United Repeal Council: Discover Its Role in Promoting Repeal

The United Repeal Council promoted repeal of National Prohibition in the U.S. It was an advisory group of leaders of several important groups promoting Repeal.

    United Repeal Council

The United Repeal Council was formed early in 1931. It was to lobby for Repeal planks at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions.

The Council selected Pierre du Pont as its chair. It probably represented 2,500,000 people. Its long-range strategy was to promote the election of politicians who supported Repeal.

United Repeal Council
Council member Pauline Sabin

In hindsight, no long-range plans were needed. The failure of Prohibition and the serious problems it created soon led 74% of American voters to reject it.  Repeal occurred in 1933.

Prohibition was a great failure. More important, it created many very serious problems.

Yet today, almost one of every five adults in the U.S. favors making drinking illegal. Tens of millions more support neo-prohibitionism. That’s why so many relics of Prohibition remain even now. They include Blue laws. These prohibit the sale of alcohol on Sundays.

Web
Readings
Archival
    • Gillett, R., and Holmes, J. Repeal of the Prohibition Amendment, 1923.
    • Intoxicating Liquors. State Prohibition after Repeal of the 18th Amendment, 1933.
    • Patch, B. Preparations for Prohibition Repeal, 1933.
    • Pollard, J. The Road to Repeal, 1932.
    • Shouse, J. The Status of Prohibition Repeal, 1933.
    • Prohibition: United Repeal Council. Time, Jan 20, 1932.
    • ____. Prohibition: 142 words. Time, July 11, 1932. (Reported activities of the  Council.)
    • ____.  Prohibition: United Wets. Time,  Nov 7, 1932.