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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
VOL. LXV. No. 19
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman BUI, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York. Nov. 10, 1917
A SURVEY of the national situation at Washington, from the viewpoint of the music trade, demonstrates
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that the war has brought with it vital problems for the industry as a whole. The chief necessity
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is that of impressing those concerned in the promulgation of war legislation and regulation with
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^ the fact that music, as a factor in our national life, especially at this time, is not a luxury, nor yet
a convenience, but is rather a bona-fide essential.
Even the most optimistic must view the situation as it develops with more or less alarm, not necessarily
for its present effect, but for the possibilities that may come in the future. The Government is naturally
extending all its energies toward the conduct of the war, and in that work it is of necessity compelled to
regulate production in many industries not directly connected with the essentials of life.
An indication of how this tendency affects the music trade is found in the recent ruling of the War
Industries Board forbidding the shipment of specified classes of commodities in open top cars. Among the
commodities barred by name were included supplies and materials entering into the manufacture of musical
instruments, as well as musical instruments themselves, the single exception in that line being coal.
The ruling is not of importance because of the direct effect it will have on the music trade industry, for
so far as the piano men are concerned it will simply mean the forced use of box cars for the transportation of
certain commodities now carried in open top cars, although this in turn will result in increasing the present
serious shortage of box cars. The real point of the ruling that is most vital to the trade is the classification
of musical instruments with the "non-essentials." This incident and others of similar character may serve
to set a precedent as to the status of the music trade in relation to further rules and regulations which may
become necessary.
It is the announced intention of the Government, in establishing these new conditions, to arrange things so
that the industries affected can adjust themselves gradually to such conditions, and to avoid any action that
will tend to throttle any particular line of trade. The war situation demands radical action, and this fact
is recognized by business men generally, but business must continue if it is to supply the money that represents
the sinews of war.
It is possible that the framers of legislation and regulations in Washington may not have a complete
knowledge of conditions in the music trade, and may therefore be liable, owing to this lack of knowledge,
to formulate rules applying to the trade that will mean a burden of a character not intended. Music trade
men who have been in Washington during the last few months realize the problems that confront them in
awakening our national legislators to a proper recognition of the status of music as a necessity, and the
consideration that is therefore due the makers of musical instruments.
The automobile interests have realized the necessity of arousing in the minds of Government officials a
proper recognition of the status of their industry. It was through the Automobile Chamber of Commerce,
for instance, that the recent drastic ruling* regarding supplies of steel for pleasure vehicles was amended upon
the offer of the manufacturers to cut production to a reasonable extent. Constant and organized watchfulness
in this instance saved the automobile men from serious loss. Constant watchfulness and intelligent effort may
do the same for the piano and music trades.
It will mean a long pull and a hard pull, and only by the most earnest organized efforts can satisfactory
results be accomplished. The various trade associations have, of course, done "their bit" in an endeavor to
protect the interests of their members, but it would seem that the situation demands persistent and concentrated
effort on the part of a few well selected and representative members of the trade who are well acquainted
(Continued on page 5)