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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REYIDY
of the business, and when they can't take care of it I get somebody
else. They think I am sick if I am in the store after three o'clock
in the afternoon, unless there is a directors' meeting or there is a
dividend to be declared."
Big men in many lines have maintained stoutly that the selec-
tion of the right men for executive positions was the secret of
building a big business, and Mr. Dreher has applied that rule to
the retail piano business, and has made it work.
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anH
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
allll
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
a r t o l D n t e regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
leCIIDlCai l i e p d n m e n i S
are
REGISTERING TRADE-MARKS IN SOUTH AMERICA
T
HE advice so often offered, and now repeated with added empha-
sis, owing to the growing interest shown in the export field by
American piano manufacturers, that all trade-marks be registered
immediately in all South American countries where American manu-
facturers have even a remote idea of doing business eventually, is
well worth taking. As a matter of fact, more than one piano house
has been forced to abandon a desirable field, or pay tribute, because
their trade-mark has been registered in a South American country
as a speculation by someone who simply did the registering in order
to open the path for blackmail.
The Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce watches care-
fully all attempts to register American trade-marks in South Ameri-
can countries for apparently fraudulent purposes, and by active
protest frequently stops any such move. There are still gaps, how-
ever, that cannot be watched, and it is up to the manufacturers them-
selves to take all due precautions to protect their interests. The
idea is to register trade-marks and register them now. That is the
only safe way.
dealt with, will be found in another section of
GREATER INTEREST IN THINGS MUSICAL
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal
Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma
Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting all Departments
Cable address: "Elbill, New York"
Vol. LX1X
NEW YORK, JULY 12, 1919
No. 2
ALBERT S. BOND'S STANDARDIZATION ARTICLES
N
O piano manufacturer who desires to keep in touch with the
trend of affairs can afford to miss reading the series of articles
by Albert S. Bond, president of the Packard Piano Go., on the ques-
tion of standardization, and which are now appearing in The Re-
view. Never before has this question of standardization been so
pertinent as just at the present time with production costs and pro-
duction problems in the ascendency. It is no time for slipshod, hit
or miss methods. Only by standardizing, or systematizing to a high
degree can the manufacturer in any line expect to maintain a just
balance in any department of his business.
Mr. Bond and his associates in the Packard Co. have put into
actual practice this idea of standardization, and in setting forth his
view, therefore, Mr. Bond is in a position to speak of that regarding
which he has authoritative and practical information. In offering
the results of his experience in the industry in a series of articles
he is working for the benefit of tffe industry as a whole.
SUCCESS THROUGH SECURING ABLE ASSISTANTS
S
OME men ascribe their success to the fact that they are, so to
speak, always on the job; that they keep in personal touch with
the details of their business early and late, opening the store, or the
office, in the morning and putting the bolt on the door at night.
There are other men, to all appearance equally successful, who
work on the principle of acting in a strictly executive capacity, and
placing the details of the business entirely in the hands of selected
assistants. One man wears himself out striving for success through
his own personal efforts. The other man relies upon his ability to
pick assistants and his willingness to place responsibility on them.
Of the latter type is Henry Dreher, of the B. Dreher's Sons
Co., Cleveland. Mr. Dreher believes in putting responsibility on
the shoulders of others, and admits that he works personally only
a few hours each day. In explaining to the piano merchants how
he was so successful he said : "I do not work all the time. I have a
manager. That is the secret of success. If I am going to do all
the work I am a rotten manager. I have good salesmen, good
tuners, and good men in other departments to take care of every encf
JULY 12, 1919
T
H E remarkable development of interest in musical matters
throughout the nation since the war has closed demonstrates
that the people of America are not all materialists devoted merely
to industrial expansion and the making of money, but that behind
it all is a real appreciation of the vital part that music has played
in the war, and the part that it is now playing in the artistic de-
velopment of the people of the nation.
Piano manufacturers, merchants and travelers; in fact, every-
body engaged in active work in this industry should realize the
wonderful asset they possess in their knowledge of the position that
music now occupies. Turn where you will, and apart from the
higher musical forms, such as opera, symphony, etc., you will find
the rapid growth of community choruses, orchestras, bands—in
fact, every form of musical expression, all tending to prove that
music is to-day a supreme factor in our civilization.
We cannot get away from the fact that the music trade indus-
try to-day is stronger, because of its knowledge of the important
part that music is playing in our country. For the wider the diffu-
sion of musical appreciation, the greater will be the demand for
musical instruments of all kinds. The music merchant, or salesman,
who ties up in every possible way with this movement for the ad-
vancement of musical knowledge, is not only helping his business,
but more than that he is helping the community, and the nation as
a whole.
CREDITS MUST BE CAREFULLY WATCHED
I
N commenting upon the fact that business failures for the last
few months were the smallest on record, J. H. Tregoe, secretary-
treasurer of the National Association of Credit Men, takes occasion
to sound a warning against any tendency towards loose credits,
pointing out that at present we are enjoying an unexampled period
of prosperity, and that the average merchant, even though untrained,
will have little difficulty in surviving. This same man, should the
situation change suddenly, however, will find his lack of training a
distinct handicap, and is likely to be forced to the wall. In short,
the wave of prosperity is carrying along with it many merchants
who under other conditions would lose out in the battle for busi-
ness. Close watch on credits right now will do much to prevent any
possible loss should there be any reaction in business. Just now
there are few granters of credit who are not in a position to be very
cautious as to whom they should trust, and how much credit they
are willing to grant. It is a wonderful opportunity for building up
fences against possible inroads in the future. Loose credit at any
time is to be condemned, but just now it would seem to be the height
of business folly.