by D. J. Donohue
District Manager, J . P. See~!lrg Corporation
For more than two years, and particularly
since the Pearl Harbor attack on December
7th, Music Operators on the Pacific Coast
have had a ring side seat to witness the
United States at work with their Defense,
and now with their War Program.
There is no question about it-people on
the Pacific Coast (The Theater of War)
are really mindful of the fact that the Na-
tion is at War. For example, the hundreds
of thousands of civilians now working in
shipbuilding yards, airplane plants, and in
allied industries; airplanes constantly roar·
ing over head; bridges all manned with
military personnel; anti·craft guns all up
and down the Coast; racetracks and fair·
grounds now being used for concentration
camps for aliens or for soldiers; Jap sub·
marines shelling at oil refineries near Santa
Barbara, and more recently their subma·
rines also shelled Seaside, Oregon; training
for Civilian Defense such as Air Raid War·
dens, fire watchers, first aid assistants,
auxiliary police and firemen; civilian air
patrol, etc. Then, again, we see the streets
filled with men in military uniform; women
in various types of military uniforms also ;
army trucks, jeeps, etc., going through the
streets, and quite recently we observed the
aluminum col'ored Barrage Balloons, which
Aoat above the War Production' Plants. We
have also witnessed the evacuation of the
Japanese from their homes and businesses
into concentration camps.
That is the War Picture, which the
Pacific Coast Operators have been looking
at for sometime back.
Naturally, all of this has brought about
many problems and changes in the Coin
Operated Phonograph business starting
back last Fall when we received our first
increase in prices,' then excise taxes; higher
taxes of all kinds; Blackouts, dim outs on
the ocean highways, threatened gasoline ra·
tioning on the Coast, rubber and tire
shortage, service men joining the Armed
Forces, and now there is some talk of ra-
tioning train, bus and airplane travel, as
well as curtailing the shipment of non·
essential goods by rail or bus. Then we
have had the temporary problem of the
Phonograph Record Industry to contend
with, but fortunately this seems to be shap.
ing itself around to the satisfaction of all
concerned.
Regardless of the above, general business
on the Pacific Coast is booming-not only
because the population at large is working
in War Production Plants at good wages,
but the whole situation has had a tendency
to speed up the farming, mining and lum·
bering activities. Result is that people gen·
erally seem to have more money to spend
for pleasure, and that's why Music Oper-
ators in this territory are boasting of a
gr~ater "take" than ever before. This ap-
plIes not only where the military traffic is
heavy, and in War Production Plant areas,
but operators in outlying sections say-in
spite of losing the younger men to the Mili-
I
yes sir, it's
S!~!~!m~! INSTR~~~u~l~L
HARRY JAMES
BOB CHESTER
I
D. J. DONOHUE
tary Service, and others going to work on
the Coast in War Industries, that they are
also enjoying a most satisfactory "take", all
of which is most encouraging.
There is no question but music provided
by Coin Operated Phonographs is essential
and important to the morale of the war
workers, civilians, and those in military
service. This is proven by the statement
made above that the "take" from phono·
graphs is better than ever before.
Even before the War Production Board
issued their order to the Coin Machine In-
dustry that all manufacturing of 'our equip·
ment must be discon tinued, our Company
was busily engaged in producing and manu-
facturing many items for Military use.
Today the 1. P. Seeburg Corporation have
their facilities taxed to 100% capacity on
War Products exclusively, and every em-
ployee is contributing maximum effort.
In additi'on to our activities in the War
Program, our Company has been very active
in offering suggestions to our Distrib utors
so that operators of Seeburg Music Sys-
tems might be able to continue their opera·
tions as in peace time. They have encouraged
all Seeburg Distributors to maintain their
organizations so that Music Operators will
be able to get the same efficient service that
they have always enjoyed. Distributors
.
* _*_SH~OT
Burbank Adopts License
BURBANK, Calif.-Despite the protest
of music operators th e City Council passed
amendments to the Burbank license ordi-
nance on June 10th placing a $12.00 per
year per instrument license on music ma-
chines.
Other new fees adopted included a $1.00
per year license fee for each weighing
machine.
everyone's got a nickel for
BROTHER BILL
On Bluebird: TONY PASTOR
---~
VALUE -
$94.50
Reco nd itio ned See bu rg Chi cken Sam Gu ns co nverted to t he Jap Ray Gu n by
factory tra i ned mec han ics . Or ie nta l doll a nd e ntire ins id e of cabi net is ha nd pa inted by well -kn own
Chi cago Artist. Wh en we get th ru t he mac h ine In ap peara nce a nd co nditio n is practi ca lly new.
A mplifl er, t ubes, ca bl es an d a ll parts chec ked a nd ready fo r location . Ou r pri ce $94.50. One- thi rd
de posit wit h order. S pec ia l cas h offe r. A cerHft ed check of $89.50 will start on e of t hese qu ick i ncome
Ray Gu ns on t he roa d wi t hin 24 hours. Th e best gu n in vest me nt on t he market t oday.
CHICAGO NOVELTY CO., INC.
1348 NEWPORT AVE.
Mention of TIlE COIN MACHINE REVIEW is
I
THE JAP RAY-O-LiTE GUNS_* ...
*
$125.00 -
Lega l an d tax free.
are maintaining expert factory trained tech·
nicians to assist operators in carrying out
this program, and W.e recommend that you
call on them from time to time. We would
also like to see opera tors caref~lly check
all their equipment, now on location, to
make sure that it is"in first class working
order for the duration.
Our Distributors aiso have an assortment
of used phonograph~ and auxiliary equip-
ment to take care of your needs. They also
have liberal 's tocks of parts to accommodate
emergencies from time to time.
There are many things also that the Mu-
sic Operator can do these days to improve
his earnings. For example, the so-called
"Just Around the Corner Spots". These lo-
cations in the past possibly have not war-
ranted new phonographs, or even wall or
bar boxes, but today with everybody con-
serving tires, threatened gasoline rationing
here on the West Coast, etc.-these loca-
tions are remodeling their premises and
reaching out for local or . neighborhood
patronage. Analyze these "Spots" today and
if you have noticed a sufficient increase in
the "take" to justify new equipment-see
your local Seeburg Distributor because he
only has a limited supply of new 1942 equip-
ment left, and it should be sold out very
shortly.
Operators around Army Camps, Military
Posts, War Production areas should be on
the alert at all times, because new and re-
modeled locations are prospects every day
for new and improved Seeburg Music
Systems to increase weekly earnings.
The Phonograph Operator today is in a
mood to make money and as a result a lot
of competitive evils, which have existed i'n
the operating business in recent years, seem
to be disappearing, and we trust as time
goes on this spirit will spread, not only
un and down the Coast, but throughout the
United States.
It has been very gratifying to observe the
splendid attitude of our Music Operators in
turning in their old rubber and taking an
active part in the National Campaign. Fur-
ther, they have been most genero us in their
purchases every week of War Stamps and
Bonds, and we trust they will continue this
splendid practice.
Don't forget-Seeburg originated and in-
troduced Wireless Remote Control Music-
the greatest achievement in Automatic
Music.
yo~r best introduction to our advertisers.
CHICAGO, ILL.
COIN
MACHIN E
REVIEW
21
fOR
JULY
1942