The summary of “Frances Willard and WCTU”
Temperance movement by women started in 1873.The origin of it was “crusade”. Scores of women visited salons and demanded to close it. This movement didn’t last for a long time, but women gained confidence. So they organized WCTU in 1974.
The central figure of WCTU was Frances Willard. She wanted to change WCTU into “school” which teaches various social problems to women. After she was elected to the president of WCTU, she established many departments. This means WCTU tried to solve not only drinking but also other social problems.
WCTU also started political movement, female suffrage and united front with political organization.
When Wittenmyer was president of WCTU, There were not a few people who opposed female suffrage. So Willard proposed a new request. It was limited to temperance movement. According to her, victims of drinking were not drinkers but their wives and children. Her request was easy for conservatives to accept. So, WCTU adopted female suffrage as an aim.
Next point is cooperation with other political organization. At first, WCTU had adopted a policy of “non-partisan”. However, Willard promoted forming united front with some political organization. At the beginning, she made approaches to the Republican Party. However, the plan failed. So she chose “National Prohibition Party” as next partner. This relationship was comparatively good. Third partner was “Knights of labor”. However, until 1890’s, Knights of labor became weak, so this relationship couldn’t get results. Finally, she planed to organize big union. For that reason, she intended to cooperate with Populist Party. Still, Populist Party was negative about temperance and female suffrage, so her expectation was disappointed.
WCTU became independent of her little by little, but expanded smoothly.
Author says that the meaning of WCTU is school for women. The activity of WCTU put social and political awareness into women’s mind. Those women had great influenced on the realization of women’s suffrage and Amendment XVIII.
My past image about temperance movement was bad. For example, gang, illegal trade and so on. So I was shocked to know that many people tried hard to promote temperance movement. I discovered new look of women’s effect on history.
by Syo Sato
Questions and Answers
Q1. Why did you choose WCTU temperance?
What aspect are you interested in temperance movement?
A1. Because I hadn’t known women tried to promote temperance movement. So I have shocked.
Q2. Do you want to continue to study this?
A2. I don’t know.
Q3. Was alcoholism serious problem at that time ?
A3. I don’t know.
Q4. There was social purity movement ? What was the meaning of that ?
A4. In this part they tried to discuss prostitute.
Q5. To prohibit prostitute is the only object aimed ?
A5. Yes.
Q6. How about emigrants ?
A6. Emigrant belong to other department.
Q7. There is some connection to prohibit alcohol to eliminate immigrant ?
A7. There was no direct connection.
Q8. People who organized WCTU had some connection to prostitution , alcoholism and many problem lower people’s?
A8.Willard wanted to teach various social problems of poor people or women.
Q9.Does WCTU exist now?
A9.Yes.
Q10. Even now, all state take part in ?
A10. Maybe so.
Q.11 What is the specific activity of WCTU now ?
A11. I don’t know.
･･･ They are connected with charity organization and do charity.
For example Christmas charity.
And prohibits alcohol and drugs. But not strong now.
Q12. WCTU demand to change the amendment?
A12. Yes.
Q13. Female suffrage was this particular demand of Mrs. Willar?
A13.No.
Temperance movement was much smaller, local activity, but it became more and more bigger and some people committed political issues .
Some purpose was prohibition but some purpose was political.
Some part of them developed feminist movement.
reported by Seiichi FUKUE