by Marshall Parks

Created on: July 06, 2008

Remember your history? The era of prohibition lasted from 1920 through the early 1930's. The United States issued a sumptuary law prohibiting alcohol use or manufacture country-wide. This ultimately led to a tumultuous period in the annals of our history. Organized crime thrived during this era. The manufacture of illegal alcohol was lucrative and enough money rolled in that police were paid and paid well to look the other way. Names such as Al Capone and others became legendary synonymous with murderous attacks against rivals to control territory in Chicago.

Competition among crime families caused literal wars to erupt and not just in the major cities. I will cite Southern Illinois as an example. Centered in Williamson County, fierce battles were raged between two gangs of bootleggers. Charlie Birger and his gang out of Shawneetown, Illinois competed with the Shelton Gang from East Saint Louis. Add to this the presence of the Ku Klux Klan, a powerful force in "Little Egypt" in the 20's.

The Shelton's even once hired an airplane pilot to fly over Charlie Birger's Shawneetown hideout. They lit sticks of dynamite and attempted to drop them on his house from the plane. This was the first time the continental United States had ever been bombed from the air. The results were negligible. The Birger's and the Shelton's not only had shootouts between each other, but both were at war with the Klan. Violence became a way of life.

When the law was repealed, it took the power away from these warring factions. Organized crime had to look for other avenues of income. This drastically reduced the violence flaring throughout the Nation. It also served to save the United States untold amounts of money. They no longer had to track down and destroy illegal speakeasies and distilleries. An expensive undertaking.

For all their efforts at stopping the illegal flow of alcohol, they did little to quash its consumption and with little choice left, legalization appeared to be the logical alternative.

Marijuana was at one time the number one export in states such as Florida and Texas. Again, untold amounts of money were spent trying to curtail the importing of the drug from such places as Mexico and Columbia. Again it was nearly futile. The efforts did affect the flow into this country and users began growing in secluded areas in the United States to compensate. Cocaine proved more lucrative and easier to smuggle. As with alcohol, sumptuary laws against marijuana are fruitless.

It is known

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