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NOVEMBER 16,
1918
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Piano Manufacturers Discuss Present Trade Problems
Various Phases of Existing Conditions Discussed at Important Meeting Held
Under the Auspices of the National Piano Manufacturers' Association at the
Hotel Astor Last Week—Many Prominent Members of the Industry Attend
Not since the beginning of the war have the
problems facing the piano manufacturing trade
received such united and earnest consideration
as was accorded them at the meeting of the com-
mittee members of the National Piano Manufac-
turers' Association, as well as piano supply men
and others, at the Hotel Astor on Friday of last
week, in response to a call sent out by President
Paul B. Klugh, of the association.
The reason why the meeting proved such a
distinct success was due to the fact that a defi-
nite program had been prepared and the discus-
sions were confined to matters listed in that
program, which were divided as follows: First,
finances; second, priorities of materials; third,
question of distribution of materials and parts.
Before the delegates left the meeting they had
definite information regarding the tuning pin
and steel wire situation, how supplies were be-
ing allocated, and how they were to set about
getting their share of materials.
Association Finances in Healthy State
President Klugh, who presided, first called for
the report of the finance committee, of which
C. C. Conway is chairman, after telling of the
great success attending the work of the com-
mittee in securing funds. Mr. Klugh stated that
the association now had ample funds to carry on
its program of trade development and that the
condition of its treasury is now compatible with
the standing of the association and the industry.
He paid a particular tribute to the work of
George Miller, who had charge of the Phila-
delphia district for the finance committee. The
receipts and expenditures of the association were
then read in detail for the information of the
members in general.
Mr. Klugh told of the work of the Music In-
dustries Chamber of Commerce, what the Manu-
facturers' Association was doing in support of
that organization, and what was expected of the
other divisions making up the chamber, of which
there are already ten registered, and five more in
prospect.
He dwelt briefly on the supply situation and
slated that the prospects were that there was
enough steel to carry, the industry over the dark
period until relief was definitely in sight, but
that there would still be considerable difficulty
in getting supplies of various sorts.
George W. Pound Discusses Priorities Question
George W. Pound, general counsel of the
association, was called upon to explain the status
of the trade in the matter of priorities and the
general situation in the matter of supplies. Mr.
Pound, who had just returned from Washing-
ton, outlined the whole question of priorities,
told of the placing of the industry in Class C,
with an allowance of 33 l /s per cent, of steel from
September 1 to March 1, and emphasized the fact
that this was one of the few industries outside
of those engaged directly in war work to get
priorities. He stated that a ration of 100 tons
of steel for tuning pins had already been secured,
and some of it delivered, half going to the East
and half to the West, that a substantial ration of
pig iron for plates had already been secured, as
well as a substantial allowance of steel for piano
wire.
Felt and Brass Shortage
Mr. Pound reported that in addition to the
difficulty in getting steel, which would grow less
as time went on, there was now developing a
felt shortage due to the Government's demand
for practically all available felts of the sort used
for piano hammers, to make a new type of gas
mask, and that the demands for brass for cart-
ridges and other munition work, was causing a
scarcity in supplies of that metal.
. The Lack of Machinery
He stated that in the case of neither felt nor
metals was there an apparent shortage of raw
materials, but that the question was one of put-
ting the materials into finished products, the
felt menace not being due to a shortage of wool,
but rather to the limited supply of felt-making
machinery.
In closing Mr. Pound paid a high tribute to
the spirit of co-operation shown by the Ameri-
can Steel & Wire Co. in the matter of consider-
ing and taking care of the requirements of the
industry in the matter of tuning pins and string
wire.
Tuning Pin Men Give Information
In getting to the basis of the tuning pin sit-
uation, President Klugh called upon the repre-
sentatives of four tuning pin manufacturers, and
one jobber of those essential articles, for direct
information as to the capacity of their plants
under normal conditions, the amount of steel
that had been turned over to them out of the
recent hundred-ton allotment, how many tuning
pins were available right now, and how many
would be available within a stated period. The
result was a fund of information that was not
only interesting, but of much value to the manu-
facturers. By totaling the capacity of the va-
rious plants as stated by the representatives, it
was found that with the full and normal sup-
plies of steel available, tuning pins sufficient
for 875,000 pianos annually could be produced.
As one manufacturer remarked, an after-war
problem would be to increase piano produc-
tion sufficient to use up this available tuning pin
output.
