Life — April 4, 1918 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Fight Over Rum" - Life Magazine Cartoon Analysis This page discusses Prohibition-era debates about alcohol regulation. The accompanying cartoon depicts "Public Opinion" (personified as a woman on a pedestal) being courted or pressured by two men—likely representing competing interests in the rum/liquor trade debate. The article argues that the liquor industry's problem stems from making excessive profits rather than from Prohibition itself. It criticizes distillers and brewers for oversupplying markets and establishing saloons, while acknowledging that most people dislike saloon-keeping as a "profitable disgrace." The caption reads: "Daniels: It's all right, Newt—it did me a world of good," suggesting commentary on political figures' stances on alcohol policy during this contentious period of American history.