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10
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
to expectations, she is confident that there
DETROIT DEALERS INTERESTED IN PROPOSED WAR TAX up
will be a grand rush of signed contracts during
Local Music Trades Association Holds Meeting and Sends Strong Protest to Washington—Deal-
ers Believe Customers Will Eventually Have to Bear the Burden—Many Going to Conventions
DETROIT, MICH., May 14.—Kvery day shows re-
newed interest and enthusiasm in business, and
less pessimism. The whole war situation has
boiled down to one question—what will the tax
be on business? Detroit, as everybody knows,
is the center of the motor car industry in the
United States. The proposed 5 per cent, tax
on the gross business and the apparent deter-
mination of Congress to inflict the tax, regard-
less of whether it is just or not, has tremendously
upset the industry and naturally Detroit is more
upset than any other city. The very existence
of the Detroit plants now hinges on this pro-
posed tax. Some companies have actually
threatened to quit business as soon as the tax
is definitely announced; others say they will
have to discontinue business, while even the
large concerns say it would mean curtailed pro-
duction.
As for the 5 per cent, tax on the musical
instrument business, Detroit dealers have re-
ceived loads of letters and telegrams from
their various manufacturers, as well as the Na-
tional Association of Piano Manufacturers, urg-
ing them to immediately get in touch with their
respective legislators and protest against this
proposed tax. A meeting of the Detroit Music
Trades' Association, which also included talking
machine dealers, was held at the Fellowcraft
Club last Wednesday, at which time there was a
conference on the proposed tax. It was de-
cided to protest against the tax, and a resolu-
tion was passed accordingly.
In addition to
sending the resolution to 'Washington each
member individually offered to send a protest
to his Congressman. S. E. Clark, general man-
ager of Grinnell Bros., who was present, stated
that if this 5 per cent, tax goes on at least 25
per cent, of the music dealers in the United
States would probably have to go out of busi-
ness. E. P. Andrew, of the J. L. Hudson Co.,
says that the tax is unreasonable, inasmuch as
the music business is just as much a necessity
as any educational propaganda, and he does not
believe a 5 per cent, tax on musical instru-
ments should be made. Yet if the tax should
go, the manufacturer would put it on to the
dealer and the dealer would pass it on to the
consumer. "Speaking for our own company,"
he said to The Review correspondent, "if we
are charged an extra 5 per cent, on pianos and
players, we would probably charge the public
from 7 to 10 per cent, additional, which I don't
believe would curtail the buying on the part of
the public."
Another dealer said: "A few dollars more or
less to a customer doesn't make much difference.
I r a customer makes up his mind that he is go-
ing to buy a piano, player-piano or talking ma-
chine he naturally tries to get «one at the price
he can best afford, and the best he can get for
his money. If he likes a certain player-piano,
for instance, and the price is $450, he buys it;
and he would just as readily buy it if the price
was slightly lower or higher. In selling a per-
son a musical instrument, it is not a question of
price nearly as much as it is trying to convince
the, buyer that he should have the particular
instrument in his home for entertainment and
educating his family to music. I don't believe
there are many people who don't own a piano
because they can't afford the price—the terms
are so reasonable these days that nearly any
honest person, with a responsible position, can
pay very little in actual cash and get a piano,
player or talking machine."
This particular
dealer said he did not believe the 5 per cent,
tax would curtail production or the retailer's
sales.
Next week there will be quite an e.xodus of
piano dealers to the Chicago convention.
Among those who are certain to go are C. A.
Grinnell, A. A. Grinnell, S. E. Clark and A. H.
Howes, Grinnell Bros.; E. P. Andrew, W. H.
Marshall and Edward Andrew, of the J. L. Hud-
son Co.; A. E. Noble, manufacturer and dealer,
and possibly J. Henry Ling and A. E. Trebil-
The sales force of the J. L,. Hudson Co.
will not attend the convention as they had
planned, in spite of the fact that each one has
earned a two-day vacation to attend the con-
vention at the expense of their manager, E. P.
Andrew. The reason given is that these sales-
men would prefer to stick to business and se-
cure enough business to assure getting their
quota for the month. "We realize that business
is slowing up somewhat, and that in order to
hold up our records we must work harder than
ever, and that is the reason why we prefer to
stay right on the job and get everything we
can," said one of the Hudson salesmen, who
apparently spoke for the others as well.
Miss Ursula Dietrich, of the Melville Clark
Co., is still at the Hudson store "putting the
Apollo reproducing piano to its severe test."
Miss Dietrich is making a great impression upon
those who attend her private recitals, and while
the actual closing of sales has not been quite
cock.
the coming week, which will probably be her
last.
Miss Dietrich had anticipated unusual results
in Detroit, having heard so much of the pros-
perity of the automobile city, and while some
might consider the number of sales as very
gratifying Miss Dietrich set a higher mark, and,
of course, is looking for more sales to feel that
her work has actually been fruitful.
On the
other hand, E. P. Andrew, manager of the de-
partment, says he is well pleased with the new
business, and believes that the real fruit of her
labor will come after she has gone and her ex-
cellent demonstrations have had full oppor-
tunity to impress themselves on the minds of
those who had them. During the coming week
the demonstrations will be given every day
from 3 to 5 o'clock in the afternoon. Miss
Dietrich will attend the Chicago conventions
of manufacturers and dealers.
E. P. Andrew, of the Hudson store, was in
Chicago last week and spent a few hours at the
factory of the Melville Clark Piano Co.
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