlight with Leo Carrillo Fred stone bright light of American theater waves at Winthrop its January 1933 and seawall at Winthrop Massachusetts is whipped by wind and waves comers 30 feet in height crush and batter bulkheads in storm that rages three days there's havoc among phones along shoreline is howling nor'easter strikes without warning highest tide in half century adds to destruction roadways are ruined contour of Cape Cod shoreline gets new look as sands are shifted by destructing Giants of the driven sea rollers bring record row into this vacation land and Revere Beach here are some of the 100 homes lashed into just so much loose lumber storms over but gargantuan gale leaves property damage of over 1 million dollars voting up on Brad essaouira its March 10th 1927 and New York City's Museum of Natural History opens its dinosaur hall to waiting public its world's finest collection of prehistoric animals or what's left of them anyway yes skull of age-old dinosaur here's model of duckbill variety based on this gigantic skeleton of real thing [Music] getting belated manicure is giant vessel asaurus this 66 foot water from Wyoming was gentle vegetarian but this ferocious 47 footer the Tyrannosaurus got his vitamins making meals of Prada Soros yes in 1927 scout ins of the world's all the citizens are something new in New York [Applause] flying high Washington DC may eight nineteen twenty nine lieutenant Apollo sucuk Don's his oxygen mask he's heading for higher heavens than any fliers so far oxygen tube is put in place and he taxis off Navy lieutenant CC champion holds two year record of over 38,000 feet but sucuk is setting sail for a new one down-to-earth after going up almost 40,000 feet lieutenant Tsui Chik has a happy landing and gets glad-hand from famed rear admiral Moffitt later soaring to even greater heights lieutenant su check becomes a high-flying rear admiral himself [Music] the evening gown hemline started to dipping back around 1928 but it was still short enough in front to focus attention on Footwear Pete went formal and rich broke aids with contrasting heels pointed toes in depth reps it was double exposure for legs and knees but toes had not yet come out in the open all set for a big evening in the Roaring Twenties down to a reptile Footwear pink got her ankles brocade on her toes here the Wolves whistle wherever she goes [Music] winner at a hundred-to-one traverse handicap Saratoga Springs New York August 16 1930 cult favorites which won and gallant Fox go confidently to the post in $27,000 race Ben they're off which one in Gallup fox grab early lead and look like certain winners in third spot as Jim Dandy looked over and so overlooked in betting he's hundred to one shot around first turn it's still battle between which one and gallon Fox and from stands looks like it's to horse race then rounding final turn into backstretch Jim Dandy Bru lunging in two ladies striding toward an upset in thrilling Drive it's Jim Dandy number three not winner by a nose but pulling across the finish line six lengths ahead of the pack [Music]