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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL • Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
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t ; o n s o f a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
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. d e a i t w i t h t w i l l b e f o u n d i n a n o t h e r scc tion of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma
Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
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NEW YORK, JULY 10, 1915
EDITORIAL
I
N this broad land where the sunshine of peace glints over all,
and where the fields are rich with an abundant harvest, we can
have little appreciation of the fearful suffering which war, with all
its attendant horrors, is bringing upon the people in the war-torn
lands across the seas.
America has given generously to the charitable funds of every
warring nation, and our people are quick to respond at all times
to the pity calls of others.
An appeal by Paderewski to Americans to contribute to the
Polish Relief Committee carries with it such pathos—gives such
an index to human suffering—that it touches the heart.
After recounting how an enormous part of Poland has been
laid waste, Paderewski says:
"And there are millions of families helpless, hungry. In the
face of such a disaster individual efforts must remain inefficient.
Only a great wave of mankind's pity can surmount so immense a
wave of human misery. Only a great, enlightened, generous nation
can help effectually our perishing multitudes.
"Nobody knows better than I do the kindness and generosity
of the American people. Ardent and prompt, warm-hearted, free-
handed, they always respond with the enthusiasm of youth to every-
thing that is true, sincere.
"Is there anything more true than human pain?
"Is there anything more sincere than the cry for help from
those who suffer?
"In the name of Christian charity, in the name of common
humanity 1; therefore, appeal to the great American people. They
have already given much to other stricken nations; they may be
tired of giving; yet 1 am certain that there is no soul in this noble
country who will condemn me for asking, even before our thirst
for liberty is relieved:
"Some bread for the Polish women and children!
"Some seed for the Polish farmers!"
Paderewski and Mme. Sembrich are both in this country for
the purpose of raising funds for this purpose. They have aban-
doned their regular vacations and will give freely of their talent
to aid the stricken in their Motherland.
Frank A. Vanderlip, of the National City Bank, will act as
honorary treasurer of the fund raised. A number of prominent
music trade houses have already made substantial contributions to
this fund, and when great artists, whose musical talent has charmed
and enraptured thousands of Americans make so touching an appeal
it will undoubtedly have the effect of adding materially to the fund
to aid those in distress.
T
H E R E has been an unusual indulgence in pessimistic talk in
the piano trade during the past six weeks, particularly in
the larger cities—not excepting Chicago and New York. Busi-
ness is not what it should be by any means, but dull times are not
made to disappear by continually harping on dull times, or by sit-
ting down and lamenting conditions.
If the enemy is to be routed there must be offensive tactics.
This implies pretty lively action. Piano salesmen or managers
must not overlook the fact that there can be no resting on past
laurels and that despite humid weather and the summer season,
orders can be secured and business done, or at least developed, by
careful, deliberate preparation and action.
In the smaller towns business is more active than in the larger
cities, and where this condition exists it can be attributed to more
active campaigning on the part of piano merchants and salesmen,
who recognize that they must do business to meet expenses.
The old-time idea that no piano business can be done in the
summer time has been undermined successfully by the fact that the
concerns advertising and intelligently aggressive in their plans of
campaign to capture trade have won most pleasing results. And
this applies not only to sales, but to collections, which is not a
matter of seasons, but a matter of necessity for the health and
proper conduct of a business every week and every month in the
year.
One definite policy should be adopted by the sales manager,
and that is, not to allow the sales force to believe that such a thing
exists as dulness; it may require extraordinary mental gifts to
make this view prevail, but seriously speaking the man who be-
lieves that business is to be had at all times is the man who wins—
to some degree—because he fails to recognize failure, no matter
what the conditions.
NUMBER of readers of The Review have taken pains to
send in complimentary communications anent our production
of last week. It certainly created a favorable opinion everywhere,
and as. one man writes, "should act as an inspiring force to cause
men to plan a visit to San Francisco who were previously in doubt."
A
COMMITTEE of the National Civic Federation has been
engaged in the apparently hopeless task of trying to over-
take a popular untruth which had a start of fifteen years. This
untruth was that as the census of 1900 showed a gro-s product of
$2,420 per worker in manufactures, and as the average wage per
worker was $437. it followed that labor's share in the product wa;
only 18 per cent., against 82 per cent, for capital. Only recently
the Vice-President of the United States stated as a fact that labor's
proportion of the industrial product was "less than one-fifth."
The committee has caught up with the lie. The $2,420 i i gross
product. The cost of materials was $1,395 per worker, which must
be deducted. There is left $1,025 as the product per worker.
Deducting taxes, insurance, royalties and so on, the product falls
to $889 per worker, and of this amount $590 and not $437 went to
the worker and $299 to capital—66.4 per cent, to labor and 23.6 to
capital. But plant must be allowed a depreciation charge, which
at 5 per cent, is given as $124 per worker. This leaves $764. to be
divided, or practically 80 per cent, to labor and 20 to capital as
interest and profits—the reverse of the Vice-1'resident's statem• iit.
More important than this, snys the N T ew York World in com-
menting on the matter, is the finding 'from a study ot later census
reports that labor's proportion of the product is increasing. If it
was unjustly small before, it has since been becoming more just.
If it is approximately just now, labor's gain will increase with in-
crease in the product.
A
H E only difference between a rut and a grave is the width and
the depth—and we graduate from one to the other, as a rule.
Every man ought to grow with his business—particularly every
young man. But while some grow, others only "swell."
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