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THE MUSIC TRADE
FEVIFW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B. Spillane,
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.
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J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
AUGUST J. TIMPE
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
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are dealt with, will be found in another section of
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Exposition Honors Won by The Review
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NEW Y O R K , DECEMBER
15, 1917
EDITORIAL
HE REVIEW has received many messages of commendation
T
upon the character of its holiday issue of last week, which
more than one member of the trade has declared to be the most
interesting number of a piano trade publication that'has yet been
issued. The most impressive feature was the diversity of im-
portant and timely trade subjects handled in interviews and
special articles by men of high standing in the industry, and
which covered the leading questions in every branch of the in-
dustry. As one local piano man expressed himself, "The holiday
number of The Review is to be accepted as a veritable encyclo-
paedia of the trade so far as current conditions and developments
are concerned." The Review appreciates the many compliments,
for, next to the natural satisfaction of work well done, there
comes the feeling that that work is appreciated by those who
should be most interested in it.
developments of the world war and the shutting
O NE off of of the European
exports to a large degree, has been the
growth of the demand for American pianos and other musical in-
struments in foreign countries including far-away Australia,
where before the war the greater number of pianos came from
Germany, a fair proportion from England and, comparatively
speaking, only a few from the United States. Necessity has been
largely responsible for the introduction of American pianos in
increasing numbers into Australia and the result has been that
they have found much favor with the people of that country,
despite the high prices asked for them growing out of high
freights, stiff tariffs and other conditions.
The question that will arise with the end of the war, and per-
haps before, is that of holding the export trade thus gained, not
only against competition of the Central Powers, but against that
of our Allies. It is a known fact that the orders of the British
Government are that 60 per cent, of pianos and other musical
goods manufacturered in that country must be exported. Boards
REVIEW
have been organized, too, to make a study of the export situation
and to form combinations and give Government assistance to
projects for entering and capturing export markets. In view of
this situation, it would seem that American manufacturers should
give more than ordinary attention to their future plans for
developing and holding export trade, and the Government should
show some interest in, if not lend active assistance to, such
projects.
Even in the midst of war the fight for commercial supremacy
should not be lost sight of for a moment. It is just as active
among our Allies as among our enemies, and the business men of
the United States should take due cognizance thereof. It is
business that is paying for the war now, and will be called upon
to meet the debts after the war. The greater the development of
business abroad and at home, therefore, the less the burden that
each will have to bear.
N an interview in the holiday number of The Review last week,
I interesting
Geo. W. Gittins, president of the Estey Piano Co., had some
remarks to make regarding the desirability of stand-
ardization in piano factories in order to cut down manufacturing
expenses and otherwise meet the situation as it exists at present
or may develop in the near future. Standardization has many
advantages that are bound to be recognized. It increases the
buying power of the dealer, conserves his capital, and enables
him to combat, in some measure at least, stock shortage. It
enables the manufacturer to concentrate the work of his em-
ployes and meet to some degree the shortage of labor. It enables
him to buy stock parts in larger quantities and at a better price,
and to keep his stock room in good shape. Standardization at this
time is well worth the earnest consideration of every member of
the manufacturing trade. It may be by the adoption of some such
method that he will be able to solve production problems that
under usual conditions would prove embarrassing and rather
difficult to overcome.
TRAVELING man in the piano trade who combines busi-
A
ness acumen with analytical philosophy takes satisfaction
in frequent comparisons of the present with the past of which he
was also a part, some twenty or thirty years ago. He especially
congratulates the industry on the increase of business courtesy.
"No other feature of wareroom or factory equipment," he says,
"has kept pace with this one."
One does not need to travel far, or investigate deeply, to
discover that this revelation is founded largely on fact. The
surly man may still exist; the snapping-turtle may be still keep-
ing a suspicious eye on the world, but modern business has hid-
den him in the back office, while geniality and true courtesy reign
down front.
Advanced education, increased culture, fraternal association
and the practice of the golden rule have sweetened the business
temper and taken some of the snarls out of business life.
Discourtesy was never a good asset; to-day it is absolutely
tabooed. It is regarded not only as bad business, but as beneath
the practice of a gentleman. And as a trade-getter politeness that
comes from the soul, kindness that is generated in the deep places
of the heart and the courtesy that shows fine breeding can be
outclassed by nothing else und^r the sun.
N order to understand the significance of the information on
I public,
German trade moves that will from time to time be made
Secretary Redfield counsels not imitation of but familiar-
ity with the German theories of foreign trade and the artful and
formidable organization that, with government aid at every turn,
has been built up by Germany during the last twenty years to
dominate the world's markets. It was to meet the demand for
such information that the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Com-
merce issued the bulletin on "German Foreign Trade Organ-
ization." The unprecedented demand for it is taken as an indi-
cation that the American manufacturer is making after-war
preparations of his own.
The bureau now plans to get out a supplementary bulletin
on German trade and preparations for the commercial future
about the first of the year, and further supplements will be
issued as rapidly as important additional information is received.