Question

When four-fifths of the most representative men in America are pronounced unfit for war, what shall we say of their fitness to father the next generation? The time was when alcohol was received as a benefit to the race, but we no longer look upon alcohol as a food but as a poison. . . . Alcoholic degeneracy [deterioration] is the most important sanitary [health] question before the country, and yet the health authorities do not take action, as alcohol is entrenched [well established] in politics. Leaders in politics dare not act, as their political destiny lies in the hands of the agents of the liquor traffic. We are face to face with the greatest crisis in our country’s history.

–President’s Annual Address to the Women’s
Christian Temperance Union of Minnesota,
Dr. T. Alexander MacNicholl,

Why were politicians not addressing the alcohol problem the nation was having?

Alcohol was the cause of the war.
Alcohol was well established in politics.
Alcohol was not proven to have effects on health.
Alcohol was only a problem in small parts of the nation.

Answer 1

Politicians were not addressing the alcohol problem the nation was having because alcohol was well established in politics. This means that political leaders were hesitant to take action against alcohol due to its entrenchment in political systems and the influence of the liquor industry on their political futures.