Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
AUGUST 9,
1919
"When we see or hear the name of Thomas
A. Edison at once we think of electric lights,
phonographs and all the other marvelous in-
ventions which this wizard of science has given
to the world.
"In connection with anything the great in-
ventor says or does our minds never would
develop a thought which borders on philosophy,
and yet at a recent banquet in New York Mr.
Edison's statement is a gem, especially just at
this critical period in the world's history."
MANY TONE-TESTS THIS SEASON
TAG DAY FOR GRAFONOLA
Host of Prominent Edison Artists to Appear in
Tone-tests This Fall and Winter
School Children in Kensington, Kan., Raise
Funds for Purchase of Machine
EDISON'S MESSAGE APPROVED BY EDITORIAL WRITERS
Many Newspapers Throughout the Country Comment Approvingly on Views Concerning Labor
and the Square Deal as Expressed by Mr. Edison's Message to Recent Dealers' Convention
The words of optimism and sound common
sense contained in Mr. Edison's message to the
Dealers' Convention recently held in New York
have created a profound impression on the
press of the country. He has been quoted
editorially in the great newspapers all across
this broad continent. In speaking of the mes-
sage, the Boston Post said:
"Thomas A. Edison has provided a cure for
radicalism. He declares the square deal is
fatal to the cult, and reasoning men must agree
that there is real virtue in his conclusion that,
as our Government is founded on the idea of
giving everybody a fair show, therefore our
Government is only to adhere to the principles
established by its founders to eliminate the
demagogues and stiff-neck reactionaries from
any prominence whatever in our public life.
" 'There is a new order of things,' the famous
inventor said, 'and the ultimate result is going
to approach more closely a square deal for
labor, for capital, for the merchant, for the
farmer, for everyone.'
"This is simply saying that all which is
necessary is a realization that all men have
rights which must be considered and protected,
to assure harmony in their dealings one with
another. The 'magician' is absolutely correct
in his position, for there is really no room for
any other kind of life here, where right must
and will triumph. The great electrician is
also consistent in advising others to do in their
dealings with their fellow men what he has
always done."
The Zanesville, Ohio, Signal, in an editorial,
makes this comment:
" 'A square deal is fatal to radicalism.' This
is a good epigram from Thomas A. Edison, who
turns his ability from U-boat destruction to re-
construction. Doubtless a few fools will not
know when they are well treated. Just as a rule
a square deal embitters nobody. It sounds as
self-evident as the axioms of geometry or the
first proposition that the shortest distance be-
tween two points is a straight line. But all
great truths are obvious. Edison never discov-
ered the electric lights or the phonograph until
he had traveled a road of thought and came
upon them lying before him plainly across the
road and he just reached out and picked them
up. Perhaps this square deal is the same thing.
Everyone who is fair kills a radical before he
is born. Justice stopped the greatest war in
history."
The Keene ('N. H.) Sentinel said editorially:
"We have come to expect from Thomas A.
Edison a great deal more than wonderful in-
ventions, for, unlike many men of genius in the
inventive line, he has a wealth of common sense
and an ability to see things as they are in real
life. It is for this reason that much attention
will be paid to remarks he recently made re-
garding radicalism, in which he declared that
the square deal was fatal to radicalism and that
no social revolution can be expected in this
country because the Government is founded
upon the idea of giving everyone a fair show.
"The veteran inventor sees a new order emerg-
ing from the events of the past few years, the
ultimate result of which will be betterment all
around, for labor, for capital, for the merchant,
the farmer and the consumer. In spite of the
possibility that radicalism may master a follow-
ing and that progress may be opposed by some
who are unable to keep up with the times, Mr.
Edison sees in the end a just basis for relations."
In quoting the message the Middletown,
Ohio, Journal said:
35
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
The 1919 tone-test season will be the greatest
An unusual purchase of a Columbia Grafonola
yet projected, according to the predictions of was recently reported at Kensington, Kan., when
Verdi E. B. Fuller, director of sales promo- a Tag Day was appointed in order to raise suf-
tion, and Arthur Walsh, manager of the re- ficient funds with which to purchase it, the
cital department of Thomas A. Edison, Inc. machine to be installed in one of the local
"More than 1,400 concerts have already been schools.
booked for all sections of the United States and
The school children wanted a Grafonola and
Canada and the demands of our dealers call in order to raise the funds necessary for-its pur-
for at least 75 per cent, more bookings for the chase a Tag Day was designated. On the day
season which will start in September and con- chosen the school children went about selling
tags for ten cents each, which were appro-
tinue until Christmas time," said Mr. Fuller.
