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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
thor, with Mr. Stephens, of the measure) tells
your correspondent that he fears that it will
be impracticable to put the measure through the
Senate this winter.
New Obstacle Confronts Bill
Unfortunately a new obstacle confronts; the
Stephens bill in the House. Our readers will
remember that late last spring the hostile com-
mittee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to
which the bill had been referred, was finally
forced, as a result of the pressure brought to
bear by the American Fair Trade League and
other business bodies, to begin public hearings
on the bill, but these hearings abruptly ceased
after sessions lasting two days, and at which
testimony was given by J. Newcomb Blackman
and others prominent in the musical instru-
ment industry. A promise was made or the
impression conveyed that these hearings should
be resumed, preliminary to the reporting of
the bill, early in December, and the Fair Trade
League has reopened its headquarters in Wash-
ington in accordance with that premise, but
the question is, can the plan be carried out?
For, be it known, the railroad muddle, the
eight-hour day legislation, and all the rest has
intervened since that, and, as luck would have
it, the very committee that is holding the Ste-
phens bill is the one that is handling the rail-
road proposition. Chairman Adamson, head of
the committee, and most bitter opponent of the
Stephens bill, is, it will be recalled, the author
of the eight-hour law that is now being tested
in the courts. Well, the logic of all this is
that the President wants more railroad legisla-
tion, and this additional legislation will, per-
force have to pass through the hands of the
commerce committee. Any person with half an
eye can see that if this committee really wants
to postpone' or sidetrack the price fixing bill
it has a very plausible excuse.
The Victor Macy Suit
It is just possible that an element that has
not been reckoned with_ may be injected into
the situation at the eleventh hour, and arouse
a wave of sentiment for the Stephens bill or
some other legislation along the same lines.
This can come to pass only if the Supreme
Court of the United States should announce in
record-breaking time a decision in the famous
case of the Victor Talking Machine Co. vs.
Straus (R. H. Macy & Co.). However, the fact
that the nation's highest court, recognizing the
importance to the business world of a settle-
ment of the questions here at issue, has "ad-
vanced" the case for hearing instead of mak-
ing it take its regular turn, justifies a slight hope
that there may come down before March 4 a
decision that may prove an additional argu-
ment for legislation that will clearly establish
the status of the makers and marketers of
trade-marked goods for which uniform prices
are sought.
Railroad Legislation and the Piano Trade
The railroad and strike arbitration legislation,
which has already been referred to, and which
may crowd the Stephens bill to the wall if its
supporters do not watch out, opens up another
big subject that is of vital importance to the
RUDOLF
PIANOS
are conscientiously made good
instruments; in other words,
the sweetest things out.
RUDOLF PIANO CO.
72 Ea«t 137th Street
NEW YORK
music trade—manufacturing, wholesale and re-
tail. Of course, every reader will realize that
if the Adamson law is sustained by the Su-
preme Court or any other means is found to, in
effect, raise the wages of railroad employes there
must inevitably be an increase of railroad
freight rates—an increase that even if the trade
be able to pass it on to the ultimate consumer,
will require the explanations that must always
be made as to the why and wherefore of the
advance in prices, and the keener salesmanship
that is required to sell goods at higher price
levels.
If the President is able to put through the
proposed amendment to the Federal statute pro-
viding for mediation, conciliation and arbitra-
tion of labor troubles, and if the amendment
really serves to prevent disastrous strikes pend-
ing the completion of a full public investiga-
tion the music trade should presumably benefit
as much as anybody. Similarly, -if the Presi-
dent has his way with respect to the enlarge-
ment and reorganization of the Interstate Com-
merce Commission the consignors and con-
signees of musical instruments may have the
benefit of better facilities for the adjustment
of the inevitable differences between shippers
and carriers. However, it will be observed that
there are several big Ifs in this whole prop-
osition. In short, about all that can be said
regarding the railroad legislation situation at
this juncture is that it is sure to be a head-
liner on the Congressional program at this sit-
ting, and that it is worthy of close attention
from the innocent bystanders of the music
trade.
The Barkley Misbranding Bill
Next to the Stephens bill the proposal be-
fore Congress that might mean most to the
music industry is found in the Barkley mis-
branding bill, which, I suspect, has been over-
looked by a large proportion of the men in
the trade. This bill came to the fore only in
the closing days of the last session, being re-
ported and recommended for passage by the
very committee that has proven so dilatory in
reporting the Stephens bill. Surmising the pur-
pose of the "misbranding bill" from its name it
might be supposed, at first blush, that this
measure would have only limited application in
the music trade, where goods are not capable
of misbranding by such stretch of truth as is
possible in the case of "all wool" textiles and
"leather" slioes.
