Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
or less somnambulant institution in so far as trade
promotion went. To be sure, the officials were al-
ways ready to answer questions to the best of their
ability regarding trade conditions in the republics
of the three Americas, but there was no such scout-
ing for new trade opportunities and such prompt
and widespread dissemination of information rela-
tive to trade openings as is now a feature of the
everyday work of this headquarters of the Pan-
American Union.
Exporters and Manufacturers Helped.
For all that, the "shake-ups" in these two older
institutions have placed them in the way of giving
immeasurably better service on behalf of our ex-
porters and manufacturers, it is a question whether
the greatest amount of credit for the -dawn of the
new era in international commerce does not belong
to the two newer Federal bureaus that are labor-
ing in this same cause—namely, the Bureau of
11
another department, that of Commerce and Labor, carried on by the Consular Bureau in the State
under the direction of another Cabinet official. Department, there is entrusted to the Bureau of
But despite this division in jurisdiction the three Trade Relations in the same department the prep-
institutions conduct operations that dovetail into aration of instructions to consular officers regard-
one another admirably and, in the aggregate, fur- ing their reports on trade subjects. Likewise does
nish a concrete, concentrated force that is mani- the Bureau of Trade Relations take these reports
in hand when they come in and edit and revise
festly helpful in the American trade alvance.
How Information Is Secured for Music Trade. them with a view to keeping confidential any in-
To unravel, for the benefit of the men in the formation that it is not thought wise to disclose to
music trade, what may seem a rather complex sys- our foreign rivals in trade. For it need scarcely
tem it may be said, except for the special agents be explained that foreign governments keep an
who go abroad to make special trade investigations, eagle eye upon these trade secrets rounded up by
Uncle Sam's only means of getting information in the United States Consular Corps—admittedly the
detail regarding the conditions affecting American best in the world. Indeed, it not infrequently hap-
trade abroad is through the medium of the United pens that the representative here of this European
States Consular Service. The consulates general country or that will go to the trouble of cabling to
and consulates and consular agencies of the United his home Government some trade "tip" which he
States, scattered in practically every country and has discovered in the reports published by this
every important city on the globe, are, in effect, Government.
After the trade reports have been duly censored
"branch offices" of the American Government, and
the consular officers are' Uncle Sam's "resident by the Bureau of Trade Relations they are turned
managers." These men keep in close touch at all over to the Bureau of Manufactures in the De-
times with trade developments, market demands, partment of Commerce and Labor, which assumes
etc., in their respective localities, and are in a the responsibility for publishing the information
position at all times to convey information to and distributing it to those manufacturers and
others where it will do the. most good. Ofttimes,
Washington.
For this reportorial service in behalf of Ameri- too, the Bureau of Manufactures secures valuable
can commerce they get plenty of opportunity. For"
one thing, they have standing orders to report
promptly, on their own initiative, any conditions or
events that may promise to have a direct or in-
direct bearing upon our foreign trade. But on top
of this the consular officials in the field are con-
stantly flooded with what might be termed special
inquiries from the "home office." Such a special
inquiry may be an individual proposition touching
only one consul, for instance, an American piano
manufacturer having received a letter from a resi-
dent of Santiago in Chile regarding his latest
player, as advertised in the popular magazine,
might be prompted to inquire whether there might
not be a considerable market for the instruments in
Santiago provided trie trade could be cultivated.
Straightaway he sits down and writes direct to the
consular officer at Santiago for information. In Franklin Adams, Chief Clerk of the Pan-Ameri-
can Union.
response, the consul applied to makes reply with
reference to the specific information sought by the information on its own hook by dispatching special
manufacturer who took the initiative in this partic- field agents with roving commissions who investi-
ular case. To be sure, the reply is forwarded gate the prospects of some one particular industry
Copyright by Waldon Fawcett.
Herbert C. Hengstler, Chief of U. S. Consular through the Government offices at Washington in- or the opportunities in some one country or group
stead of direct and the manufacturer who thus of countries.
