Classic Mode

Music Trade Review

Issue: 1919 Vol. 69 N. 14

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
RMFW
THE
VOL. LXIX. No. 14
T
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York.
Oct. 4, 1919
Single Copies 10 Cents
$2.00 Per Year
HE practice, or rather the reported practice, of one music roll company in making" its rolls from arrange-
ments originated by competing companies has been considered of sufficient importance by the Federal
Trade Commission to be made the basis of definite charges and a matter for investigation. It is well
that this is so, for whether or not the defendant company has been guilty of the practice as charged
the fact that such a practice will not be permitted should in itself discourage any other roll companies from
trying the same tactics;
There is no question but that the utilizing by a competitor of an arrangement of music made by another
company at a considerable expense constitutes unfair competition, and if such methods exist it is but right that
they should be checked at the outset before any great harm can be done to the trade as a whole. The music roll
business has, for the most part, been a clean business. Competition has been strong at times, but it has been
conducted on the basis of fairness by the leading companies who have seen fit to co-operate, through their as-
sociation and by other means, in keeping it on a high level.
It was just ten years ago that the talking machine companies had their big fight to keep their records free
from the practice of "dubbing," which in a sense resembles the practice of stealing music roll arrangements.
The "dubbing" of talking machine records consisted of taking an original record by a noted artist, to whom a
prominent company had paid substantial royalties, and then by a special process making other records from
the original, and selling these records as genuine duplicates of the higher priced original discs. In rendering a
decision against these "dubbers" Judge Chatfield, in the United States Circuit Court, in Brooklyn, analyzed
the practice in no uncertain terms, and, in granting a permanent injunction, said:
"The relief asked in this case would protect those who have already sung or played compositions having a
pecuniary value because of their musical excellence, and also the persons who have invested capital and labor
in putting a valuable product upon the market. The education of the public by the dissemination of good music
is an object worthy of protection, and it is apparent that such results could not be obtained if the production
of the original records was stopped by the wrongful taking of both product and profit by anyone who could
produce sound-discs free from the expense of obtaining the original record."
The music roll industry has become so important a branch of the music trades that its standing as a factor
therein is becoming recognized to a constantly increasing degree. It offers, in itself, one of the finest mediums
for propagating greater interest in music in the home that has yet been devised, and because of this fact the
industry should strive to keep itself free from any suggestion of those unfair practices and methods which
have unfortunately besmirched other and older industries, to their detriment and consequent loss of prestige.
The music roll industry is a clean, honorable industry,and should be kept so at all hazards.
The music roll company, especially in these days of reproducing pianos and record rolls, which has the
progressiveness to secure the exclusive services of a noted pianist to record for its rolls, or who arranges with
a famous composer personally to supervise and correct the arrangement of rolls bearing music, should in
every sense be protected in its rights to have the exclusive use and sale of the products so created. If any
Tom, Dick and Harry can, with perfect freedom, take this specially arranged roll and from it make thousands
of duplicates without the expense of his own arranging, and therefore at a cost far under that of the original
manufacturer, then the inspiration to progress in the % trade, and to show originality, is lost. It would seem that
the duplication of music rolls is just as reprehensible as the duplication of talking machine records. The prac-
tice is in the same category, and the upright members of the trade should unite in seeing to it that the practice
is discontinued forthwith, appealing to the courts without hesitancy should other means fail. There is a legal
precedent already established that should not be overlooked.
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Hill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
J. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAYMOND BILL, B. B. WILSON, Associate Editors
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
Executive and Reportorial Staff
WILSON D. B U S H , V. D. WALSH, W M . BRAID W H I T E (Technical Editor), E. B. M U N C H ,
L. M. ROBINSON, C. A. I.EONAUD, EDWARD I.VMAN BILL, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
BOSTON O F F I C E :
JOHN
II. WILSON, 324 Washington
CHICAGO
St.
OFFICE:
REVIEW
OCTOBER
4, 1919
RELIEVING THE SITUATION
r
llE Federal Reserve Board is of the opinion that "buying in
competition with export demand undoubtedly has been a major
cause of rising prices in the post-war period in the United States."
The Board thinks it highly probable that our export trade will con-
tinue to be a "factor of moment in the domestic price situation and
in living costs." At the same time the assurance is given that "from
the best information available it appears that the probable demands
of foreign nations upon this country for reconstruction purposes have
been greatly overestimated in the public prints." The Board be-
lieves, in any case, according to the Guaranty Trust Co., that pri-
vate initiative and resources, not Government efforts, should be
relied on to supply the needs of Europe and right the abnormal situa-
tion.
THE DANGER OF PRICE CUTTING
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, Republic Building,
Telephone, Main 6950.
209 So. State St. Telephone, Wabash 5774.
LONDON, E N G L A N D :
1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., D. C.
N E W S S E R V I C E 18 S U P P L I E D W E E K L Y BY OUR C O R R E S P O N D E N T S
