Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Under TfKjJyiraL TOWEL
T
HERE is one great weakness in our industrial system in this
country to-day, and it is the lack of consideration for
the future. Enthusiasm over the present often blinds us to
necessities to come. This is evident in the indifference manifested
by many manufacturers towards trade schools, where the rising
generation may be instructed correctly to carry on the great work
which their fathers have started. With some few exceptions very
few of the industries—and this includes the piano trade—are giv-
ing the least attention to the formation or support of technical and
indusrial schools whereby a better knowledge of the various trades
may be secured. In this age of factory specialization it is almost
impossible for any person to get a thorough knowledge of any
one line of business or trade, and the great question is where we
are to get our foremen, superintendents and technical experts in
future years—men who will be competent to pass on the correctness
or incorrectness of work, and whose judgment will be based on
practical knowledge—if we do not properly educate our workmen.
There can be no better investment on the part of manufactur-
ers—if the State does not feel inclined to take up this work—than
to provide a common fund ior the maintenance of trade schools
whereby the younger generation of employes may secure a thor-
ough knowledge of the fundamentals of their craft and be prepared
to take up the work of the older men when their time comes to
assume this responsibility. The fact that Germany is going into
the world's commercial markets and underselling the United States
is attributed in large measure "to the number and excellence of her
industrial schools," according to the Eederal Bureau of Education.
* * H
^OMMON consent ascribes the marked advance of Germany
_> along industrial lines to these schools. Statistics show that
German sales in this country have increased nearly ioo per cent,
since 1900, while to the entire world German products are going
in a great and overwhelming stream. In considering this success
the first point which astonishes is the heavy investment made
in industrial education. Nearly every small village has at least
one industrial school, and often in small cities two are found.
Almost without exception there is a correlation between industrial
conditions in cities and towns in which these schools exist and in-
dustrial schools. Manufacturers and working people take the ut-
most pride and interest in these schools, and watch their develop-
ment closely. Every means has been used to get the right kind of
teachers. Very wisely, indeed, the Germans have paid the teachers
in this work higher wages than for similar grades in other schools.
In almost every place one sees men teaching in these schools who
are really artists in their work.
* H *
T must be admitted, however, that American mechanics are not
prone to take to the industrial or trade school idea. The
"independence'' of the mechanic or laborer in the United States
may be traced to political conditions, and this has a tendency to
prevent his co-operating with employers to the end of benefiting
himself or his trade. It takes two to make a bargain, and one
cannot blame manufacturers for not becoming too enthusiastic in
forcing the advancement of men who are indifferent to their own
interests. But apart from this there is a broad issue at stake which
the State or individuals must take up if we are to maintain a posi-
tion of eminence in the world's manufacturing domain.
(
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16
16 It
ICHARD W. LAWRENCE, president of the Autopiano Co.,
was one of several distinguished speakers at the meeting
of the Advertising Men's League held at the Aldine Club in
New York last week and which was attended by about 125
advertising men. At this meeting the first positive effort in
the United States to stop fraudulent advertising through criminal
proceedings was begun, and a grievance committee of seven mem-
bers was appointed to which individual members of the League
will present complaints of dishonest advertising. This committee
will gather evidence and place it in the hands of the public prose-
R
cutor and will cause arrests to be followed in due course by trials
in a criminal court. This is a step in the right direction. In recent
years there has been a rapidly increasing tendency toward mislead-
ing and fraudulent advertising. It has assumed various forms,
among which may be numbered puzzle or guessing contests with
which we are so familiar in the piano trade. The Department of
Justice in Washington has aided the post office in exposing and
putting an end to a lot of this kind of work, and it is now grati-
fying that a body of men of such importance as the Advertising
Men's League are to lend their aid in a practical way to expose
and punish those who advertise with a fraudulent intent.
r
I A HERE are many mouth-filling statements regarding trade
_L ethics, some of which fall off the tongue easily and
smoothly and with a merry tinkle akin to the rippling of a
stream through green meadows, but many of the utterances are
insincere and meaningless, and it is refreshing to instance a
man who has not only expressed good, clean cut business senti-
ments, but who has been willing to back them by the expendi-
ture of money, time and energy. When William Lincoln Bush
came out with his "one-name, one-price, one trade-mark, one
quality" slogan he was criticised in some quarters, but Mr. Bush
hung undeviatingly to his policy and did not hesitate to expend
money in carrying on his campaign of education. As a result,
the Bush & Gerts piano stands higher than ever before in the
estimation of the trade and Mr. Bush's position is recognized
as typifying good sound business principles. Good for Mr.
Bush. More power to his elbow.
•I
S?
*J
T is safe to say that never before in the history of the local trade
have there been such extensive advertising campaigns con-
ducted, which have been so notable for the uniformly high and dig-
nified character of the copy used, as have served to place the merits
of various pianos and players before the public during the present
ante-holiday season. The leading piano houses have all been
strongly in evidence with "copy" which has been of a character to
appeal to and impress the thinking man who appreciates piano
names and values in preference to so-called bargains. The piano
advertising in the New York papers during the past month or so
affords evidence of the desire to get away from the stereotyped—to
concentrate more serious attention on this vital department of trade
promotion—publicity.
I
SOME OPINIONS CONCERNING PREMIUMS.
(Continued from Page 5.)
humidor given for cigar purchases suggests a box to go in it.
"Eighth: Premiums may become secondary advertising me-
diums to popularize a trade-mark, or to suggest the goods. Thus
a cut-glass salt shaker may promote the sale of a brand of salt; a
cigar cutter, of cigars; an orange spoon, of oranges.
"The foregoing are merely the reasons given by various con^
cerns why they use premiums. It is only fair to give the reasons
why some other concerns do not use premiums. In the last analysis
the individual conditions must govern any policy.
" 'The premium is the badge of the cheap house,' say some
concerns. 'It is the usual accompaniment of shoddy goods and
questionable methods. The class of people who trade at premium
stores are not the class we want.'
" 'Our goods are sold on their merits, and no extra inducement
is necessary or even desirable,' is another comment.
" 'The advertising value of a premium is nil. The person who
receives it doesn't regard it as of any value because she thinks—
wrongly—that she got it for nothing, and she doesn't tell her
friends about it because she is ashamed to admit what it is/
" 'Our margin of profit is so small that we cannot afford to
give more concessions than we regularly do.'
" 'It is a good talking point to advertise that we don't have to
give bribes for business.' "