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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JUNE 8,
THE MUSIC TRADE
1918
11
REVIEW
Twenty-second Annual Convention
of the
National Piano Manufacturers' Association
New York City, June 3, 1918
The twenty-second annual convention of the
National Piano Manufacturers' Association, and
by far the shortest annual convention ever held
in the history of that organization, took place
at the Grand Central Palace on Monday morn-
ing of this week. There was only one session,
lasting something like three hours, but there
was no lost motion, and nothing left undone. At
a meeting of the executive committee, held at
the Hotel Biltmore on Sunday evening, final de-
tails of the meeting were threshed out and the
matters to be brought before the convention for
discussion so arranged that they were handled
quickly and in regular order.
There was one thing agreed upon, however, at
the executive session, and that was that the
program of progress and development to which
the association had committed itself at the con-
vention last year must be continued without any
swerving from purpose.
association, and it was quite necessary that this
should be. Action was taken speedily and it
is felt with good judgment, and we were acting
for the industry. Whatever tax was to be im-
posed would inevitably be handed down to the
ultimate consumer, and soaring costs would be
added to, and business undoubtedly would be
restricted.
Different individuals of our trade, and notably
the Rudolph Wurlitzer Co., were at work in
Washington, striving for the same purpose as
bur organization was. Appreciation of their
efforts is felt, and was expressed to them.
Mr. Parsons, our special representative,
worked most conscientiously and collaborated
PRESIDENT COFFIN'S REPORT
In opening the first session President J. A.
Coffin read the following report regarding his
stewardship as president during the year, and
the progress made by the organization gen-
erally. He said:
The administration of your affairs, which my
report covers, dates from a most critical period
of our industry, the end of May, 1917, to this
time of June 3, 1918, with many perplexing
problems still before us.
Immediately after the adjournment of the ses-
sions of the convention of 1917, a meeting of our
executive committee was held to make plans
for the future, and to carry out the instructions
of the convention to arrange for the securing
of a secretary or official who would give his
entire attention to the business of our organiza-
tion.
It was then decided by the committee to meet
in New York in the following month of June
to perfect plans for the future.
At the moment all who were assembled in
Chicago, and probably all in our industry, were
deeply concerned because of the recommenda-
tion of the Ways and Means Committee of Con-
gress to place a tax of 5 per cent, upon the
wholesale prices of all pianos.
From our membership in New York, Chicago
and Boston different volunteers had enlisted and
visited Washington to oppose such legislation
which would not only be inimical to the in-
terest of our industry, but would restrict, it
was feared, the ability of our members in ren-
dering financial aid to the Government.
The duty of your officers and executive com-
mittee was to take up the work started upon
by the individual members of our own and local
associations. Therefore, informal meetings were
held in Chicago, and a conference with the mem-
bers of the National Association of Piano Mer-
chants was sought and held. It was decided
to engage Mr. Charles H. Parsons, a veteran
member and also well-wisher of our trade, to
go to Washington to plead and fight for our
interests, and.it was arranged that he would stay
there as long as he could be of service.
The assistance of prominent piano merchants
of the South was also sought, as their acquaint-
ance with several of the leaders of Congress
and the Senate obviously would be helpful.
The initiative in this work was taken by our
J. A. Coffin, Retiring President N. P. M. A.
with Mr. George W. Pound, who was a special
representative for the house of Wurlitzer at that
time. Our sincere appreciation of Mr. Parsons'
efforts was expressed to him.
The history of the War Revenue Bill you
have knowledge of. The proposed tax of 5
per cent, on all musical instruments was changed
in conference to a 3 per cent, tax and pianos
were eliminated in the wording of the bill.
Officers of the National Piano Manufacturers'
Association for 1918-1919
President, Paul B. Klugh, Autopiano Co.,
New York
First Vice-President, Kirkland H. Gibson,
Ivers & Pond Piano Co., Boston
Second Vice-President, Otto Schulz, M.
Schulz Co., Chicago
Treasurer, C. C. Conway, Hallet & Davis
Piano Co., Boston
Secretary, E. H. Uhl, R. Wurlitzer Co., Chi-
cago
Finally, when the joint conferences of the
United States Senate and Congress Committees
had ended, the War Excise Tax Bill was pub-
lished and pianos were exempted from taxation,
but there was a clause covering piano players.
Your legislation committee mec immediately
Next Convention City
Chicago
and decided that there was no intention to tax
any part of our product except the player ac-
tion.
The question thus became a legal one, and
arrangements were forthwith made with Mr.
George W. Pound to represent our association
and to argue in Washington so that the proper
construction would surely be placed upon the
clause covering our product.
At the same time it was decided to engage
Mr. Pound to act as general manager and coun-
sel for our association, and I, your president,
made the contract with him. Previously, be-
tween the end of May and the first week in
October, the time of the engagement with Mr.
Pound, a search had been made for the man to
represent us and negotiations and interviews
were held with many by me; in fact, it was
my pleasant duty while traveling in the West
and nearby cities and also while in New York
to meet numerous individuals in reference to
this work.
Mr. Pound made a very strenuous effort at
Washington with the United States Treasury
officials and the Internal Revenue Department,
and! the legal division of that department. He
prepared a strong brief and presented the same
and, finally, as history tells us, a decision most
favorable to our trade was secured last De-
cember.
It is while on this part of my report that I
want to make special mention and to express
for you appreciation of the great conscientious-
ness of the legislation committee. The mem-
bers of it were devoted to the cause. They met
time and again. They worked and they wor-
ried over the hard problems that were before
us. Their zeal for the best interests of our as-
sociation and trade is very much to be com-
mended; undoubtedly many of our industry arc
unaware of the supreme effort made by those
who realized their responsibilities and who met
the same.
I am convinced that we are most fortunate
in securing the services of Mr. Pound. He has
had to assume the responsibilities of represent-
ing our industry at Washington. He has quietly
and effectively placed the status of our trade in
a most favorable light before the authorities
in Washington and beyond any doubt they were
unacquainted with our affairs to any great ex-
tent, and had erroneous thoughts regarding
them. These were corrected by Mr. Pound,
and he very properly instructed the authorities
in regard to the materials used in the construc-
tion of pianos, and showed that what is used
is but a very minute proportion of what the
Government requires for war work.
He explained time and again that we were
exporting pianos freely, that is, as freely as
shipping could be arranged for. He also ex-
plained and proved the desire on the part of
manufacturers of the country to give what
facilities they had in the way of factories to the
Government. He indicated the very small pro-
portion of labor, most of which in our factories
is beyond the draft age, and specialized in their
work, and a very limited number were available
for Government service. In every way pos-
sible he made clear the exact standing of our
industry, with the result that those in charge
for the Government have with good discretion
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