The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, October 10, 1918, Page 8

BISMARCK DAILY TRIBUNB 4 "THURSDAY, OCT. 10, 1918 - Announcement by -. Anheuser-Busch > Miissouri’s Largest Industrial Institution . President Wilson, as a necessary conservation measure, has issued a Proclamatior]]prohibiting” the manufacture of cereal beverages$on and after Dec. 1, 1918, which Proclamation also makes it necessary to dis- continue the manufacture of -Bevo—the Anheuser-Busch soft drink. As a patriotic duty we accept without reservation the conditions of the President’s Proclamation and on and after Dec. 1 our manufacturing plants will be closed and they will remain closed until such time as we may be permitted to reopen them with the full sanction of the Government, or until we convert them for the manufacture of materialsrequired by the Government in the prosecution of the war The Government's conservation program makes it necessary to suspend the beverage business of the Anheuser-Busch plants. We consider it a privilege to co-operate with the Government in making its war program effective, and to comply with every’ re- quest and suggestion of the Government to the end that German armies may be more quickly defeated and German autocyacy - overthrown—to the end that an enduring peace may be establish- ed:that will insure justice and protection to all nations and all peoples and make future wars impossible. We stand squarely behind the Government in the prosecution of the war to a victorious conclusion. We regard the sacrifices we are making, amounting to many millions of dollars, as insigniftcant andinconsequential when we think of the benefils that will ‘ac- crue'to the world under the terms of the unselfish and altruistic war aims of the United States as defined by our President. The Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association is pre-eminently the foremost and largest institution of its character in the world. It has plants covering more than 75 city blocks in St. Louis, and branch houses in many other cities and foreign countries. The business of Anheuser-Busch was world-wide. Its highly ef- ficient executive and sales organization, as far as war conditions will permit, will be retained intact; and after the war for Democ- racy shall have been won, we shall be engaged ‘again in useful industry. The Anheuser-Busch plants are equivalent to a city in them- selves. They represent an invested capital of $60,000,000. There are many modern manufacturing units in the group of plants—one, the new Bevo bottling and shipping plant, with equipment, costing approximately $10,000,000, and being the best industrial plant of any character in the world. Anheuser-Busch pays annually more than $3,000,000 in Fed- eral, State and Municipal taxes. Anheuser-Busch employs at good wages from 6,000 to 7,500 persons. Anheuser-Busch industries support nearly a score of other use- ful industries of considerable magnitude. During the period that Anheuser-Busch is out of active busi- ness, we shall take all necessary steps to protect the good name of this institution, which always has stood for 100 per cent integrity KEEP THE GLOW IN OLD GLORY BUY and 100 per cent efficiency. In the excitement of war false re- ports and statements are circulated with reckless disregard for truth. Anheuser-Busch ‘has been the victim, unfortunately, of many such false reports. : wi In this connection we consider‘it opportune to so clearly define the attitude of this institution and its officers that there can bé no further excuse for misrepresentation. Ae As an American institution, founded by Americans more than 60 years ago, and continuously owned and operated by Ameri- cans, Anheuser-Busch has unmistakably expressed its American- ism by subscribing to more than $3,000,000 of Liberty Bonds and the contribution of $500,000 to' the American Red Cross and other war relief organizations of thé United States and the allied cause. Every employe of ‘Anheuser-Busch—more than 6,000 in num- ber—is a subscriber to Liberty Bonds and a contributor lo‘ the Red Cross and other war chatities. As a further contribution toward winning the war, August A. Busch, president of Anheuser-Busch, upon America’s entry into the conflict, voluntarily canceled all commercial contracts of the Busch-Sulzer Bros. Diesel Engine Co:, of which he is president, and since that time the entire facilities of this $3,500,000 plant have.been exclusively devoted to the manufacture of engines for the submarines of the United States Navy. The engines manu- factured by this plant are conceded to be the finest and most per- fect made anywhere in the world. ' Mr. Busch also has arranged to lease to the Govertiment for the period of the war onecthird of the 26 acres of floor space of the new $10,000,000 Bevo plant. ; The manufacturing facilities of the $60,000,000 Anheuser- Busch plant, in part or entirety, have been tendered to the United States until the end of the war. Other-enthusiastic agitators and envious competitors have at- tempted to prejudice the public against Anheuser-Busch on ac- count of the purchase in October, 1915—when this country was neutral—of some German Government bonds by August A.’ ’ Busch and for the account of his mother, Mrs. Adolphus Busch. The truth is that these bonds were purchased 18 months before the United States declared war on Germany, and at a time when there was no thought that this country would become involved in the war. sl < & Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, U. $. A. » The German bonds were sold by the principal banks, trust companies and bond houses of the United States and widely ad- vertised in newspapers, and sold with the full-knowledge of the Government. Many financial institutions, and thousands of loyal citizens, still own these bonds. ey The bonds were sold by the same institutions that sold French, English, Italian and other war bonds. They were sold at 84 cents on the dollar, and recommended by financiers as good investments, payinga return of nearly ‘7 per cent. ! : . Some professional agitators have. undertaken to make it appear that Mr. Busch bought the German bonds to aid Germany in mak- ingwar on the United States. When these bonds were sold it was publicly announced that the funds were to be used to estab- lish commercial credits for Germany in this country—credits such as the allied countries enjoyed. through the sale of their bonds. — The fact that this‘transaction was:in' October; 1915, and that the United States did not declare war on Germany unlil A pril, 1917, should set at rest the ridiculous charges circulated principal- , ly by paid agitators reflecting on the loyally of Anheuser-Busch. Anheuser-Busch was founded upon the solid rock. of Ameti- canism and/grew to be a great institution under the protection of American democracy. The late Adolphus Busch, for. many years its presdent, laid the foundations of the character of An- heuser-Busch’ so board: and deep that this institution always has represented in the industrial world vastly more than a beverage industry. The- riame of Anheuser-Busch has been associated with, and will continue to be associated with, great-industries in various fields of manufacture, finatice, railroading, mining, hotel building and operation, etc. ’ ; The intensely loyal organization, créated by Adolphus Busch, and strengthened under succeeding management, always will be found fighting to uphold American ideals of government and ~ American principles of fair play. Anheuser-Busch is ready to sacrifice everything except loyalty to country, and its own honor, to serve the Government in bring ing this war to a victorious conclusion. ‘ We wish to express our gratitude to our dealers.and the thou- sands of loyal’ friends whose co-operation and support have been an invaluable asset to this institution. We assure them that after the war Anheuser-Busch again will take its place among the im- portant and indispensable industrial institutions of America. ne a