The American Issue, September 12, 1913

The American Issue, September 12, 1913

A mother reads her child to sleep by reciting the Lord’s Prayer, wishing for restful sleep and the safety of one’s soul until morning. This peaceful scene contrasts with the window’s bright light illuminating the saloon. A haunting reminder to prohibitionists that alcohol lurks ever-present, tempting all.

This captures prohibitionists’ deepest fear that alcohol will always be in the background of family life, negatively affecting American families. Worse, the boy may grow up influenced not by his mother’s teachings, but by the saloon just outside his window.

It is a comic of a mother and her child, who are praying before the young boy goes to bed. Next to his bed is a window that shows a saloon outside the family home. Above the caption of the comic is the words, "Now I lay me down to sleep I pray thee Lord my soul to keep." The caption of the comic reads, "Who Says She Will Not Help to Answer That Prayer With Her Ballot?"

The American Issue (Westerville, Ohio)

Library of Congress

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL.

September 12, 1913

Under Public Domain

PDF

English

Newspaper Image with Text

Library of Congress Control Number: sn2008060406

Prohibition

Newspaper comic.

8.96 × 12.86 in