Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUJIC TIRADE
VOL.
LXXII. No. 8
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York.
Feb. 19, 1921
Single Copies 10 Cents
98.00 Per Year
Convention Discussion
D
URING the past few years there has been a noticeable change in the character of the various trade
conventions. From the old-style, cut-and-dried affairs, with their uninteresting reports and Tittle else
except more or less damp social features, music trade conventions have developed to a point where
they are really designed to accomplish something definite for trade benefit. In other words, in most
cases the Associations have become aggressive bodies, and although the plans put forward at the various con-
ventions have not alwavs been carried out in all their elaborateness there have been movements started and
pushed to a successful conclusion during the past few years that would have been considered fanciful and impos-
sible of accomplishment not so very long ago. The adoption of the Stamp Plan and the development of the
lietter Business lUireau are simplv two of .these outstanding features.
The past two or three years have been unusual years«for trade associations as well as for general business.
Money has been more or less plentiful. The trade has been good-natured and prosperous, and association
members both in this and other industries have been inclined to give generous consideration to various plans
that have been put before them. With the change in conditions, however, the various association activities must
of necessity be regarded with greater seriousness from the standpoint of practicability—in short, there must be
some guarantee of definite results.
The National Association of Music Merchants has won a reputation for actually accomplishing what it
has set out to accomplish in the majority of cases, which reflects most creditably upon the support given to
Association movements by the individual niember-s, and more particularly upon the good judgment of the
powers that be in the Association in laying down programs that have been constructive in purpose and worthy
of support.
The good judgment of the Association officers was again in evidence at the meeting held in Chicago last
week to make preliminary plans for the annual convention in that city in May. Realizing the general situation,
and the fact that there exist at present, and will develop, numerous problems in the retail music trade that are
worthy of, and should receive, Association attention, the executives'have asked from the membership at large
suggestions regarding helpful topics that may be discussed in the convention for the purpose of benefiting the
trade at large.
If the members of the Association seriously consider this request there should be brought upon the
convention floor many subjects that are close to the heart of the retailer and which under other conditions might
never see the light of day. All the trade problems are not confined to the large cities. The small town and
country dealer also has his. troubles—troubles that perhaps should be eliminated, or at least ameliorated, by
appropriate Association action.
The officers of the body, no matter how well versed in trade affairs or how conscientious, cannot be
expected to be able to put their hands on every detail that should be brought to Association attention. On the
other hand, there are members who, although they have individual ideas as to what should be brought up at
the meetings, hesitate to take the floor and present those ideas. By presenting the suggestions to the secretary
of the Association in advance of convention time those ideas which are worth while can be given the proper
consideration and will be presented before the convention in a manner that will assure their receiving what-
ever attention and action they may require.
In many respects the forthcoming convention will be one of the most important in the history of the
Association, and although the convention date is practically ten weeks off it is not too soon to begin the prepara-
tion of matter that is to come up at the various sessions. The officers of the Association have already indicated
their appreciation of this fact.-