The evening world. Newspaper, October 14, 1918, Page 13

- ‘$HE EVENING WORLD, MOND , OCTOBER 14, 1918, ~~ Announcement by Anheuser-Busch Miissouri’s Largest Industrial Institution President Wilson, as a necessary conservation measure, has issued a Proclamation prohibiting the manufacture of cereal beverages on and after Dec. 1, 1918, which Proclamation also makes it necessa 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 materials required by the Government in the prosecution of the war. The Government's conservation program makes it necessary to suspend the beverage business of the An- heuser-Busch plants. We consider it a privilege to co-operate with the Government in making its war pro- gram effective, and to comply with every request and suggestion of the Government to the end that German armies may be more quickly defeated and German autocracy overthrown—to the end that an enduring peace may be established 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 prosecu- tion of the war to a victorious conclusion. We regard the sacrifices we are making, amounting to many millions of dollars, as insignificant and inconsequential when we think of the benefits that will accure 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-emi- nently 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 efficient executive and sales organi- zation, as far as war conditions will permit, will be retained intact; and after the war for Democracy shall have been won, we shall be engaged again in useful industry. The Anheuser-Busch plants are equivalent to a city in themselves. 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 approxi- mately $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 Federal, 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 useful industries of considerable magnitude. During the period that Anheuser-Busch is out of active business, we shall take all necessary steps to ° protect the good name of this institution, which always has stood for 100 per cent integrity and 100 per cent efficiency. In the excitement of war false reports and statements are circulated with reckless disregard for EEP THE. GLOW IN OLD GLORY truth. Anheuser-Busch has been the victim, unfortu- nately, of many such false reports. In this connection we consider it opportune to so clearly define the attitude of this institution and its officers that there can be no further excuse for mis- representation. As an American institution, founded by Americans more than 60 years ago, and continuously owned and operated by Americans, Anheuser-Busch has unmistakably expressed its Americanism 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 organiza- tions of the United States and the allied cause. Every employe of Anheuser-Busch—more than 6,000 in number—is a subscriber to Liberty Bonds and a con- tributor to the Red Cross and other charities. Asa further contribution toward winning the war, August A. Busch, president of Anheuser-Busch, upon America’s entry into the conflict, voluntarily cancelled all commercial contracts of the Busch-Sulzer Bros. Diesel Engine Co., of which he is president, and since that time the entire facili- ties 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 manufactured by this plant are conceded to be the finest and most perfect made anywhere in the world. Mr. Busch also has arranged to lease to the Govern- ment for the period of the war one-third of the 26 acres of floor space of the new $10,000,000 Bevo plant. ' The manufacturing facilities of the $60,000,000 An- heuser-Busch plant, in part or entirety, have been tendered to the United States until the end of the war. Over-enthusiastic agitators and envious competitors have attempted to prejudice the public against An- heuser-Busch on account 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 Ger- many, and at a time when there was no thought that this country would become involved in the war. The German bonds were sold by the principal banks, trust companies and bond houses of the United States and widely advertised in newspapers, and sold with the full knowledge of the Government. Many financial in- stitutions, and thousands of loyal citizens, sfill own these bonds. 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 recom- mended by financiers as good investments, paying a 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 making war on the United States. When these bonds were sold it was publicly announcd that the funds were to be used to establish commerciai credits for Germany in this country—credits such as the allied countries enjoyed through the sale of their bonds. The fact that this transactton was in October, 1915, and that the United States did not declare war on Germany until April, 1917, should set at rest the ridiculous charges circa- lated principally by paid agitators reflecting on the loyalty of Anheuser-Busch. Anheuser-Busch was founded upon the solid rock of Americanism and grew to bea great institution under the protection of American democracy. The late Adok phus Busch, for many years its president, laid the foundations of the character of Anheuser-Busch 80 broad and deep that this institution always has repre- sented in the industrial world vastly more than a beverage industry. The name of Anheuser-Busch has been associated with, and will continue to be associated with, great industries in various fields of manufacture, finance, railroading, mining, hotel building and opera- tion, etc. The tensely loyal organization, created by Adolphus Busch, and strengthened under succeeding manage- ment, always will be found fighting to uphold Ameri- can ideals of government and American principles of fair play. Anheuser-Busch is ready to sacrifice everything exeept loyalty to country, and its own honor, to serve the Govern- ment in bringing this war to a victorious conclusion. We wish to express our gratitude to our dealers and the thousands of loyal friends whose co-operation and support have been an invaluable asset to this institu- tion. We assure them that after the war Anheuser Busch again will take its place among the important and indispensable industrial institutions of America. Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, U. S. A. By Lm a i | | ; t 3 9 EE EL A 3h Sane eee SShast = 3325 Pe <<SiRAOSINEStentibanipmnsttasnininepastinatidiinenieiiaeiemmananineaiad an a a a ae Se a are ae ae