However, the bill, if en-
acted, might do the music trade a good service
by virtue of the fact that it prohibits and pen-
alizes as "misbranding" all manner of untruth-
ful and deceptive statements in advertising, and
it would seem that the familiar use of such
terms as "solid mahogany," etc., in the "was-
now" advertising of the special sale artists
would frequently bring these gentry squarely
into conflict with the new restraining influence.
System of Design Registration Discussed
A system of design registration, such as has
been persistently discussed, and as persistently
"tabled" through several successive Congresses
may finally become a fact if Congress this win-
ter acts upon the recommendations finally made
this autumn by the House committee on pat-
ents. Heretofore it has been impossible to get
anywhere with such legislation because of the
opposition of makers of repair parts who feared
that manufacturers would be placed in a posi-
tion to absolutely control the sale of repair
parts, and accessories for use with their prod-
ucts. At last, however, what looks like a sat-
isfactory compromise has been effected in what
is known as the Morrison bill.
Piano manufacturers who have been wont to
take out design patents on their cases will be
enabled to save considerable money and secure
quicker action at the Patent Office should this
new plan of design registration go through.
Particularly would the simplification of the
problem of obtaining protection for original de-
signs help the manufacturers of talking ma-
chines and phonographs who frequently bring
out new models and who, by the way, have
lately been flooding the Patent Office with their
applications for design patents, thanks to the
11
rapid expansion of this branch of the music
industry. The music trade would be affected
by several trade-mark bills that are now pend-
ing, and the export end of the industry would
presumably be interested should Congress pass
the bill authorizing the U. S. Department of
Commerce to take over and administer for
the benefit of all traders the "Made in U. S. A."
or national trade-mark which was devised as
the result of a competition conducted by the
Detroit Chamber of Commerce.
One-Cent Postage Advocated
One-cent postage, which has been coming
nearer and nearer, may actually arrive this win-
ter inasmuch as it is understood that the Post-
master General has decided to finally recom-
mend to Congress that the 1-cent rate be
put into effect on drop letters. If the sentiment
of Congress can be gauged by the fact that there
are now pending more than fifty different bills
providing for a reduced letter rate, the new
proposition should go through with a rush. The
1-cent rate, being limited at the outset to local
letters, would confer its initial economies on
retail dealers who send out advertising letters,
monthly statements, etc., but this local appli-
cation would, if it proves successful, presumably
be followed by a general 1-cent letter rate for
matter now costing 2 cents.
Other Constructive Legislation
If Congress decides to forego, as Speaker
Clark has suggested, the usual recess at Christ-
mas and stands ready to resort to night ses-
sions if need be, a considerable volume of con-
structive legislation can be placed on the books
ere the clock strikes 12 on March 4 next. Pre-
sumably the bills that stand the best chance in
the round-up are the measures that have al-
ready gotten half way through. For example,
there is the Immigration bill—a bill that would
affect the entry into the United States of large
numbers of music-loving aliens from Southern
Europe. This bill went through the House
of Representatives, but was hung up in the Sen-
ate. The opposite situation obtains with refer-
ence to the bill for vocational education—an-
other measure that if enacted would make its
impress upon the music trade. In this case it
was the Senate which passed the bill, and the
House is hanging back.
Activities of Federal Trade Commission
Even the appropriation bills or the supply
bills, as they are sometimes called, will have
nerves "sympathetic" to the music trade. For
example, the U. S. Bureau of Foreign and Do-
mestic Commerce wants more money to in-
vestigate markets and promote trade in all lines
at home and abroad, and the Federal Trade
Commission likewise will be able to accom-
plish more good if it is allowed a larger ex-
pense account.
Indeed, how many of our
readers realize that the Federal Trade Com-
mission has under way an investigation of re-
sale prices that may go far to sway public
opinion on this controversial subject. But the
trade body has had sudden calls for imme-
diate investigations of the gasoline supply, the
news print paper situation, etc., that have oper-
ated to engross its staff and use up all the
money allotted by Congress so that this really
significant investigation of resale prices is lit-
erally marking time, awaiting the more liberal
appropriations that it is hoped Congress will
make at this session now that the value of the
work of the Federal Trade Commission has been
so clearly demonstrated.
Free Piano Lessons
That are practical and good prove a wonderful
source of prospects and a force with which to
Close Piano Sales
Although of proven merit and of real educational
value, the dealer does not have to invest much for
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Write for particulars and sample lessons to the
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BARABOO, WISCONSIN