(3) Study Sources B, D and H and use your own knowledge
The way of life described in Source B is an idealistic view and one which is ignorant of many other important factors. By the 1820s people in the United States were drinking, on average, 27 liters (7 gallons) of pure alcohol per person each year, and many religious and political leaders were beginning to see drunkenness as a national curse. But many working class men etc. did not share this view and were addicted to the liquor. So naturally there were those who exploited this need for alcohol. Al Capone for example grabbed this golden opportunity to make serious amounts of money and as he states in Source H “I make money by supplying a popular demand”. And because it was such a sought after product (alcohol). There was always going to be a provider of the liquor. Also as it shows in Source D the Government did not provide enough Prohibition agents to effectively deal with those involved in the ‘liquor traffic’. Also towards the end of Source D it speaks in a sarcastic, pessimistic tone of the ability for the agents to resist corruption from filthy rich gang members etc. when they were employed at 30 to 50 dollars a week. This is another reason why the way of life described in Source B never came about, because men with such a poor salary were hardly likely to resist a new car or even a house, if all they had to do was turn a blind eye. A large amount of the police force, especially its more important members were under bribes from rich Gang bosses, rendering the whole police force useless as eager young detectives were told to ignore clear evidence that alcohol was being produced or sold, because of superiors worried about there large pay outs from involved gangs. In Chicago Al Capone had a hold over the police force and the important people in city hall and thanks to the Saint Valentine's Day massacre of 1929, he also controlled Chicago’s underworld. How on earth could the large amounts of alcohol production and provision that his gang was involved in, going to be stopped? And as Al Capone says “You can’t cure thirst by law.” If people want, (need) the liquor, and at this time in U.S.A many did then they will find a way to get it, whether they enforce a law against it or not. This will not cure the problem. Although this Source may be slightly biased as it is coming from Al Capone, and he is trying to justify his actions.
(4) Study Sources F, G, I and J
Source F is the view portrayed by a New York composer, and a previous user of speakeasies. This provides us with a firsthand example of the public’s attitude towards speakeasies. But this is not entirely reliable as it is a biased, one-sided view. It shows how the gentleman using the speakeasies felt about their existence, but what about the woman and children who sat at home every night waiting for their husbands to arrive home after a night out? Because he is speaking in the 1950s after federal prohibition has been abolished, he can convey his true feelings on the subject, making the source more reliable, and giving us a clearer view on public attitudes towards prohibition. Although, this is a view given in the 1950s, and so his opinion may have changed slightly. So we might get a slightly vivid image whereas a view from the 1920s-30s would contain more detail and therefore be more accurate. However the overall feel is a positive one and it seems as if prohibition of alcohol, almost made the whole speakeasy experience more exciting, magical and gave it that ‘Movie like quality’. Source I shows Al Capone a big gang boss dealing in illegal liquor, on the front of a leading US weekly magazine, 1930. He is pictured as a well-groomed, well-dressed jolly fellow, and not portrayed as a criminal in any shape or form. The fact that he is in this weekly publication shows how the public perceive him as a celebrity more than a criminal. Also because magazines normally try and convey the public opinion to attract consumers, we can see that the public were not really to bothered with Al Capone’s involvement in the illegal production of alcohol and so this mirrors their laid back approach to prohibition as a whole. Of course many readers may not know of Al Capone’s involvement in the outlawed liquor business, but I feel a large newspaper company like the Times would not put Al Capone on the front page if there was a risk that a large proportion of their customers who would be offended. Source G which also concerns the actions of big gang boss ‘Al Capone’. Is an extract from ‘Only Yesterday’, a book written by a U.S journalist in 1931. It is fairly useful in showing us societies attitude towards prohibition, because it speaks openly of Capone’s part in the illegal ‘liquor traffic’. So a large proportion of society knew, it was not a confidential police report and yet even though Al Capone was arrested in 1931, it was for tax evasion, showing how society perceived prohibition as a law. It was a joke. Also it states ‘As the profits from beer and alky-cooking rolled in’ speaking of Al Capone’s wealth acquired from the production and sale of alcohol. If he was making so much money surely a large proportion of society must have been ignoring prohibition and buying the liquor. Once again showing societies slack attitude towards prohibition. As Source G is an extract from a book and presumably it is written shortly after Al Capone’s arrest. The author will probably have had time to compile a selection of different text. Combining different opinions to reach a fair conclusion. Source J I feel sums up societies view towards prohibition. Although it is not too useful as it is only one mans opinion.
(5) Study all the sources and use your own knowledge.
In the public eye Al Capone was certainly not considered to be Public enemy no.1. Source I shows him pictured on the front of a popular US weekly magazine. A large publication like the Times weekly magazine, has to play to what the public want to see, obviously to sell their product to the consumer. Capone is portrayed as a well-groomed, well-dressed young gentleman and seems to portray the role of a celebrity rather than public enemy no. 1. So obviously this reflects the public attitude at the time. Apart from Capone’s large role in illegal liquor sales and production. His most notorious act of violence was the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre of 1929, in which Capone won control of Chicago’s underworld when his henchmen, dressed as police officers, killed six of Moran’s gangsters and a visitor. But of course none of the fore mentioned violence could be linked to Al Capone himself and so he managed to keep his almost squeaky clean image. Also as is shown in the article from ‘Only Yesterday’ ‘By the middle of the decade Al Capone had gained complete control of the suburb of Cicero, and had installed his own mayor in office.’ Although this seems to be quite a serious offence and a good enough reason to brand Al Capone public enemy no. 1, the authorities especially those in higher up positions within Chicago police force, and also the politicians saw Al Capone as a source of money and many received huge bribes from the big gang boss, so did they brand him public enemy no. 1? No, because he was the man who funded there new car or paid for their new house. Source B shows a very negative view and obviously a very one-sided opinion towards the saloon and alcohol as a whole. So those members of the anti-saloon league may perceive the actions of Al Capone, especially his part in the production of illegal liquor as a worthy level of criminal offences to make him public enemy no. 1. But did the rest of society feel the same and were they supplied with enough information to decide whether or not Alphonse Capone was indeed public enemy no. 1? Source C shows the devil pouring liquor bottles onto a pile. In this picture the devil is representing the ‘evil’ (hence the devil) liquor provided, and he is indeed portrayed as a curse on Uncle Sam (America). So this could support the idea that Al Capone, being one of the biggest providers of moonshine, and the production of illegal liquor is to America (Uncle Sam), public enemy no. 1. But this source is not entirely reliable as it is a German journalists impression of the liquor ‘problem’ in America, and so therefore is not firsthand.