"Our recital department is flooded with or- priately marked to show that the person wear-
ders for at least three times as many concerts ing it had donated funds to be used toward
as we can fill. Daily we receive many letters the purchase of the Grafonola for the school.
from owners of Edison phonographs request-
The Tag Day occurred on a Saturday, and
ing that certain artists be sent to their towns the sales were so successful that on Monday
this season. It seems that the ending of the morning the school children marched into the
war has brought an exceedingly great demand assembly to the tune of an instrumental rec-
for music and somehow has caused what might ord.
be termed as a revival of the general love of
music in every American home."
"We have ordered more than 40,000 stereo-
types for use in part of our publicity for this Big Army of Dealers Making Ready for Marked
concert work," said Mr. Walsh. "We are'find-
Increase of Business Expected in the Fall
ing that we could book every artist for at least
The New York Talking Machine Co. reports
three times as long on tone-test tours as we
have contracted for their efforts in that char- that many of its clients handling Victor ma-
chines are at this time enlarging their shops in
acter of service."
Among those who will appear in Edison tone- order to meet the increased business which is
test concerts this fall are: Marie Rappold and expected in the fall. That this is the time to
Marie Tiffany, of the Metropolitan Opera Co.; make improvements in order to accommodate
Alice Verlet, of the Paris Opera, Cyrena Van the future business is unquestionable. Among
Gordon, of the Chicago Opera Co., and the fol- those companies which have bettered their ex-
lowing well-known concert artists: Ida Gard- hibiting and demonstrating departments are C.
ner, Marie Morrisey, Amy Ellerman, Julia Hein- A. Hansenn & Bro., 4711 Fifth avenue, Brook-
rich, Betsy Lane Shepherd, Vernon Dalhart, lyn, who have double-sized their store by buy-
Leola Lucey, Hardy Williamson, Glen Ellison, ing the premises adjoining them. They have
the Sokoloff Trio, the Fleming Sisters Trio, also renovated the shop and installed new fix-
Lucille Collette, Odette le Fontenay, Claire tures.
The Fulkenson Music House, Carbondale, Pa.,
Lillian Peteler, Sibyl Sanderson Fagan and
have recently installed a battery of four new
George Wilton Ballard.
booths in order to give their customers more
exclusive service in the future. W. J. Killea, of
WILLIAM C. GUTHRIE RETURNS
Albany, N. Y., has moved from 74 Pearl street
William C. Guthrie, formerly of the editorial to number 35 Pearl street, in order to secure
department of the Columbia Graphophone Co., larger quarters and also to secure a better posi-
has recently returned from overseas. Mr. tion. He has installed six new booths and
Guthrie, who spent eleven months in the serv- has arranged a very attractive appearance at
ice on the other side in the Evacuation Ambu- his new location. In New London, Conn., D.
lance Co. No. 9, received his discharge shortly S. Marsh has installed six new booths in order
before leaving France and has been traveling to meet the increased business which has al-
around France with the Beacon Male Quartet. ready crowded his present quarters, as well as
This quartet has played in many of the prin- to take care of the increased business which he
cipal American concentration camps, among expects in the fall.
them being those located at St. Nazaire, Le
Mons, Brest and Paris.
MILNER & CO.'S STORE RENOVATED
Mr. Guthrie has not as yet decided just what
W. L. Milner & Co., of Toledo, O., have re-
line of work he will enter.
cently renovated their establishment. They have
redecorated the interior, installed a battery of
TO TOUR EASTERN CANADA
new booths and in other ways greatly improved
Carolina Lazzari, a favorite Edison artist and their establishment. This improvement, which
leading contralto of the Metropolitan Opera has cost more than $4,000, is in order to meet
Co.; her manager, Anthony Larney; Verdi E. the increased demand for Columbia Grafonolas.
B. Fuller, director of sales promotion for
Thomas A. Edison, Inc., and Mrs. Fuller will
Business is booming and there is a great de-
tour eastern Canada and Maine during the lat- mand for goods in the Ohio district, according
ter part of August. They expect to make the to L. N. Bloom, of the Phonograph Co. of
entire trip by auto and will visit numerous his- Cleveland, an Edison jobber, who was at the
toric places of old Canada.
Edison laboratories recently.
DEALERS ENLARGING THEIR STORES