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THE MUSIC TRADE
4
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, I n c .
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373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373 Fourth Ave.,
New York; Secretary and Treasurer, August J. Timpe, 373 Fourth Ave., New York.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
Business Manager
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WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
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anil
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
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t i o n s o f a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
rtpnarfiriPntc
latins and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
U t p d l UIIC1II&. d e a l t w j t h i w fji b e found in another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
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NEW YolRK, FEBRUARY 3 , 1917
EDITORIAL
CTIVITY continues in all departments of the music trade in-
A
dustry. There has, of course, been a slight slowing up in the
retail field in some parts of the country, which is customary this
time of the year, but manufacturers are working to full capacity
to supply the shortage which was so markedly in evidence during
the holiday period, particularly in the supply of player-pianos
Many plants are now working full force, full time, in an effort
to fill orders which have been hanging over since 1916.
Reports from dealers in widely separated sections of the
country are of a most buoyant nature, and everyone seems to be
of'the opinion that 1917 will be a year of unexampled prosperity
in the music trade industry. Proof of this is evident in the very
remarkable trade closed by many piano dealers during January.
A number of them write The Review that the first month of
the New Year was even more resultful in good sales than De-
cember.
The leading financial authorities, such as Dun's and Brad-
street's, in their latest reports of trade conditions express them-
selves most optimistically regarding the yutlook in all branches of
trade. Bradstreet's especially says: "Industrial plants are sur-
feited with orders, some being sold twelve months ahead, the steel
and shipbuilding industries being particularly favored in this
respect, and seemingly in a position to be oblivious to peace
propaganda. In fact, this week's developments indicate further
strengthening of underlying factors. Industry just now suffers
materially from inability to get cars, which restricts shipments of raw
materials while hampering deliveries of finished products, and the
consequences are especially felt in iron and steel, fuel and lum-
ber, as well as the movement of grain and textiles."
HE campaign now being carried on by the New York Piano
Manufacturers' Association for the purpose of enlisting the aid
of piano merchants throughout the state in preparing to combat any
legislation that may come up at Albany and which may prove inim-
T
REVIEW
icable to the interests of the industry, is one that deserves more than
passing attention and support. On the various occasions within the
past few years when the piano men of this state have been forced
to take joint action against certain legislation, it has been necessary
to organize the independent trade forces and gather funds before
any definite step could be taken.
Fortunately, the piano men have succeeded in getting together
in time to kill objectionable bills, but such luck cannot be expected
to last permanently. The newest proposal is that a definite fund
be created, subscribed to by both manufacturers and dealers for the
sole purpose of combatting harmful legislation and supporting that
for the good of the trade. If the fund is large enough the piano
men will have the assurance that their interests can at. all times
have proper representation before the legislative bodies.
It may be years before a questionable bill comes up and then
again it may only be a question of weeks. A definite fund in safe
hands can take care of such matters and when the bills against the
interests of the trade come up the piano men will not be faced with
the problem of organizing hastily and mayhap too late to act.
CCORDING to the financial papers, the output of pianos, which
A
includes player-pianos, during 1916 was estimated at close to
450,000 instruments as compared with about 326,000 in 1914. Those
who have been in close touch with trade conditions during the past
year and are acquainted with just what the piano manufacturers have
been doing will be interested to learn where the financial papers got
the information.
It is all right to endeavor to emphasize the importance of the
trade by the quotation of large production figures, but as a matter
of fact production during 1916 with a great majority of concerns
was not in any sense abnormal. We had frequent reports from
dealers of inability to get stock and a great part of this trouble was
due to delayed freight shipments. In cases where it was impossible to
get pianos or players from the factories themselves and where it was
claimed at the factories that the limit of production had been reached,
investigation proved in almost every case that the limitation of the
factory output was due to the inability to get certain supplies, and not
to the physical equipment of the plant. More than one manufacturer
during 1916 was turning out every instrument he could produce with-
out in any sense taxing the capacity of the equipment of his factory.
Four hundred and fifty thousand pianos and players represent
an enormous total, even in days of war-time prosperity and from
available figures it would seem that cutting down that 450,000 by
eighty or ninety thousand would not be doing such a great injustice
to the trade.
S has been their custom about this time of year, a great
A
number of piano houses, both manufacturers and retailers,
are holding "get together" dinners of their employes. Some of
the dinners offer excuses for the distribution of bonuses as a re-
sult of a prosperous year of business, while others simply bring
together staffs for the purpose of promoting unity in action.
Whatever the idea back of such gatherings, the general effect
is excellent. In the course of business the employer or the execu-
tives for the employer and the employe are kept at a distance
through the demands of business discipline. An informal dinner,
however, gives the staff itself and those at the head of the staff
an opportunity to get together on a common footing—a chance
to be "little pals together." Employer and employe call each
other by their first names, all talking freely about questions re-
garding which each may have peculiar ideas. It all serves to
bring about a better understanding.
It puts the members of
the staff in a position to pull together, because they know the
other fellow better.
the most important actions taken at the meetings of
O NE the of Board
of Control of the National Association of Piano
Merchants in Chicago last week was the appointment of a
Vigilance Committee, not alone to assist local dealers or asso-
ciations in competing misleading advertising and questionable
trade methods, but to devise ways and means tending towards
better business.
The objects of the Vigilance Committee cannot be consid-
ered in any sense Utopian in character. The committee does
not plan to enact the role of a multi-headed Don Quixote in
charging blindly against trade factors that although not over-