Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 30, 1985)
“All the News Thats News to Us" Greg on Free Yres s WEATHER: Blue skies, forever. vC' 1985,The Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Co., Portland, OR A DATE TO REMEMBER FREE FOR ALL MEMBERS OF THE OREGON BEER FORCE yesterday at vic tory barbecue in Siskiyou. Walty Kolls (L) and Floyd Famham * (r.) both were actors in the border drama. Famham, a veteran of foreign wars, left the scene earty-“to get the coals started!' EMUS BIN HIGH IN SISKIYOU An eyewitness account Flem Snopes lives in Siskiyou. He was an eyewitness to the events there yesterday. “It was the most amazin' sight I ever saw. The trucks come roll in' right across the border-like there weren’t no border there a’tall-and they come rollin' through like they owned the place. Roarin’ and grindin' their gears and tearin' up the road— an Oregon road paid for with Oregon taxes. “Then I saw they was slowin' down. Then I saw ’em come to a stop. And then I saw the Beer Force. They was a magnificent sight, in their uniforms, facin' down those trucks. ■ “An officer of the Beer Force he went up to the first truck and said in a loud voice: WELL NOW WHERE YOU FELLAS COIN* WITH ALL THAT BEER?’ The tnicks knew they was licked. So they just turned around and slinked away with their tails lx-tween their legs, as it were. "Then the Beer Force fellas sent up a HURRAH, and the citi zens come pourin’ into the streets. You never seen such rejoicin’The women were kissin’ the Beer Force fellas and givin' them flowers, the hoys were runnin’ around with Beer Force caps on and T-shirts. Everybody was cryin’-even the men. I haven't seen the like of it since WWH. "The Mayor he made a speech, and then all the'Beer Force went over to the tavern to celebrate and drink themselves some pure brewed Oregon beer-Blitz, I mean." Recruiting Depots Report Record Numbers hi uit* snun ume since 115 founding, the ranks of the Oregon Beer Force have swelled. Recruiting depots statewide-in taverns, restaurants and groceries -are reporting record numbers of applicants. One recruiting officer, FYank E. Burnham, proprietor of a pop ular Bar & Grill, reports it this way: 'They’re knocking down the doors. W? process hundreds of applications a day. I administer the pledge myself. I'm hoarse from it. I said.i’m hoarse from it'" The story is much the same all over Oregon. This reporter has spent many hours in recruit ing depots, and witnessed at first hand the number, and enthusi asm, of the new' recruits. One hears everywhere the resonant strains of the Beer Force pledge: "I promise, on my honor, to hold HOWTO JOINTHE OREGON FORCE Recruiting poster. the ljeer Here above all others... lb join the Oregon Beer Fbrce in ridding these green hills of foreign malt beverages of any kind ...I promise to drink only Oregon's finest beer...brewed with costly Cascade hops...and the pure Cascade mountain water of Ore gon. my Oregon" It is a moving ceremony, and is invariably concluded with the drinking of the Beer Force's official brew-Blitz. OBF Uniform Approved Anthem Rivalry Rages In its most decisive meeting to date, the ()regon Beer Force last night voted upon uniforms, the OBF anthem, secret handshake, and distress signal. The Beer Force approved overwhelmingly the proposed uniform: a smart khaki T-shirt set off by a camouflage hat. The anthem controversy con tinued unabated. (PngeS.) The approved OBF hand shake and distress signal are secret. F\>r that reason, this reporter cannot provide a written account of them. He will say, how ever, that both are peculiarly fas cinating and fun to do. He suggests if anyone should care to know more, he or she should join the OBF. It doesn’t take long, and most recruiting depots stay open late. (Just walk in and ask for a "Blitz.” They'll know.) THIS IS THE HAT adopted for wear by the OBF. 1b receiie the official OBF hat, members should send a checkor money order for $5.95 to: OBF HAT, Quartermaster, Blitz Weinha rd Breuery 1133 Hfcsf Bu niside Street, Portia nd, OR 97209. The OBF wishes to state that ONE SIZE FITS.ALL -which is meant to be no re flection on its members. * * * Oregon Beer Force secures border In a series of decisive actions this week, the Oregon Beer Force has gained new ground in its campaign to stem the tide of foreign beers flow ing into Oregon. In the most recent incident, members of the Oregon Beer Force at Siskiyou yesterday turned away a convoy of out-of-state beer trucks. Reinforced by divisions from Pinehurst and Keno and Klamath Fklls. the ijrrri ruiv.tr aiopptnj me convoy just inside the Oregon border on Interstate 5. Beer Force troops took up positions along both sides of the highway. Once the trucks came into sight, the Beer Force moved in-effectively closing the route into Oregon. Officers of the Beer Force approached the stopped trucks. According to one Beer Force noncommissioned officer “They went up to the trucks, and asked them very politely: ‘Well now, where you fellas goin' with all that beer?1 It was a mess," he added. “All those trucks high tailin'it out of there!* Thiffic was reportedly snarled along Interstate 5 for sev eral hours yesterday afternoon. The confrontation was otherwise peaceful. Afterwards. Beer Force members were jubilant One un identified member declared, “We won. We whupped 'em. We sent 'em clear back to St Louis, Milwaukee” (EDITOR’S NOTE: St Louis is in Missouri, not Milwaukee.) This was only the latest in a series of actions by the Oregon Beer Force to achieve its aim of ridding Oregon of what it calls the tyranny of the Beer Fhom There.” These actions have ranged from boycotts to demon strations to halting trucks at the border, as at Siskiyou. The Oregon Beer Force was formed expressly to stop the flood into Oregon of “foreign beers!* The Beer Force defines as "for eign" any beer that is "not made in Oregon, not made with the finest natural ingredients, not brewed with the finest Cascade hops, not brewed with the spar kling pure mountain water of Oregon" So far, the Beer Fbrce’s suc cesses have been impressive. Continued on Page 4, Column 5 of troops in Oregon. EDITORIAL The Beer Here Hear! Hear! The brave actions of the Oregon Beer Force have given Oregonians reason to stand tall again. Their dauntless re sistance to the tyranny of Big Beer has made us ail feel prouder. Stronger. And better. Just when we despaired of ever ridding ourselves of the domination of the Beer Fh>m There, the Oregon Beer Force arose, phoenix-like, from the ashcan of our hopes. And none too soon. Who would, like Hamlet, fardels bear? Oregon shall not. Not for long. As if Oregon cannot brew her own beer! We hardly bring ourselves to compare their beer with the Beer Here. They are content to sell their beer whatever its content- but they are not from Oregon. They brew their beer with water from we know not where-but they are not from Oregon. They spend as much on advertising as we do on educating our children-but they are not from Oregon. We support the Oregon Beer Fbrce in their struggle to throw off the yoke of foreign oppression. We urge all Ore gonians to take part in the Great Crusade. If you are not yet a member of the Oregon Beer Force, enlist today. Oregon calls upon you. Nature is on our side. Tbgether, we cannot fail.
