Evening star., 1921-12-12
CLAIMS OBEDIENCE
brings HEAVY Loss
Anheuser-Busch, Inc, Cites
Failure to Enforce Pro-
hibition.

Citing eleven instances of failure of
enforcement of the prohibition laws.
and claiming that it's plant is operat-
ing at a loss AS "the penalty of law
obedience Anheuser- Busch. Inc. has
issued a statement to President Hard
ing. members of Congress and other
government officials asking that in
face of the nationwide failure to pre-
vent sale of Illicit beverages, the Vol
stead law be ilberalized to legalize
the manufacture and sale of light
wines and beer. According to the
statement. the company has con-
ductt d nationwide survey, obtain
ing Information from reliable sources
in each state.
Law-Abiding Suffer.
'"That .moonshining.' 'bootlegging'
and the home manufacture of intoxi-
cants have grown into big remunera-
tive business. apparently far beyond
control Of law officers.
THAT disrespect for the prohibition
law is rapidly breeding disrespect for
all law and threatens to undermine
the very foundations of orderly gov
ernment. .
"That in some states the brewing
of beer has never ceased and that
the manufacturers seem to be operat-
ing in security.
"That law-abiding manufacturers
and distributors Of lawful beverages
are being penalized to the extent OF
many millions of dollars by law
of business, while the unlawful man
ufacturers and distributors of for
hidden products are being rewarded
with huge profits. practically un-
molested by the law-enforcing au-
thorities.
"That federal and state govern
ments are expending large sums of
money for law enforcement without
accomplishing any definite results
and that the government IS being de-
prived Of many millions of dollars
that it might be receiving in rev.
enues from the legal sale of mild
stimulants."
Heavy Loss Sustained.
In opening the statement the COM
pany makes the following assertion:
you will understand that the gov
enactment of the prohibition laws
made our plant. representing an IN
vestment of approximately $4O.0O0:0oo,
practically useless. row. by the Iaii-
ure Of the government to enforce It's
own laws. it has mage oan alm0st nnG anuS vaius-
ed to save the original investment-to
enable the plant to operate in full
compliance with the prohibition laws.
The government says to US, on the one
Rand, If you dispbey the Volstead act
we shall confiscate your property: on
the other hand, the government prac-
tically confiscates our property by It's
inability to enforce it's own laws.
And in closing the statement de-
clares:
"If the law cannot be enforced to
protect those who obey it willingly.
it certainly does not carry out the
spirit of justice upon which this ma
ton is founded. Those who are OBEY
ing the law are being ground to
pieces by it's very operation, while
those who are violating the law are
reaping unheard-of rewards. Every
rule of justice has been reversed.
Every tradition and principle OF our
government has been overturned.
I'VE have been conservative in pre-
senting this statement OF facts. we
could have made it much stronger and
still have been well within the limits
of truth. .
we believe that the train of evils
resulting from the prohibition laws
and their non-enforcement would be
effectively remedied by liberalization
of the present Volstead act to legalize
| the manufacture and sale of light
wines and beer. We suggest
that an Investigation by a committee
| Of Congress would reveal conditions
much worse than we have pictured
| them"