On this day in The Morning Bulletin: May 31, 1919

Fifty men to gather to hear prohibition talks after World War I

Crowds gather at a demonstration outside Prohibition House in Edwards St Brisbane, 1920s. Picture: State LIbrary of Queensland

"The Hon. W. E. Chafin LLD, Miss Chafin, Captain J. Jenkins, and Mr A. Toombes, who are travelling through Queensland in connection with the Strength of Empire Movement, arrived here yesterday morning. They were met at the railway station by the Mayor and Mayoress (Alderman J. D. Murray and Mrs. Murray), the Secretary of the Mount Morgan Gold-Mining Company (Mr E. W. Moran) and Mrs. Moran, and a large number of representatives of the local branch of the movement. In the morning, Mr. Chafin addressed a meeting in the School of Arts, which had been arranged to enable the shift men who could not attend at night to have the opportunity of hearing him speak. There were over fifty present.”

The Strength of Empire movement was founded in Melbourne in 1918 by a Victorian member of parliament, Edmund Greenwood MLA, a lay preacher who held executive positions in the Anti-Liquor League of Victoria and the Australian Prohibition Council. He was also a strong pro-conscriptionist. The movement sought to introduce war-time prohibition, and to 'ensure purity' (to prevent venereal disease).

Originally published as On this day in The Morning Bulletin: May 31, 1919