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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
ing on paper the artist's exact conception of how a musical num-
ber should be played, and establishing the fact that reproducing
pianos have been so perfected that they interpret with the most
absolute accuracy and perfection the playing of great artists and
minor ones as well.
While these concerts cannot help but bring prestige and
honor to the Aeolian Co. and the American Piano Co., under
whose auspices they were given, yet they have a much broader
significance, inasmuch as they elevate the entire industry and
bring to public attention the wonderful progress made in the per-
fection o^ the music record, and the interpretative media there-
for, thus adding in a most emphatic way to the fame and pres-
tige of the industry as a whole.
T
HE pooling agreement entered into by the railroads should
prove of tremendous value at this particular time in solving,
in a measure at least, present difficulties surrounding freight
transportation. By working together, by using cars immediately
available instead of waiting for those belonging to certain lines
and by transporting freight from one point to another by the
most direct and speediest line, the railroads will be able to save
an enormous waste in time, and while their action may not
solve the war time transportation problem, it will at least help
to improve conditions. The suggestion that motor trucks and
trolley lines be used wherever possible for short haul freight
should also meet with approval, for it will serve to release cars
from short haul duty for the handling of long distance freight.
It is quite apparent that any inconvenience occasioned to ship-
pers in certain directions will be more than offset by the ad-
vantages arising in other directions.
It is expected that the new arrangement will have the effect
of cleaning up somewhat the congestion now existing in railroad
yards, particularly those located at terminal points, and the
cars thus freed can do good service in relieving the car shortage
along the line.
I
N connection with business management and development no
one branch is receiving more consideration these days than
that of salesmanship, and one wise manager very aptly points
out that the successful salesman is the order maker—not the
order taker. The more thorough his knowledge of his custom-
ers' requirements the more business he is morally certain to
do. Knowledge of his own goods is vitally important, but knowl-
edge of the use his customer can make of those goods is equally
important. In the foregoing is found one of the most important
and far-reaching precepts of modern merchandising. Particularly
is the probable use the customer can make of the goods a valu-
able point. To the retail salesman on the floor this should not-
be very difficult. A little tact, a great deal of observation and
some imagination should accomplish wonders. With the in-
formation in the salesman's possession as to why the purchaser
is desirous of buying this, that or the other, just at this time,
a bigger sale than would ordinarily follow should result.
FTER reading daily paper despatches from Washington re-
A
lating to new rules and regulations concerning the various
industries put into effect, or about to be put into effect, by the
Federal Government, and then learning the actual facts upon
which reports are based, it would seem that the Washington
correspondents are more anxious to create a scare among busi-
ness men than they are to promote a feeling of security and con-
fidence in what the Government plans to do.
On several occasions recently when despatches have told of
drastic action about to be taken to curtail supplies of certain
industries, to place embargoes on certain shipments, and other-
wise to hamper or cripple business, the word pianos has ap-
peared in the despatches all too frequently, and if all the things
reported had actually taken place the piano manufacturing busi-
ness right now would be but a memory.
As a matter of fact the officials in charge of the various
Government committees and commissions on war work have
given frequent assurances, not only through the press but in-
dividually to representatives of the industry, that action along
various lines would be taken only when absolutely necessary
and then only after formal hearings and full consideration of
ways and means for carrying out plans without placing an un-
expected or undesired burden on any one particular class of
business activity.
It is not wise, of course, to rest in a sense of false security,
for the situation demands watchfulness, but it is likewise foolish
to spread the cry of "wolf" when there is no necessity therefor.
The giving of actual news regarding contemplated Government
action is right and proper, but the correspondents should at
least endeavor to base their reports upon definite facts and not
upon their own suppositions as to what lines the action will prob-
ably take.
a number of the manufacturing, wholesale and retail
Q UITE
houses in the music trade have taken occasion to fly from
their buildings service flags, the familiar red-bordered flags with
white field and a blue star for each member of the organization
who has entered the military service of the nation. The idea
is an excellent one, for the flags not only prove to the general
public that the employes of that particular house are actively
engaged in the war, but serves as a constant stimulus to those
who remain behind. To announce that a half dozen or a dozen
or a score members of an organization have joined the Army
and Navy is not half so impressive as to show a flag bearing a
star for each of those men. It is good advertising in both a
patriotic and business sense.
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York