Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
VOL. LXVIII. No. 21
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York.
May 24, 1919
Single Copies 10 Cent*
$2.00 Per Year
Conventions
W
}:*•'
ITHIN a week aften.this issue of The Review is in the hands of its readers, the hosts of the music
industry .will be in Chicago, or on their way to that city, to participate in the national conventions
of the several trade associations, and of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce. In view of
the proximity of the convention itself, the most timely thought is concerning what there is to be
"•done at the various meetings, and how the different problems that have developed in the industry within the
past yea£ o#^s&*w.rii.l}e*t9oiv6«lr* iV ''" *' "
These 19T9 conventions are to be considered in many respects unique in trade history. Not only will
there be more divisions of the industry represented in Chicago during the week than ever before, but there
will 15e questions of muiKi3ar" importance brought up for decision—questions distinctly apropos to the period of
re^onstWietiesi^ia^H^far more complicated than most of the problems that have faced conventioners in the past.
It is ^MU.i,s^|^ niak-c ^oiilpa-rlsons with the trade situation as it existed at the time of the last Chicago
convention, in T977,* or the 1918 convention in New York, for it is impossible to compare things that vary
absolutelv^rYe from anotnei\~ Tn 1917 war had just been declared, and the nation was in the midst of a new
experjenpe, ,Uie far-reaching results of which had not begun to be felt. There was a tension in the air, but
the industrial situation was normal, or practically so. In 1918, after a year of war, things were not quite so
settled, but the industry was in fair shape, and the dangers that menaced it were dangers of the future,
that could only be'"controlled by circumstances and not by resolution.
Next-irteftfli the trade forces will come together under conditions that are clearly abnormal for two distinct
i
*T ea*g#s^ First, the direct effect of the war is not yet passed, and, secondly, on top of war's effect
there have come problems of the aftermath—of the reconstruction period. As an example of the first condition,
there is needed only reference to the new War Revenue Bill and its provisions, and as an example of the
sTcdnd'•Conxion we have the labor problem, export trade developments and a dozen other leading- questions.
Fortunate indeed it is that at this time there is a Music Industries Chamber of Commerce to co-ordinate
the affairs of the trade, and to provide a channel Tor*the interchange of thought. Each trade division, of
course, has its own peculiar problems. The piano manufacturer, the piano merchant, musical merchandise man.
and the music roll people all will have to fc se
division. Bvlt'there are"offrer,questions that affect fne ''rnfttS^jpl^s^giMJ^jl.e. These must be threshed out at
the various trade association meetings and then de-cidatfef$gg^K before the Chamber of Commerce.
Chicago trade convention week will be no~t»H*»«iHf4hecff
with half-baked ideas—for
the theorist. There are so many practical ^HP^yji^soinany realprolilwij&^omany developments of the past,
present an^JL.future that require thought^ that there^viTf%?'f!!!ftte
questions that are not
prafctfcal and constructive. The big men oirWW'Wfde in all its branches have for months given thought to
'ea Ifnfhe convention delegates at large.
these problems. The results of their work and
for: "earnest endeavor.
It will be the time for action and decision, for
The^unerican music industry h^'YltfrTng" 1 an»
m^Ppreaaiintil
it is now a world industry.
.c \v:
America .herself has become a world power nati^j.
fct"sense" of the word. There-
fore, the men in convention cannot coriffne tnemse 1
of domestic' policy. They must
view the problems in the broadest sense as tb
in Chicago what they shall
It is not within the province of any one 1
lnnent can be the result only
or shall not do. The work is too big for one
opinion in deference
of co-operation, of giving freely of ideas anr'
n«M will be definite and just.
to the views of the majority, all working 1
**" w ' i.'I'IU flftTiistry.
These 1919 conventions are goir