Music Trade Review

4
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
JUNE
21,'
Jt
or nationalism, but as a matter of wisdom and economics, and
tbis maintenance of the ~'\mericanism of the industry cannot be made
alone a matter of lip service. It demands action_
1--
THE PUBLIC ATTITUDE TOWARD MUSIC
I_I I~ members of the music industry have come _to a full realiza­
tIOn of a new attItude of the ,"\mencan publlc tow-
and of the fact that the United States already is or is fast
tile lllusical nation of the world. It is gratifying to finu,
that this new attitude of the public towards music and the !\U1U­
ences tbat have brought about that new attitude have become recog­
llized outside of the industry, proof of which is offered in the lead­
ing article in Printers' Ink last vveek by Frank H. VVilliams, in
which the writer points out most convincingly that the advertising
of the music industry during the past few years is tbe advertising-
that has most deeply affected American national Ii fe-"
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_\ number of factors joined together have succeeded in pro­
ducing this recognized result, but without question the two leading
factors have been the advertising- of the talking machine manufac­
turers and of the player-piano manufacturers_ I-laving developed
their instruments to a point where (hey were not to be considered as
novelties, these manufacturers concentrated their advertising argu­
ments on music, and they kept pounding a way on the fact that
music was an essential part of the home life; that it was absolutely
necessary to human happiness, and could be obtained readily, and in
desired quantities and quality through the medium of talking ma­
chines, player-pianos and other instruments_
Coupled with this advertising has been the propaganda for
J11usic carried OIl by various interests in and out of the trade, but
principally by the National Bureau for the _\dvancement of Music,
which, througb the encouragement of community singing, lllusie
memory contests, co-operative advertising, and by other'means, has
served to co-ordinate and expand the various forces working- for
music to the end that the public has had music offered at every turn_
The straig-ht advertising has been the primary cause of this
new attitude toward music and things musical. The public was
informed not of the details. of the instrument, for it was assumed
that they knew something of the product, but the attack was made
along the lines of giving music lovers, and particularly those who
had not given the matter thought, some idea of the opportunities
of education and entertainment offerecl by the music. obtainable
through various types of instruments. Some years ago there was
much criticism of "canned" music. It was a standing joke in cer­
tain quarters. Now this same "canned" music is taken seriously
and its nickname has passed, for there is no question but that music
produced by -automatic means, either through the medium of the
talking machine or the player-piano- the production of which re­
quires little or no technical training and very little labor- has
proven a dominating factor in making- \merica musical.
The war unquestionably has helped in this work, for wherever
soldiers and sailors congregated in any number they had the oppor­
tunity of listening to music and plenty of it, but without the war
the' advertising of the i~dustrv itself has brought results that have
now been acknowledged by those who keep their fingers on the
pulse of advertising and its effect. It is hoped that with the ice
once broken tbis recognition will become more general. for music
advertising deserves it
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PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
:'
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
1. B. Spillane l .313 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
r'ourtla AYe., 'New York: Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
.I. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAYMOND BILL, B. B. WILSON, Associate Editors
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Executive and Reportorial Stall:
D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH, v\~~r. BRAID \VT-UTE CfechnicaJ
Editor), E. B. MUNCH, C. A. LEONARD, EDWARD LYMAN B'Lf__
A_ J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
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Lyman Bill, Inc.
-'
I?epartments cond!'cted by an expert wherein all q~es-
tJOns of a technical nature relating to the tunIng,
regulating and cOJlairing of pia~os and player-pianos
are dea lt WIth. wIll be found In another sectJOn of
this paper. We also pub1ish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Player - Piano and
TechBical Departments
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix .•• • •.• . • . P a ris Exposition, 1900
Silv er Me dal. . . . Charl eston Exposition. 1902
Diplomo.. __ • Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal. . . ... St. L ou is E x position, 1904
Gold Medal-Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
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Connecting all Departments
Cable addres8: "Elblll, New York"
Vol. LXVnI
. [
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NEW YOQK, JUNE 21. 1919
No. 25
PROTECTION FOR AMERICAN INDU STRY
HE final end to peace negotiations is now in sight, and whether
the peace treaty as at p resent offered is finall y signed by the Ger­
mans or the Allied armies start on their way towards Berlin
the fact remains that the nations of the world, or at least the greater
part of them, will again turn their thoughts to the rehabilitation and
expansion of peace-time industries. It has been declared with C011­
! siderable frankness by those in a position to know that while Euro­
peans, and even the Central Powers, have been preparing feverishly
to recapture their share, and more if possible, of the world trade_
American busi-ness men have' been inclined to move slowly and in
some cases stand pat waiting to see what happens. The after-the­
war trade combat is going to be an active one, as developments ha ve
already proven_ It will mean that for _\merica to stay prosperous
our industrial factors must take an active part in that battle, and
that steps must be taken to protect American industries to the
fullest extent.
A movement has already been started to have levied a sub
stantial import tax on musical instruments and parts of all kinds, a
duty as large as forty-fi ve per cent. having been suggested in some
quarters. That is not going to accomplish the full purpose, how­
ever, unless American industries have full support at home_ "Ameri­
can supplies for American instruments for Americans" must be the
slogan if those branches of the industry trlat have developed and ex­
panded during and since the war can be expected to live_ American
supplies of many kinds as well as l\merican musical instruments
-particularly ba·nd instruments -have received much attention dur­
ing the past two, three or four years_ The work of development
has been earnest. The manufacturers of these instruments and sup­
plies have invested much capital. They have gone ahead in the
anticipation that they would receive the support of the various and
sundry branches of the industry_ They have a right to expect tbat
support.
If the /\merican music industry is to hold its rightfpl posi­
tion in the world's markets it must be first assured of that position
at home. It must be supported earnestly and strongly_ It must he
made ,\merican right through, not alone on the basis of patriotism
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MAINTENANCE OF RETAIL PRICES
HE introduction in the 1-1ouse of Representatives by Representa­
tive Kell y, of Pennsylvania, of a new bill to provide for the main­
tenance of resale prices is naturally viewed with particular interest
by piano and talking- machine manufacturers, inasmuch as the pro­
visions of the new bill apply most directly to the music industry.
\Vhile it was hoped by many that the remodeled Stephens bill, with
some objectionable features removed, and with provisions made
for the supervision of fixed prices by the Federal Trade Commis­
sion, would be enacted into a law, it is generally believed now that
the Kelly bill, broader in scope and with the objectionable features
of the old Stephens bill eliminated, has even a better chance of
being passed by Congress and of being enacted into a law.
TIl(' bill as it now stands is designed particularly for the pro­
tection of trade-marked names and special brands by preventing
price cutters from utilizing- these trade-marked names, or brands, in
the carrying on of their practices to the detriment of the manu-
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