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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 14, 1918)
ii ( - l , '1' - ' ' " r ' 1 ' ' " - - - . - v ' ' s i 'I 1 . JLarsesr inatisrriai insotnLition SOIIFIS President Wilson; as a necessary conservation measure, has issued a Proclamation prohibiting the manufacture of cereal beverages on, and after Dec. 1, 1918, which Prqcldmationr also makes it necessary to dis continue the manufacture of Bevothe 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 rull sanction or the Government, or until we convert them for the manufacture of materials require by the Government in the prosecution of the war. Tfie Government's conservation program makes it necessary tp suspend the beverage business of the Anheuser-Busch plants. We consider it a privilege to cooperate with the' Government in making its war pro gram effective, and to comply withevery request and suggestion of the Government to the end that German armies may be more quickly defeatedtand German autocracy overthrown to the end thai an enduring peace may be established that will insure justice and protection to all nations and all peopies and make future wars impossible. :A ' 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 accrue 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 Jhe 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 sation, 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 ail 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 worlds j Anheuser-Busch pays annually more than $3,000,000 in Federal, State and Municipal taxes, j Anheuser-Busch employs at good wages from 6000 to 7500 persons. s Anheuser-Busch industries support nearly a score of other useful industries of considerable imagnitude. K , During the. period that Anheusef-Busch is out of active business, we shall take all necessary steps to pro tect the good name of this institution which always has ' stood -for 400 per ceriMntegrityjand top per cent effi ciency. '"In the excitement of watfalse reports and statements are circulated with reckles.s disregard for truth. Anheuser-Busch has been the vw tim, 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 S3 ,000,000 of Liberty Bonds" and the contribution of SS00J0OO to the Ameri can Red. Cross and other war relief organizations of the United States and the allied cause. r Every employe of Auheuser-Busch more than 6J0OO in number is-a subscriber to Liberty Bonds and a contributor to the Red Cross and other war charities. ' 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 whichr he is president, and since that fime.the entire facilities of this $300,000 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 Anheuser-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 Anheuser-Busch on account of the purchase in October, 191 5 when this country was neutral of some Ger man 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 th war. The German bonds were sold by the principal banks, trust companies and bond houses of the United States arid widely advertised in newspapers, and sold with theN full knowledge of the Government., Many financial institutions, and thousands of loyal citizens, still own these bonds. Tne bonds were sold by the same institutions that soldi French, English, 'Italian and other war bonds. They were sold at 84 cents pn the dollar and recom mended, by financiers as k 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, announced that the funds were to be used to establish comtnercial ; credits for Germany In this country credits such5 ashe allied countries enjoyed through the sale of their bonds. The fact that this transaction was in October, 19 IS, and that the United States did not declare war1 .on Germany until April, 1917, should set at rest the ridiculous charges circu 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 be a great institution under the protection of American democracy. The late Adolphus Busch, for many years its president, laid the foundations of the character of Anheuser-Busch so broaif and deep that - this institution always has repre sented in the industrial world vastly more than a bever age 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 tionyetc. The intensely loyal organization, created by. Adolphus Busch, and strengthened under succeeding management, always will be found fighting to uphold American ideals of government and American princi ples of fair play. ' Anheuser-Busch is ready to sacrifice everything except 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 cooperation 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. ' - Axilieuser-Btiscli, St. Louis U; S. A; ' V'V-,':--:'" - IT 1 " S 4 - .4 l i : - ' X V President 1 . " i - - 4, V