Franklin D. Roosevelt

In the following speech made in 1932, presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt made it clear that a vote for him and his party was a vote for repeal. He accuses the Republicans of being vague about the repeal issue, which is ironic. Former New York governor, Al Smith had accused Roosevelt of the same thing years earlier. Roosevelt supported repeal but remained silent about the issue so as not to inflame the drys. Al Smith had to goad Roosevelt into coming out and making repeal a major issue on the Democratic plank.

Roosevelt wasted no time in making the issue his own. After he was elected president, he quickly fulfilled his campaign promise to end Prohibition. The Eighteenth Amendment was voided in three days and the measure ratified within the year. By December 5, 1933, hard liquor was legalized.

My friends:

Once upon a...