L O C A T E D I N T H E LEADING C I T I E S T H R O U G H O U T
AMERICA.
a number of years, and particularly since the beginning
F ing OR
of the war, manufacturers of music rolls have been emphasiz-
strongly the necessity of dealers observing the )list prices
Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
as marked on the roll buxes, as well as endeavoring to discourage
those inclined toward price cutting. It was pointed out that the
margin of profit allowed on rolls, even though liberal, was not
in any sense excessive, when the conditions of the business were
considered, and that to cut down those profits 1 intentionally was
not only foolish but ill-advised.
The best indication that retailers have taken to heart the
arguments against price cutting is indicated by the fact that the
dealers themselves, through the medium of the various associa-
tions formed by them in Philadelphia, New York and other
cities, have given the subject of list price maintenance, within
strictly legal limits, first consideration.
A number of factors have combined to increase roll pro-
duction costs, the foremost factors being labor, materials
and the necessity of paying substantial royalties on word rolls.
These conditions exist and must be faced, and the retailer who
seeks temporary advantage by shading prices to a dangerous
degree is storing up trouble for the future.
Entered
as second-class
matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y'.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
SUBSCRIPTION
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R E M I T T A N C E S , in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
are dealt with, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Player-Piano and
Technical Departments
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Uiploma. .. .l'an-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark
Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE
Vol. LXIX
T E L E P H O N E S — N U M B E R S 5982—6983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting all D e p a r t m e n t s
Cable addretig: "Klbill, New York"
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 4, 1919
No. 14
The probability of a strike in the printing industry in
New York City has compelled the publishing of this issue
of The Music Trade Review for October 4 earlier than
usual and in somewhat of an abbreviated form.
THE LABOR SITUATION IN THE TRADE
demands were made upon the piano manufacturers
W of HEN New the York
last week by the so-called union of piano
workers the action was not unexpected, inasmuch as organizers
were known to have been very active among the workers for a
number of weeks. It was natural to be assumed that the demands
of the workmen could not be considered by the manufacturers, if
for no other reason than that they provided for a closed shop, with
the manufacturers acting as agents for the union in the collecting
of dues, fines; etc., to say nothing of the turning over of the busi-
ness control to the employes.
The slow progress made by the organizers was due largely to
the fact that the skilled workers of the industry could not see the
wisdom of sacrificing their positions for the sake of the unskilled
men. The demands have been made by the union without waiting
to enlist the support of the majority of these skilled workers, and,
therefore, are not considered as representing the ideas of the
employes as a whole.
As this issue of THE REVIEW goes to press all the employes of
at least one Bronx factory have struck and numbers of men are
out in other plants in the city. The manufacturers have agreed to
stand together in support of the open shop and for the right to treat
with their employes as individuals as well as for the right to be mas-
ters of their own businesses. There have been during the past couple
of years general increases in wages and in many instances adjustment
of the working schedules in the various factories, in response to the
requests, or demands, as the case might be, of the factory workers.
The trade generally, therefore, should bear in mind this fact and
support the manufacturers in their attitude, which in view of the
general situation is to be regarded as consistent.
PROMOTING CLEAN ADVERTISING
KREIDER, of Pennsylvania, has just intro-
C ONGRESSMAN
duced a bill in the House of Representatives prohibiting fraud
upon the public by making or disseminating false statements or as-
sertions concerning merchandise, securities or service. A fine of not
more than $1,000, imprisonment for not more than a year, or both, is
provided as a penalty for anyone who in advertising makes a fraud-
ulent assertion concerning the quantity, quality, value, merit, use,
present or former price, the purpose of motive of sale, the method of
cost of production, or the possession of awards conferred on the
merchandise.
As will be noted this is a most comprehensive bill, covering every
angle of publicity, and members of the music trade will doubtless
watch its passage with interest.
PREVENTING COMMERCIAL INFLATION
circles strong influence is being brought to bear upon
I tract N the financial
Federal Reserve System and upon banks in general to con-
their credits and to be extremely conservative hereafter in ex-
tending accommodations except of a most urgent character. This
explains the very strong suggestion made from Washington that
the banks adopt a very conservative attitude except toward the
commercial borrower. The object of this is the prevention of fur-
ther inflation, the ultimate goal being a turn of the tide in the op-
posite direction so that the dollar may eventually develop its normal
purchasing power. This is an extremely wholesome tendency and
will serve to solve the many perplexing problems that now con-
front the country.
N the passing of Andrew Carnegie manufacturers of pipe organs
I credited
lost a strong friend and patron, for the deceased steel king is
with having bought more organs than any man in history or
at least paid for a good proportion of the cost of such organs. It is
recorded that during his lifetime Mr. Carnegie paid in part for 7,686
organs for churches, expending a total of nearly $6,300,000.

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