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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MARCH 1, 1919
display the same ambition and desire to work their way up as men
do, and are too prone to be satisfied with certain fixed positions in-
stead of being inclined to acquire a greater knowledge and go ahead
to more important posts.
prominent piano traveler in close touch with the retail trade
O NE in various
sections of the South expresses the opinion that any
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Vol. LXVIII
NEW YORK, MARCH 1, 1919
No. 9
EDITORIAL 1
D
EALERS throughout the country are manifesting the keenest
interest in the approaching visit of George W. Pound, General
Counsel and Manager of the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce, the itinerary of whose trip was published in last week's
Review. Some thirty cities will be visited and the men who
have been appointed to head the reception committee all promise
large audiences to hear Mr. Pound explain the accomplishments of
the Chamber of Commerce, and what it expects to do for the trade
in the future.
This trip of Mr. Pound's marks a new era in trade history. It
denotes the increasing interest of all branches of the trade in the
industry, and it is safe to say that when the tour is ended the im-
portance and dignity of the music trade will be more widely recog-
nized than ever before in history.
EPORTS from piano manufacturers, and particularly from
R
those located in the West, indicate that while the supply of
available labor is still far below normal, workmen are trickling back
to the factories in increased numbers, and are serving to relieve the
situation to a considerable measure. As the work of demobilization
proceeds a goodly number of trained piano workers are released
from service, and we are having no difficulty in finding suitable
places in the factories.
The general report regarding the increased number of unem-
ployed men refers practically entirely to what is termed unskilled
labor—men without any definite trade. This unskilled labor can
only be used to a limited extent in piano factories, and the result
has been delay in manning plants while waiting for trained workmen
to be released from military service, or for new employes to be
trained to a point where they become really productive.
A notable feature of the labor situation has been the noticeable
inclination by manufacturers to dodge the employment of women
in their factories, even those who had female help during the war
replacing such help as leaves with male help wherever possible. The
answer is apparently that in general factory work women do not
possible effort of certain piano manufacturers to take care of the
overproduction question by returning to the old system of long
terms will not only rouse the ire of other manufacturers, but will also
meet with opposition from piano merchants, especially in the South.
These merchants, for instance, declare that having so rearranged
their businesses* as to be able to do their buying and selling on a.
short term basis they will never again go back to long terms and go
through the experience that has been theirs during the months of the
war, when they found themselves with much long time paper on
hand, while their banks in many cases not only refused to take more
piano paper as collateral, but actually required them to reduce by 50
per cent, or more the amount of paper already held by the banks for
loans.
More than one piano retailer had to dig and dig fast in order to
meet the demands of his bank, and still keep his business going,
especially in view of the fact that the manufacturer was of necessity
demanding shorter terms on new instruments bought. The lesson
has been a hard one, and the retailers have apparently learned it
well, and the majority of them will not be inveigled into placing
themselves in the same old position and suffer the same consequences
should another economic or international crisis arise.
The attitude of piano merchants is reflected in some measure in
the inclination to keep retail stocks pared down close to actual neces-
sity, to buy only to meet present requirements, and then to buy for
cash or on short terms.
I
T was long ago predicted in business circles in this country that in
preparing to meet after-war competition by German and Austrian
manufacturers, particularly the former, American manufacturers
must guard against the adoption of various subterfuges by interests
in enemy countries desirous of re-establishing themselves in the
world's markets. It has been pointed out on numerous occasions
that, realizing the odium that would attach to the mark "made in
Germany" for many years to come, manufacturers and exporters of
that country would endeavor to market their products as coming
from allied or neutral countries.
Those who have uttered warnings in the past already profess to
see in various protective tariff laws being advocated in South Ameri-
can countries, and particularly in Cuba, the first step in the German
effort to get a foothold in Latin America by offering Cuban-made
pianos to that market. In Cuba, for instance, a tariff measure has
been introduced "for the protection of a young home industry" that
will, if it becomes a law, practically bar American pianos from the
Cuban field. Just now there is one piano factory on the Island, but
certain interests connected with the Bank of Spain are said to be
planning to manufacture pianos on a large scale. No secret is made
of the fact that German interests working through Spanish inter-
mediaries are believed to be back of the move.
Whether or not there is reason to be particularly suspicious of
this one incident, the fact remains that the various subterfuges must
be expected and guarded against, if our manufacturers are to be able
to compete successfully.
conditions in all branches of the music trade industry
B USINESS
continue to show improvement. While the retail trade is short
of stock, manufacturers are making more frequent shipments, and
with the increasing return and demobilization of the soldiers from
Europe the labor question, which has been a very serious one, is
being adjusted along satisfactory lines. In fact, every branch of the
industry in America gives strong indications of better sentiment and
a more favorable outlook. Meanwhile the readjustment of business
of the Nation proceeds apace, and it is now believed that we are
rapidly approaching the apex of this post-war disturbance, and that
within the next three months matters will so adjust themselves that
business of all kinds will continue on an upward grade with manu-
facturing conditions greatly improved.
The leading trade reviews in their reports of conditions are
optimistically inclined.