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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
56
Managers of Leo Feist, Inc., Hold Annual Convention
Managers and Department Heads of New York Music Publishing Concern Hold Fifth
Annual Gathering — Future Plans Discussed — Beefsteak Dinner a Great Success
The fifth annual convention of the managers
of Leo Feist, Inc., which was held throughout
the week of July 16, was the best attended con-
ference the Feist organization has ever held,
and was also the most productive in point of
accomplishment. Everyone in attendance at the
conference went away firmly convinced that
this successful publishing house will make
greater strides than ever throughout the next
few months.
The convention opened Monday morning,
July 16, with a "Get Together" meeting, where
"Where Do We Go From Here, Boys," and
"Goodbye Broadway, Hello France," the two
big Feist patriotic hits, should be sung, it was
some time before the scheduled program could
be followed. However, Phil Kornheiser, man-
ager of the professional department, who was
master of ceremonies, finally got the floor and
called to his assistance Howard Johnson, the
well-known lyricist, who had written the "Meet-
ing Medley," which told in song form the story
of the whole Feist organization. The medley
concluded with everyone singing the chorus of
would put certain policies into effect. He was
told that they were visionary and would never
prove successful, but subsequent events have
amply demonstrated that the policies of fair-
ness which have always been the foundation of
the Feist business have made for lasting success.
Speaking upon the well-known .Feist slogan,
"You cannot go wrong with a Feist song,"
Mr. Feist said: "Our slogan is one that means
something. It means more than a name. It
means more than a personality. It means to-
day a kind of music that is known and used in
i
f
riTTH ANNUAL JilNNEH
LEO TEIST ING.
TLE CAVe-WEW YORtV JUUY IT, 1°\f]
1. Bob Miller, Detroit Rep. 2. Jack Richmond, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 3. Bobby Crawford, Chicago Office. 4. L. G. Battin, Mgr. Century Music Co. 5. I.con Flatow, N. Y. Prof.
Dept. 6. Fred Kemlo. Penna. Kep. 7. J. McAvoy, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 8. Billy Hailett, Kansas City, Rep. 9. J. Ascherberger, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 10. Frank Novak, Cincinnati Rep.
11. Bud Bernie, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 12. Ernie Hughes, Cleveland Rep. 13. Fred Wright, Phila. Office. 14. Fred Auger, Phila. Mgr. 15. Irvin Dash, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 16. Chas.
Seville, Pittsburgh Rep. 17. V. D. Walsh, Music Trade Review. 18. Joe Fuchs, St. Louis Mgr. 19. Archie Lloyd, Baltimore Rep. 20. Solly Cohn, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 21. George
W. Meyers, N. Y. Prof. Dent. 22. Earl Carroll. 23. Walter Vaughn, N. Y. Clipper. 24. Mr. McClelland, Music Trades. 25. Jimmy Flynn, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 26. Theodore
Morse, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 27. Coleman Goetz, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 28. Henry Heine, Shipping Dept. 29. Otto Spitz, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 30. L. A. Santley, Eastern Sales Rep.
31. Myer Jacobs, Auditor. 32. Billy Lang, Boston Mgr. 33. Al Kornheiser, Century Music Co. 34. Chas. Weller, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 35. Louis Berte, Production Dent. 36. Moe
Kleeman, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 37. Al Weiss, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 38. Howard Johnson, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 39. Cliff Odoms, General Sales Rep. 40. Ro-cco Vocco, Chicago Mgr. 41. Phil
Kornheiser, Professional Mgr. 42. Mr. Feist. 43. E. F. Bitner, General Mgr. 44. Lieut. Barrol, 71st Reg. N. Y. N. G. 45. Paul Denish, Providence Rep. 46. Mort Schaffer,
Minneapolis and St. Paul Rep. 47. Jack Malloy, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 48, George H. Gartlan. 49. Max Goldman N. Y. Prof. Dept. 50. Milton Ager. 51. Lee Orean Smith, Mgr.,
B. & O. Dept. 52. Abe Frankl. N. Y. Prof. Dept. 53. Arthur Fields, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 54. Percy Wenrich, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 55. Jimmy Monaco, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 56. C.
Francis Reisner. 57. J. A. Decatur, Sales Dept. 58. Al Doyle, N. Y. Prof. Dept. 59. Harry Bloom, Buffalo Rep. 60. Murray Roth, N. Y. Prof. Dept.
Jept.
all the recent additions to the Feist staff were
introduced, following which came a business
session, when the work of the past year was
reviewed.
Meetings were held on both Tuesday morning
and afternoon, followed by the annual banquet
in the evening. This year the guests were
treated to a beefsteak dinner held at the Castle
Cave, one of New York's really unique restau-
rants. As each guest arrived at the banquet
room he was given a large white apron, and
after -lining up for a photograph, then pro-
ceeded to do justice to the beefsteak, chops,
chicken and other "fixins" which were served.
Shortly after the guests were seated, Mr.
Fe'st told the piano player to play all of the
song hits from the catalogs of his competitors,
an incident which demonstrated the broad-
mindedness of the men at the head of the Feist
organization, and showed that the members of
the organization appreciate a hit, even though
it may be written by a competitor.
A regular program had been arranged, but
due to the fact that all those present immedi-
ately constituted themselves into soloists, duos,
trios, or quartets, each bent on showing how
a song especially written for the occasion en-
titled "F-E-I-S-T," sung to the tune of
"Mother," the chorus of which was as follows:
F—means that he's like a Father to us,
E—means Every man gets treated square,
I—his Inspirations that imbue us
With the proper spirit to get there,
S—is for his Smile, he always wears one,
T—means Tack this motto on your shelf,
"You cannot go wrong with a Feist song"
You can't go wrong with Feist himself.
Leo Feist, president of the company, was then
introduced and was greeted with loud and pro-
longed applause. In addressing the gathering
Mr. Feist said in part: "It makes me feel ex-
ceedingly good when I see how we have grown
during the past twenty years, a growth that has
not been too rapid, not mushroomy, and not
dishonest. We have grown steadily and se-
curely, but we could not have grown if our
policies were not based on sound business meth-
ods. We have made the square deal our motto,
and it has brought us our success."
Mr. Feist told of criticisms which were
launched at him when he first started his pub-
lishing organization, and announced that he
every English-speaking country in the world.
Stories of the early days of the concern then
followed, Mr. Feist telling some humorous
stories regarding Edgar F. Bitner, general man-
ager of the concern, and his struggles to live
upon his weekly salary. Speaking in a more
serious vein Mr. Feist paid a high tribute to
Mr. Bitner, saying that Mr. Bitner loved work,
and was willing to labor early and late, not
merely for the salary he received, but also for
the love of work, and the desire to make good.
Phil Kornheiser was also reminded by Mr.
Feist of some of the earlier days of his career,
and also came in for some generous compli-
ments.
The managers and traveling representatives
of the organization then presented to Mr. Bitner
a gold watch with a platinum chain, Mr. Feist
making the presentation. Mr. Bitner, in ac-
knowledging the present, made a very short but
very earnest speech of thanks.
After the presentation Mr. Feist commented
upon some of the new policies which have been
inaugurated during the past year, among which
is a fund which has been set aside for the bene-
fit of the employes no matter in what capacity