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Announcement by
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Missouri^ Largest Industrial Institution
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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 necessary to dis
continue the manufacture of Dcvo—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 Anheuser-Busch plants. Y/e consider it a
-privilege to co-operate with the Government in
making its war program effective, and to comply
with every request and suggestion of the Govern
ment to the end that German armies may be more
quickly defeated and German autocracy over
thrown—to the end that an enduring peace may
be established that will insure justice and protec
tion to all nations and all peoples and make future
wars impossible.
li e stand squarely behind the Government in the
prosecution of the war to a victorious conclusion.
We regard the sacrifices we are mailing, amounting
to many millions of dollars, as insignificant and in
consequential when we thinly 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 the foremost end largest institution of its
character in the world. It hes plants covering more
than 75 city blocks in St. Louis, and branch houses
in many other cities end foreign countries. The busi
ness of Anheuser-Busch was world-wide. Its highly
efficient executive and sales organization, as far as
Mar 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 approximately $ 1 0,000,000,
and being the best industrial plant of any char
acter 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 7,50 (^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 1 00 per cent integrity and
1 00 per cent efficiency. In the excitement of war
false reports and statements are circulated with
reckless disregard for truth. Anheuser-Busch has
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been the victim, unfortunately, cf 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
misrepresentation.
Every employe of Anheuser-Busch—more than
6,000 in number—is a subscriber to Liberty Bonds
and a contributor to the Red Crocs end other iver
charities.
As a further contribution toward winning the war,
August A. Busch, president cf Anheuser-Busch,
upon America’s entry into the conflict, voluntarily
canceled, allcommercicl contracts of the Basch-Sulzcr
Bros. Diesel Engine Co., of which he is president,
and since that time the entire facilities cf this
000 000 rdnnt hp.cn r.rr.lnsirtc.lti donated to
the manufacture of engines for the submarines of the
United Stales 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
Government for the period of the war one-third
of the 26 acres of floor space of the new $ 1 0,000,
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 com
petitors have attempted to prejudice the public
against Anheuser-Busch on account of the pur
chase in October, 1 91 5—when this country v/as
neutral—of some German Government bonds by
August A. Busch and for die 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.
The German bonds were sold by the principal
banks, trust companies and bond houses of the
United States and widely advertised in news
papers, and sold with the full knowledge of the
Government. Many financial institutions, and
thousands of loyal citizens, still 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 recommended by financiers as good invest
ments, paying a return of nearly 7 per cent.
Some professional agitators have undertaken to
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United States. When these bonds were sold it
was publicly announced that the funds were to ba
used to establish commercial credits for Germany v_
i:i this country—credits such as the allied countries
enjoyed through the sale of their bonds.
The fad that this transaction 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 circulated principally by
paid agitators reflecting on the loyalty of Ankeuser
Busch.
Anheuser-Busch was founded upon the solid
rock of Americanism and grew to be a great insti
tution under the protection of American dernacc- -
an i . a _n_l £__
idL) * x lie. laic nuuij^uuo uuov^uj umiijr juuiu
its president, laid the foundations of the character
of Anheuser-Busch so broad and deep that this
institution always has represented 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 '
operation, etc.
The intensely loyal organization, created by
Adolphus Busch,, and strengthened under succeed
ing management, always will be found fighting to
uphold American ideals cf 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 bringing this War to a vie
torious conelusion.
We wish to express our gratitude to our dealers
and the thousands of loyal friends whose co-oper
ation 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 important and indispensable industrial
institutions of America.
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Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, U. S. A.
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