How Tuning Pin Steel Will Be Allotted
As a matter of fact, the reports of the tuning
pin men, in view of steel allotments already
made and those in prospect, were distinctly en-
couraging, and it did not require a great deal
of discussion to determine that the most satis-
factory method of allotting available steel sup-
plies would be to divide it among the various
tuning pin plants in proportion to their normal
output, particularly in view of the fact that it
was found that one factory, with a capacity of
only a few cases a day, had been provided with
sufficient steel to run several weeks, while an-
other plant with much larger capacity had been
compelled to close for lack of material, and
this while the shortage of pins was most threat-
ening. Paul B. Klugh, George W. Pound and
Herbert W. Hill were appointed a committee
to take care of the matter of allotting steel sup-
plies to the tuning pin factories. In securing
his allotment of steel, the tuning pin man must
give a pledge not to export any of the pins out
of the United States.
Facts Regarding Wire Situation
Some really interesting information regarding
the steel wire situation was offered by Frank
E. Morton, acoustic engineer of the American
Steel & Wire Co., who declared that while the
situation had been very strenuous, due to the
extensive use of piano wire in Browning guns,
and other arms, and munitions, in airplanes, and
for various war purposes, the company's plant
had been working under high pressure, and there
was relief in sight, through a rearrangement of
the production facilities of the company's plant,
and the checking up of the Government's actual
requirements in the matter of 'steel wire. In
fact, the release of wire for pianos will amount
to between ten to twelve tons per month.
Mr. Morton told of the efforts put forth by
his company to distribute piano wire equitably
and to the best advantage of the industry, and
also explained that the scarcity of tuning pin
wire was due to the fact that his company's
plant was crowded with orders for the same
class of wire for war purposes. He emphasized
particularly the fact that an order from the Pri-
orities Division did not produce piano wire, but
after the order was granted the wire had still
to be drawn in the usual way and in quick time.
At the conclusion of his remarks Mr. Morton
was given a rising vote of thanks for his serv-
ices in behalf of the industry.
The Distribution of Finished Tuning Pins
Next came up the question of distributing the
finished tuning pins among piano manufactur-
ers to the best advantage, and at the suggestion
of President Klugh a committee consisting of
H. Paul Mehlin, Wm. Dalliba Dutton and
Charles Jacob was appointed to take charge of
this matter. Requisition blanks have been pre-
pared to be filled in by manufacturers desiring
tuning pins, and which will provide for infor-
mation as to the number of pins on hand, and
the number required for a specified period. The
committee will meet once each week to pass
upon the requisition blanks and issue orders
for tuning pins in accordance therewith.
The War Revenue Bill
In bringing up the question of the new War
Revenue bill Mr. Klugh suggested strongly that
individual manufacturers refrain from endeavor-
ing to influence the national legislators, but to
leave the matter in the hands of Mr. Pound, who
was intimately acquainted with the situation, and
with those in charge of the handling of the bill
and who had already proven that they could
get results. General interference, he pointed
out, would simply cause confusion.
Mr. Pound thereupon outlined the various
phases of the War Revenue bill, told of the ac-
tion of the Senate Finance Committee in reduc-
ing the proposed tax on pianos from 10 per
cent, to 5 per cent, and offered some interesting
information regarding the floor tax section of
the bill.
To Bill War Tax Separately
After the discussion regarding the War Reve-
nue bill there was some further discussion re-
garding the manner in which the tax would be
paid to the manufacturer by the dealer. It was
the consensus of opinion of those at the meet-
ing that the amount of tax be billed separately
from the piano and payment required within
thirty days, regardless of the terms on which
the instrument was sold, in view of the fact that
the Government will probably demand a settle-
ment from the manufacturers each month.
Convention Time Selected
Inasmuch as the session on Friday will prob-
ably make it unnecessary to hold a midwinter
executive committee of the association it was
voted to fix the date of the annual convention
during the first week in June, 1919, in Chicago.
The Chamber of Commerce will be notified of
the decision of the manufacturers in order that
the other trade associations may arrange their
convention dates accordingly.
In order to clean up the business at hand
without a break luncheon was served in a hall
adjoining the meeting room, after which the
piano men returned immediately to the consid-
eration of the matters at hand.
Those in Attendance
Among the piano manufacturers present at
the meeting were: Paul B. Klugh, president, and
C. C. Conway, treasurer of the association; J. A.
Coffin, George W. Gittins, Julian T. Mayer and
Frank W. Teeple, of the executive committee;
R. W. Lawrence and George Miller, of the.
finance committee; W. B. Williams, of the mem-
bership committee; H. Paul Mehlin and E. F.
Tibbott, of the advancement for music commit-
tee; E. R. Jacobson, merchant marine commit-
tee; L. D. Perry, of the credit bureau, and others.
The tuning pin manufacturers included George
A. Stant, of the Stant Machine Works, Conners-
ville, lnd.; F. Hessmer, of the American Musical
Supply Co., Jersey City, N. J.; James Rose,
Cornwall & Patterson, Bridgeport, Conn., and
Albert Behning, of the American Tuning Pin
Co., Brooklyn, N. Y. William Schlemmer, Ham-
macher, Schlemmer & Co., attended as a jobber
in tuning pins.