Bureau.
Confidential Information Given on Demand.
Manufactures and the Bureau of Trade Relations. "started things" may have to share his information
In conclusion it should perhaps be explained
Each of the four trade-boosting institutions, new with others in the trade if the officials think the
and old, has its special functions, but first and fore- subject of enough general interest to publish the that the secret information which, as has been out-
most in every instance is the primary purpose to report in the Daily Consular Reports. However, lined, is suppressed in the printed bulletins for gen-
serve as a sort of "bureau of intelligence" or clear- the point is that he has been enabled to obtain the eral distribution, lest it fall into the hands of our
ing house for information bearing upon all topics exact information sought for his own guidance. foreign competitors, is by no means lost to Ameri-
Another Form of Special Inquiry.
can manufacturers who would be benefited by the
which could be of interest or concern to the Amer-
Another common form of special inquiry is of
disclosures embodied. All these forecasts of new
ican manufacturer selling or endeavoring to sell his
what might be termed the "blanket" variety. An il- business, contracts pending, etc., go to the Amer-,
products to the aliens beyond the seas.
ican manufacturers interested in the form of spe-
It is only fair to say that much of Uncle Sam's lustration in point was afforded by the action of
success in lending a hand to exports of musical in- the Government a few months ago in requesting all cial confidential letters. Any manufacturer can se-
struments and other commodities is due to the ex- consular officers in all quarters of the globe to pre- cure this valuable service free of charge providing
cellent "team work" on the part of three of the pare special reports on the music trades in their he will agree not to disclose to. any person the
confidential information that is sent to him for the
four institutions that are on this particular job. Of respective localities with especial reference to th^
existing and possible market for instruments of
purpose of enabling him to get orders abroad.
course, all four of the Federal trade promotion
forces work in full sympathy and entire harmony American manufacture. For such a wholesale un-
with one another at all times, but the Pan-Ameri- dertaking in scouting the officials at Washington
NORRIS NOISELESS AXIOMS.
can Bureau, from the mere fact that it is sup- usually distribute to the consuls, just as they did
ported by the twenty-one new world republics joint- in the case of the music trade inquiry, a carefully
No. CCCCLXIII
ly (and consequently has to look after their com- prepared list of questions or "leads" for the in-
It
has
well
been
said that "He who would reap
mon interests in the most impartial way) must vestigation, so that there may be obtained trie exact
needs take a little different tack from the other class of information most sought by the manufac- must sow well," and neither the manufacturer
three bureaus, which are wholly within the juris- turers. Tndeed. in the case of this world-wide in- nor the dealer can reap well unless they are sure
diction of the United States Government and con- vestigation of the music trades the leading Anferi- that the Norris noiseless pedal action, made by
sequently make the furtherance of Yankee busi- can manufacturers, through correspondence in ad- the Norris Noiseless Pedal Action Co., Boston,
ness interests the first and foremost consideration vance with the officials at Washington, virtually Mass., is "sown" in the pianos which they manu-
facture and sell. In this way the reputation of
made un the list of questions that was propounded.
at all times.
the piano is assured for there is no possibility
The Perfection of Working Arrangements.
Three Enterprises Working Hand in Hand.
The close co-operation of these three enterprises
To indicate how intimate is the working ar- or danger of the nerve-racking noises associated
with the old type of pedal, and which have done
is the more interesting when it is remembered that
rangement between the bureaus of the trinity of
the Consular Bureau and the Bureau of Trade " trade boomers, it may be noted that whereas cor- so much to harm the standing of the piano. The
Relations arfc divisions of the State Department, respondence between the headquarters on the Norris specialties have a standard of excellence
whereas the Bureau of Manufactures is part of
Potomac and the consular officers In the field is which enhances the piano in which they are used.
WINTER & CO.
220 SOUTHERN BOULEVARD, NEW YORK
Manufacturers of
Superior Pianos
and Player Pianos