Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
august 2015 / the tasting panel / 1 1 1 Daisy Simpson The Prohibition Bureau hired a handful of women agents, usually assigned to office work. Daisy Simpson's background as a former member of the San Francisco Police morals squad, her acting ability and her skill at disguises allowed her to pose as a variety of characters and attempt to buy liquor at speakeasies, hotels and restaurants. Known as the "lady hooch hunter," Daisy went undercover in several well-publicized stings, including one where she pretended to faint outside a bar. When the owner took her inside and revived her with a sip of whiskey, she arrested him. Simpson served from 1921 until 1925, when she resigned after the head of the San Francisco bureau declared women could no longer work as agents. Proof of demonization sparks throughout the centuries, but the nod of approval is apparent with our country's leaders, as showcased in many examples from former Presidents of the United States. After Prohibition, alcohol once again became an accepted part of the President's social and diplomatic agenda. While modern Presidents still deal with the nitty-gritty of alcohol policy—issues such as drunk driving and mental health legislation—they are much more often involved in diplomatic and social rituals that feature alcohol such as toasting, dinners and gift giving. From the Waterford crystal decanter presented to President Ronald Reagan from Mayor Michael Leah, Mayor of Galway, Ireland, June 1984, to wine glasses used by President Gerald Ford and Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union at their meeting in Helsinki, Finland in 1975, presidential drinking rites have been de rigueur for policy making and goodwill. As Governor of New York, and later as President, Franklin D. Roosevelt ended each workday with a cocktail party with his closest staff, even during Prohibition. During these informal occasions, Roosevelt would mix the drinks while he and his staff joked and gossiped. Franklin Roosevelt's cocktail shaker and glasses, circa 1925, were a focal point in the exhibit. "Drinking has been an integral part of our culture and the exhibit tells the story of its ups and downs, every step of the way," notes Brown. Derek Brown is one of the most respected names in the spirits industry and is rightfully named as The Spirited Republic's Chief Spirits Advisor. PHOTO: MARK FINKENSTAEDT A well-stocked Los Angeles store awaits Repeal, December 7, 1933. Prohibition Bureau identification card for Daisy Simpson, September 6, 1921. PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES "Spirited Republic" is presented in part by the National Archives Foundation through the generous support of HISTORY®, the Lawrence F. O'Brien Family, THE TASTING PANEL Magazine and Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America. Additional exhibition funding provided by the Beer Institute, the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association and the National Beer Wholesalers Association.