[President Heber J. Grant Diary] Sister Levi Edgar Young called and made serious complaints about Brother Widtsoe's criticism of her husband. Denied that they had ever served tea in their home except on one occasion when one of her daughters was entertaining some school girls. She acknowledged that that was a mistake, but any statement that her husband had brewed tea at the university and drank it was a falsehood. I couldn't quote the charges that have been made against him because they are second-hand. (1)
-- April 4, 1935
[President Heber J. Grant Diary] Alvin Beesley, and a son of Charles C. Richards called and made an appeal for Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt, the President's wife, to speak over the radio during Conference. I told them, not much, that I had no confidence in Mrs. Roosevelt, and that I had no confidence in the New Deal, that I thought the foundation to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment, namely to have whiskey, was a rotten foundation and that there was nothing but failure for it in the end. This is the first time I have expressed myself so plainly regarding what I think is one of the most outrageous things that have ever happened to have as a basis for winning the election the repeal of the Eighteenth Amendment. They claim more drunkenness since they got the Eighteenth Amendment than before, all of which is a falsehood. Since the repeal I have seen more drunkenness in the past six months than I saw in all the years that prohibition was in force. (1)
-- Jun 10, 1935
[U.S. Religious History] Alcoholic's Anonymous was founded in Akron, Ohio. (2)
-- August 15, 1935
[President Heber J. Grant Diary] At 4:30 President McKay and I had a meeting with Brother Hugh B. Brown. We feel that his suggestion that he resign his position as President of the Granite Stake in view of his position with the State Liquor Board is the proper thing. He has our perfect confidence and we believe will do a good work in charge of liquor distribution. It is a curse to everybody that touches it, but we believe it will be controlled better by a splended (sic) man like Brother Brown at the head of it. It is a disagreeable job and it is hardly consistent for him to preside over a stake and take care of that work at the same time. We thought his suggestion that he be retired is the proper thing. (1)
-- During 1935
(Hugh B. Brown) Appointed chairman of Utah's first liquor commission: "We must find a condition that will not be ideal for the bootleggers. … I had a lot of experience with this in Alberta… and with that background and experience and observation, I am unalterably opposed to the licensing system and in favor of state control." (3)
Footnotes:
1 - Diary of Heber J. Grant, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Cline, Austin, History of American Religion: Timeline
3 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
