Ed Helms

They just had to reach the people in the middle, caught between the two sides. The people who could understand that no moral code was worth poisoning thousands. And with Gettler and Norris finally persuading Americans to their cause, the bill passed. Prohibition chemists were now required by law to ditch lethal formulas like Formula 6.

They just had to reach the people in the middle, caught between the two sides. The people who could understand that no moral code was worth poisoning thousands. And with Gettler and Norris finally persuading Americans to their cause, the bill passed. Prohibition chemists were now required by law to ditch lethal formulas like Formula 6.

They were told to go back to inventing concoctions which were merely revolting without being actually lethal. And I want to just pause here and take in what a turning point this was for Norris and Gettler. Because yeah, this was a moment when they finally won.

They were told to go back to inventing concoctions which were merely revolting without being actually lethal. And I want to just pause here and take in what a turning point this was for Norris and Gettler. Because yeah, this was a moment when they finally won.

If they had been beating their heads against the wall from before Prohibition even passed, that it would be a terrible idea and that it would kill people. Now, the nation was finally starting to listen. Norris' essay and Gettler's research gave the Wets what they needed to win. And it didn't stop with denaturing.

If they had been beating their heads against the wall from before Prohibition even passed, that it would be a terrible idea and that it would kill people. Now, the nation was finally starting to listen. Norris' essay and Gettler's research gave the Wets what they needed to win. And it didn't stop with denaturing.

The outcry over the Prohibition Bureau's actions continued to grow in the media and in the halls of Congress. A tide was beginning to turn across the country. State governments were slowly beginning to follow New York's lead in its dissent from federal prohibition itself.

The outcry over the Prohibition Bureau's actions continued to grow in the media and in the halls of Congress. A tide was beginning to turn across the country. State governments were slowly beginning to follow New York's lead in its dissent from federal prohibition itself.

state and local law enforcement started to say, look, everyone knows this whole prohibition enforcement thing has been a complete charade, so why are we even pretending to do it? And it wasn't just the government. Public opinion was shifting too. And the shift was felt all the way to the White House, where Herbert Hoover was about to move in.

state and local law enforcement started to say, look, everyone knows this whole prohibition enforcement thing has been a complete charade, so why are we even pretending to do it? And it wasn't just the government. Public opinion was shifting too. And the shift was felt all the way to the White House, where Herbert Hoover was about to move in.

In early 1929, Mabel Walker Willebrandt was feeling good. Now that her man Hoover had won the presidency, Mabel was sitting pretty. I mean, come on, of course she was going to be rewarded for all that shattered glass in New York and all her fear-mongering across the country. Surely she'd be rewarded with a big fat promotion and a nifty new title, the Attorney General of the United States.

In early 1929, Mabel Walker Willebrandt was feeling good. Now that her man Hoover had won the presidency, Mabel was sitting pretty. I mean, come on, of course she was going to be rewarded for all that shattered glass in New York and all her fear-mongering across the country. Surely she'd be rewarded with a big fat promotion and a nifty new title, the Attorney General of the United States.

And one night in February 1929, a few weeks before Hoover's inauguration, Mabel's phone rang. It was the president-elect. Hoover told Mabel that Congress was putting together a bill that would strip the Prohibition Bureau out of the Department of Treasury and move it into Mabel's domain, the Department of Justice, where Mabel assumed she would be given the reins.

And one night in February 1929, a few weeks before Hoover's inauguration, Mabel's phone rang. It was the president-elect. Hoover told Mabel that Congress was putting together a bill that would strip the Prohibition Bureau out of the Department of Treasury and move it into Mabel's domain, the Department of Justice, where Mabel assumed she would be given the reins.

But Hoover had a different message for Mabel.

But Hoover had a different message for Mabel.

Hoover had buried the lead. Turns out Mabel wasn't going to be the new AG. Nope. The Solicitor General was leapfrogging her and getting that sweet corner office. Mabel technically was keeping her job for now, but she saw the writing on the wall.

Hoover had buried the lead. Turns out Mabel wasn't going to be the new AG. Nope. The Solicitor General was leapfrogging her and getting that sweet corner office. Mabel technically was keeping her job for now, but she saw the writing on the wall.

It was starting to sink in. Now that Prohibition wasn't useful to Hoover as an issue, he just wasn't going to be very serious about it anymore. Even less than his predecessor, old two-martini lunch Warren Harding. Mabel was crushed. And as she looked back over her time trying desperately to make Prohibition work, she could only regret how impossible her task had been.

It was starting to sink in. Now that Prohibition wasn't useful to Hoover as an issue, he just wasn't going to be very serious about it anymore. Even less than his predecessor, old two-martini lunch Warren Harding. Mabel was crushed. And as she looked back over her time trying desperately to make Prohibition work, she could only regret how impossible her task had been.