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REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXVIII. No. 6
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York. Feb. 8, 1919
Single Copies 10 Cents
$2.00 Per Year
An Opportunity—How Will It Be Met?
T
HE proposed trans-continental tour of George W. Pound, general counsel and manager of the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce, plans for which are already taking shape, represents the biggest plan
for securing publicity that has been inaugurated in the music industry certainly, and probably in any
other industry, for it means bringing the story of the great work that the industry has accomplished,
through the Chamber of Commerce and its various divisions, to retailers and others in their own home town,
carrying to them directly, as it were, the message that they, perhaps, have not been able to receive from other
sources.
The trip in itself affords an unexampled opportunity for securing countrywide publicity for the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce and its various activities—an opportunity that should be appreciated to the
utmost by those interested in or advocating the tour, and who stand to benefit if it proves a success. 11 is not
something to be conducted in a haphazard manner. The full results will not show unless a definite plan of
action, calculated to win for the movement not alone trade but general publicity, is worked out weil in advance.
Under the direction of Alexander McDonald arrangements are being made to give proper attention to the
question of publicity, but all the work cannot be handled from one desk, perhaps far from the scene of action.
Mr. McDonald must'have the undivided support of the music trade interests in the cities where Mr. Pound
is scheduled to speak, and who for their part should show a proper appreciation of the sort of work the occasion
demands, seeing to it that the local press in the cities themselves and the surrounding towns takes a proper
interest in the movement.
This is recognized as the day of co-operation—the time for the co-ordination of industrial affairs—and it
is most important that members of the music industry recognize that fact and endeavor by every means in their
power to bring together as one unit the members of the industry of the country at large, not simply the members
representing several separated sections of the country.
The message that Mr. Pound will carry to the trade is a message that apparently members of the trade
are anxious to receive. This is of tremendous import, and should prove a revelation to those who have hitherto
taken but a casual interest in what is being done for the development of a more general recognition of music's
value and for the development of the industry itself.
Mr. Pound will go before the trade not only with plans for the future, but he will be able to carry with him
a record of actual accomplishment. It will, or at least should, awaken in the mind of even the most listless
merchant a realization of what co-operative effort has already accomplished for the protection and benefit of the
trade, and what it may be depended upon to accomplish in the months and years to come.
It will become the duty of those who have advocated the tour, and particularly those members of the
National Association of Piano Merchants who, as its local representatives, will have charge of the arrangements
in the different centers, to see to it that members of the trade have a proper appreciation of the importance of
the occasion and not only turn out in proper numbers—ioo per cent, strong—to listen to Mr. Pound's message,
but gain from that message an awakened interest in the Association and the Chamber of Commerce work—an
interest to be stimulated to a point where the membership will be increased to proper proportions and permanent
results thus assured.
The idea is a splendid one, but it will be in a large measure a waste of time and money unless the entire
trade gives its hearty co-operation to the plan, and takes full advantage of the opportunity thus offered to gain
unequaled publicity for music and the music industries.
With the importance of the opportunity fully realized, the success of the plan should be a foregone
conclusion, but first the opportunity must be recognized.