Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
E. R. JOHNSON FINDS NEW GERMAN MENACE GROWING
President of Victor Talking Machine Co. on Return From Abroad Declares That Inability to
Fulfil Treaty Terms Is Making the German Nation a United and Dangerous Factor
Eldridge R. Johnson, president of the Victor
Talking Machine Co., who returned last week
from an extended tour of Europe, brought with
him some interesting first-hand views of con-
ditions abroad at the present time. Mr. John-
son's comments regarding the situation in Ger-
many are particularly pertinent in view of the
wide interest now being given to the fulfilment
of the terms of the Peace Treaty by that coun-
try. In his opinion, Germany is being welded
rapidly into a solid unit, and, accepting the
leadership of the military classes, is becoming
more cf a world menace than at any time since
the armistice, owing to the realization that it
will be impossible for the country to fulfil the
economic provisions of the treaty.
"It will soon be recognized that Germany is
unable to pay the huge indemnities levied
against her," said Mr. Johnson, "due to the loss
cf her entire wealth. The loss of her colonies
has cut off most of her resources and the de-
struction of her merchant marine has paralyzed
the commerce upon which she not only relied to
feed the people but which made possible her
wealth and manufactories.
"Gerrnanv has been reduced from one of the
world's progressive nations to a pupulace of
outcasts. Factories are still closed down, pro-
duction has ceased, transportation is at a stand-
still and the starving people are not only bitter
against the world, but are becoming more
solidly ready to rise against it.
"By destroying the country's resources the
Allies not only cause further unrest in Germany,
but hurt their own commerce as well. String-
ent economic provisions and unstable national
boundaries will provoke a continued unrest in
Central Europe, which will take years to settle.
By killing Germany commercially the rest of
the world will suffer."
Mr. Johnson ljoks upon the treaty as a mis-
take brought about by politicians with an eye
for the .plaudits of the people. He declares the
authors have already lost caste among the pub-
lic. "A commission of the world's best finan-
ciers, with power to do away with present
clauses in that instrument, would effect a pow-
erful treaty which could not only put Germany
upon her economic feet, quiet rumblings from
the people, but save world commerce and enable
the defeated nation to pay at least part of the
indemnities," he added.
FEATURING LANGUAGE RECORDS
In connection with these new catalogs this
department is also forwarding to Columbia
dealers the popular flag decalcomania which
was prepared some time ago. This decalco-
mania met with instant success, and Columbia
dealers state that it enables them to locate the
demand for the various language records in
their respective localities.
R. F. Bolton, sales manager of the Columbia
international record department, states that the
outlook for Summer business is very gratify-
ing, and that the Columbia factories are ship-
ping a greater quantity of foreign language
records than ever before. In fact, the produc-
tion situation is improving steadily, and Mr.
Bolton is leaving nothing undone to co-
operate with the dealers in developing an
active demand for foreign language records in
their territories.
Columbia Dealers Being Furnished With New
Catalogs on Foreign Language Records
The international record department of the
Columbia Graphophone Co. has prepared for
the use of Columbia dealers an attractive series
of new catalogs featuring the various languages
which are represented in the Columbia library.
A standard color scheme has been adopted for
the front covers, and this design is well calcu-
lated to meet with the approval of the trade.
At the top of the front cover the word "Co-
lumbia" is presented in gold on a blue back-
ground. Underneath this heading is portrayed
an attractive scene pertinent to the particular
country whose records are featured, and below
this illustration are the words "Bohemian
Records" (or any other language) with the
famous Columbia trade-mark in gold on a blue
background.
• All of the new catalogs, containing 150 selec-
tions or more, are alphabetically and numeric-
ally arranged, and the unique designs utilized
for the front cover will undoubtedly act as a
sales stimulant. The same color scheme will
be carried 1 out in the hangers, supplements and
hearing room hangers issued by the Columbia
international record department.
NEW POST FOR JOHN MOHL
John Mohl has been appointed a member
of the sales staff of the Atlanta branch of the
Columbia Graphophone Co., which is under the
management of Westervelt Terhune. Mr. Mohl
has been spending a few days at the company's
executive offices in New York, prior to assuming
his new duties, which in all probability will com-
prise the Alabama territory.
ft AUTOMATIC STOPS
The simplest and most efficient Auto-
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484-490 Broome St., New York
MAY
FIRST
BRUNSWICK
8, 1920
BOWLING MATCH
Various Departments Celebrate Ending of First
Tournament by Dinner at Elks' Club—
Phonograph Division Wins Cellar Position
P^mployes of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender
Co., New York, celebrated the successful termi-
nation of the first bowling tournament staged
by the several departments of the company- by
holding a banquet at the Elks' Club on April
24. One hundred and fifty-two employes and
their friends were present at the dinner at
which Lee Johns presided as toastmaster. Fol-
lowing an excellent report, Secretary Thomas
A. Dwyer spoke on the value of recreation in
industrial work and complimented the employes
on the good spirit shown during the competi-
tion. Edward Strauss, sales manager of the
phonograph division, in complimenting his team
on winning last place, declared that his depart-
ment always knew where to find the best things
and in this case decided that the cellar was the
best place to be and consequently they finished
there. Several individual prizes were awarded
to members of different departments. Follow-
ing the dinner, dancing was enjoyed in the main
ballroom.
A VISITOR FROM LONDON
R. Gordon Willis, of British Polyphon Co.,
Studying Retail Trade in This Country
An interesting visitor to the United States
just now is R. Gordon Willis, of the British
Polyphon Co., of London, who is touring the
country with a view to studying conditions in
the retail talking machine trade and particularly
the details of store arrangement and store man-
agement, with the purpose of adopting many
of those ideas in the conduct of the business
of his company.
Mr. Willis stated that the talking machine
business in England was making progress, al-
though under some handicaps, and that the full
cabinet machine, or "floor model," was just be-
ginning to come into its own with the British
buying public. He stated that record prices
had been increased recently and that business
generally was on a much higher level than
heretofore.
Before returning home early in August, Mr.
Willis plans to visit Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis,
Pittsburgh and other cities in the Middle West.
J. J. CALLAHAN AGAIN WITH EDISON
Becomes Territorial Supervisor in the Far West
Upon Return From Army Service
John J. Callahan, who is well-known through-
out the Edison trade, returned to the Edison
laboratories on May 1 and became the territorial
supervisor in the West, including the Pacific
Coast States.
Edison dealers remember Mr. Callahan as the
"soldier supervisor," as he twice gave up the
supervisorship to answer the call of the colors,
and twice returned again to resume his former
job. After spending the Summer of 1917 on
the Texas border as a first lieutenant in the
Seventy-first Infantry, New York, he again en-
tered active service early in 1918 and later
crossed the Atlantic with the 105th Infantry,
A. E. F. While on the Western front, where
he saw particularly hard fighting, he was both
wounded and gassed. After the armistice was
signed he returned to the United States with
the rank of captain.
In coming back to the Edison Co. Mr. Calla-
han left the Industrial Finance Corp. of New
York.