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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
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YORK, FEBRUARY 16, 1918
FEBRUARY 16, 1918
heard-of figures and, as one writer expresses it, "I think the
public would now buy wheelbarrows with strings on."
Next to the shortage of supplies, particularly metals, the
real serious problem for the British manufacturers is the short-
age of labor, for in addition to the large number of men taken
for the fighting forces other workmen in large numbers have
gone into aeroplane and munition factories for the higher wages
there offered.
The warerooms in the larger cities are practically bare of
instruments and such pianos as are still on hand, including used
or second-hand instruments, are being held for high prices and
sold only for cash.
Although, in the matter of supplies, the piano manufacturers
in this country have somewhat the advantage of our British
friends owing to the fact that the bulk of the supplies, including
metals, are produced in the country and do not require valuable
cargo space in ships to import, the demands of war have already
made themselves felt in the metal market, and the scarcity of
metals for domestic uses promises to grow much more serious.
Then again, aeroplane manufacturers have taken much of the
spruce that has heretofore been available for the making of
sounding-boards for pianos; and there are other handicaps, to
say nothing of the labor question, which is already very serious
in many sections.
Surely the live piano merchant must himself, if he reads
the daily and trade papers, have some realization of conditions
as they exist and as they promise to develop in future, and pre-
pare accordingly for his coming needs. The man who can get a
store full of pianos during the coming months is not going to be
overstocked, he is simply going to be far-sighted and lucky. It
may be that there will be a drop in piano sales, but the drop
in output, or at least of 'deliveries to the merchants, promises
to be even greater.
WEEK of milder weather has brought about a marked
A
improvement in the railroad situation on the Eastern lines,
and manufacturers in the piano trade, as well as those in other
lines of industry, are feeling a sense of relief at the more active
movement of freights. Improved weather conditions will also
EDITORIAL
have a direct bearing on the discontinuance of the "fuelless
Monday" holiday, concerning which Fuel Administrator Garfield
OR months past The Review has been urging- that piano
holds out promises.
^merchants order their stocks as far ahead as possible and
Discussing the business situation, Dun's, in its review of
order as liberally as their circumstances will permit, solely foi
trade conditions this week, said :
their own protection. Last spring the trade was warned to pre-
"Both in its producing and distributing branches business
pare to meet future and particularly holiday demands and when
more clearly reflects the retarding influence of various existing
November and December came around it was found that the
drawbacks, although a return to more normal conditions is to be
advice had been timely, for not only had the output of piano fac-
expected with a permanent moderation of the weather. The cur-
tories suffered through shortage of supplies and labor but the tailment of industrial and mercantile operations, however, has
congestion of transportation had reached a serious point.
already been unusually extensive and the restriction of work
Since the first of the year, even with the "fuelless Mondays"
through the holiday observances not only causes added incon-
to face, the transportation problem has been the big one for the venience, but also tends to reduce the purchasing power of
trade. Freight embargoes have held up shipments from the
many consumers. With the consequent diminution of retail
factories time and again, and even when pianos were received
buying, and with the delays in shipments resulting from the
for transporting by the railroads the time consumed in transit
transportation congestion, complaints of less satisfactory col-
has been from four to ten times longer than under normal con-
lections are rather more common, and in some cases where de-
ditions. It would seem, therefore, that the advice that mer-
liveries cannot be made with the desired promptness cancella-
chants order at once and up to the hilt is even more pertinent
tions of contracts are reported."
just now than it was a year ago, for manufacturing and trans-
portation difficulties promise to get worse before they get better,
HE suggestion made by H. W. Yeager at a recent meeting of
as we get deeper into the war.
the Board of Control of the National Association of Piano
Merchants, to the effect that the National Association establish
Some months ago it was believed in some quarters among
a zone system for dividing various States and then see to it that a
piano merchants and even among some manufacturers that the
subsidiary association be established in each zone for the primary
urgings that orders be placed early and in liberal quantities were
purpose of enlisting the retailer in the Association ranks, is
simply to clean up the surplus stocks of certain factories, but
worthy of serious consideration. As Mr. Yeager very truly says
conditions have proven how narrow was that viewpoint, for
the small dealer is frequently called upon to pay dues in the local
the man who heeded that theory lost money in potential sales
and State association and when the National Association comes
for which there was no supply.
along hesitates to spend the additional money to become a mem-
The situation in England at present serves, in some measure,
ber thereof.
as a guide to what we may expect here. Over there, according
Although the zone system as first outlined may prove im-
to reports from London papers, factories are practically at a
practical it nevertheless opens the way for discussions of ways
standstill, owing to lack of supplies, and it is reported that "heavy
and means for bringing the National Association closer to the
iron wire is being used in place of the usual covered strings,
small local dealer and interesting him in that organization. The
agreeing to replace the substitutes at the end of the war." Prices
Association is planning big things and has already accomplished
asked and received for second-hand pianos have reached un-
F
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