Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MARCH 23, 1918
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
9
REVIEW
PIANO MEN MUST ORGANIZE FOR AFTER-WAR EXPORT TRADE
England and Germany and Even Sweden Perfecting Gigantic Trade Combinations to Go After the
Business of the World When Peace Comes, and America Must Not, for Her Own Protection,
Be Found Unprepared, Declares George W. Pound—Manufacturers Already Waking Up
In an interview with The Review this week trade balance with foreign countries, and gen-
on the development of export trade, George W. erous shipments of pianos having considerable
Pound, general manager of the Music Industries value will serve to aid in the accomplishment
of that end.
Chamber of Commerce, said:
"As a matter of fact, Government officials,
"In the midst of conditions, many of them cal-
culated to cause more or less distress of mind themselves, have stood sponsors for the state-
among business men, it is pleasing to note that ment that pianos could be exchanged for wool,
a goodly number of piano manufacturers in this nitrates and other essential products from other
country are beginning to see an awakened 1 in- lands. This official statement, coupled with our
terest in export trade, and many of them have own efforts looking towards the development of
taken definite steps to take care of foreign busi- export markets, has come to the attention of
newspapers in many sections of the country.
ness.
"Thus far sixty-nine manufacturers have made This office has sent out to five hundred news-
inquiry regarding conditions surrounding the papers all over the country news items along
export trade, foreign markets, how to reach these lines. We at this office have received
them, and other matters riot of common knowl- numerous clippings of editorial comment and
edge. Even now there are thirty-seven manu- news stories along that line. In fact, at the
facturers actually exporting their pianos to Aus- present time magazine articles on foreign trade
tralia, New Zealand and South American coun- in pianos are in course of preparation by vari-
tries, and new names will shortly be added to ous periodicals. All this helps the cause of
that list. American manufacturers must, for music.
their own protection, give full attention to the "Thirty-seven piano manufacturing concerns,
opportunities lying in the export field, espe- as I have stated before, are already operating in
cially with a view to meeting the situation that the export field. Some of them have been
will develop when peace is declared, and the handling business successfully for many years.
industrial fabric of our own country is upset in On the information furnished by us one com-
the process of readjustment and reconstruction. pany has this week shipped a carload of pianos
Manufacturers should co-operate to the greatest for export. The sooner that list is added to so
degree possible in watching for and developing much the sooner will the stability of the trade
these foreign markets, and forget for the nonce be assured. With an export market to take the
the fact that they are competitors.
output of our factories, we will be in a much
"If two concerns manufacture, say, 1,000 pianos better position to weather any possible curtail-
each per year, the fact that one of those con- ment of demand in our home manufacture, due
cerns is able to market its output in other coun- to war conditions. The Music Industries Cham-
tries, means that there is going to be that much ber of Commerce is compiling a vast fund of
more demand at home for the products of the information regarding transportation routes,
other manufacturer. By co-operating they can banking methods, etc., for the use of those con-
templating exporting their goods, and this in-
so adjust matters.
"It is now generally known that the European formation will be available to all members of
nations have made definite plans to organize the trade who may apply for it. It is a prac-
their various industries, to build up their busi- tical, necessary work."
ness power at the end of hostilities. In Ger-
many, for instance, a combine of piano manufac-
MUSIC PAGE FOR ANOTHER PAPER
turers has been formed with a capital of ap-
proximately $13,000,000, as I recall. In England Canton, O., Daily News to Make It a Weekly
there has been formed, under Government sanc-
Feature—Music Memory Contest in New Or-
tion, and with Government assistance, an export
leans a Huge Success—C. M. Tremaine on
combine with a capital of approximately the
Visit to New England Cities
same. Even Sweden, with an output estimated
at some 4,000 pianos per year, has brought to-
C. M. Tremaine, director of the National
gether some six or seven manufacturers into one Bureau for the Advancement of Music, has been
trust with capital of $1,340,000. With all these spending several days in New England in con-
things going on, we in this country cannot re- nection with the bureau's work. Mr. Tremaine
main idle, and cannot depend upon individual attended the meeting and dinner of the Boston
effort. We must meet combine with combine, Music Trades' Association on Saturday evening,
so far as the laws of the land will permit us. and on his way home stopped off at Providence
If the piano trade shows a definite desire to ex- and other cities in an endeavor to interest local
port instruments in considerable quantities, that newspapers in a "Music in the Home" page.
fact will prove of great advantage in any dis- The latest newspaper to start a "Music in the
cussion looking toward curtailment of our pro- Home" page is the Canton Daily News, Canton,
duction, for the Government views with favor O., which will make that page a weekly feature.
any move that is calculated to preserve the The newspaper was induced to run the page
largely through the efforts of D. W. Lerch &
Co., well-known piano merchants of that city.
Word has just been received at the headquar-
ters of the bureau that the Music Memory con-
test recently held in New Orleans, under the
auspices of the "Daily States," proved a decided
success. A large number of school children par-
for the finest
ticipated in the contest, and at the final trial
large crowds of parents, as well as leading musi-
cians, were present. The first prize in the con-
test was awarded by the newspaper; and th&^ec-
ond prize, won by a very small girl in one of the
elementary schools, was awarded by the bureau.
Miss Mary M. Conway, supervisor of music at
the New Orleans school, and one of the judges
of the contest, was particularly enthusiastic re-
AMERICAN PHOTO
garding its success.
FOTOPLAYER
Motion Picture
Theatres
PLAYER CO.
San Francisco
New York
Chicago
The Boyer Davis Mfg. Co., of Wilmington,.
Del., has been incorporated with a capitalization
of $140,000 for the purpose of manufacturing de-
vices pertaining to musical instruments.
Style 82 4 feet 9 in.
Take Care
of Your
Business
Use the same good
judgment in select-
ing pianos for stock
that you would in
making other in-
vestments.
Investigate care-
fully
Christman
Pianos
You will find them
to be the highest
grade and most
artistic instruments
made for the price.
Because of their ex-
ceptional tone and
finish you will be
proud to sell them
to your most critical
customers.
Write for catalogue
and full particulars.
"The first touch tells"
Christman Piano Co.
Est. 18SS
601 E. 137th Street, New .York