Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
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ffUJIC TIRADE
VOL LXVII. No. 21
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 3734th Ave., New York.
Nov. 23, 1918
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Governmental Attitude Toward Business
F
OR some weeks past as the prospects for world peace became brighter and brighter, the question has been
asked by those in non-war industries coming under Federal restriction of output and supplies as to just
what the Government would do in the matter of lifting such restrictions when the end of the war really
came.
There were those who frankly viewed the period of reconstruction—the period allotted to industries for
getting back to a normal basis—with a considerable degree of apprehension. They saw the Governmental
agencies moving slowly and cautiously in the matter of freeing the industries of peace from official control,
and saw in the rebuilding of business a drawn out and tedious process.
Hardly had the announcement of the signing of the armistice with Germany been received, however, when
on the same day the attitude of the Government towards business was shown unmistakably in the orders of the
War Industries Board, lifting the restrictions from a large number of non-war industries. The piano industry,
for instance, under orders to restrict its output to one-third of four-twelfths of its production for 1917 during
the last four months of this year, was advised by telegraph immediately that it could increase the output to
two-thirds of four-twelfths of the 1917 production. The talking machine trade at the same time had its
allowances of metal increased from 40 per cent, to 70 per cent, of the 1917 consumption.
The announcement of the raising of the restrictions in a certain measure was naturally hailed with consid-
erable satisfaction, but the removal of the restrictions in itself is not so significant as is the fact that in that move
is found proof positive of the intention of the Government to grant relief to industries to the fullest extent at the
earliest possible moment.
Federal authorities without doubt realized that there will be millions of men who must be returned from
war work to non-war occupations, and that these millions of men cannot be assimilated by the peace trades
unless the latter are in a position to carry on their work on close to a normal basis, and through increased
production find room for more labor.
The gradual loosening up of restrictions and the steady improvement in the materials markets, through the
canceling or reduction of war contracts, will enable industries to get back to a normal basis much more quickly
than was even hoped for a few months ago.
Next to the announcement of the coming of peace itself, the most important matter for congratulation is
this apparent anxiety of the Government to help business as quickly and as effectively as possible. It tends to
remove much of the uncertainty that has existed regarding the post-war period. That period will indeed bring
with it its own problems, but they will be problems that industry can meet more successfully when unhampered
by restrictions.
The War Industries Board itself in announcing a modification of the restrictions whereby it has controlled
American industries in the interests of the nation's war program stated: "As laid down by Chairman Baruch
in a published announcement of November 8 (which appeared in last week's Review) it will be the policy of
the board gradually to lift various restrictions and curtailments, with the view of bringing about as promptly
as possible a return to normal conditions."
This in itself is good news, particularly as to the piano industry, which, as a whole, has carried on most
courageously and most successfully. Members of the industry have gotten together with success, laid their cards
on the table, and then co-operated in solving problems as they have come up. It is this spirit of working
together that has kept the industry going, and brought it to the end of the war in a remarkably healthy state.
Under such conditions the return to normal, for this industry, at least, will be accomplished with very little delay
and confusion. It is not a case of starting all over again to build up business, but rather a case of going ahead
with a running start.
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