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AUGUST 20,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1921
COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS REPORT IMPROVEMENT
(Continued from page 3)
and fairly permanent low level, with stores cleared of surplus stocks, with cheaper raw materials, with lower
wages and with the hanking- situation on a firmer basis, American industry is preparing to do business again."
E. G. Quamnie, president of St. Paul Federal Reserve Hank: "Generally speaking, we have a fair
crop in the Northwest, which, if sold at once, will make business conditions better."
R. D. Sangster, industrial commissioner, St. Louis Chamber of Commerce: "The wholesale market
is full .of out-of-town merchandise. Manufacturers have a capacity demand. Industries generally report
prospects bright for a good revival of business."
Secretary Black, Dallas Chamber of Commerce: "Conditions in the Southwest are getting back to
normal as farm money and credits loosen up. Good grain and fruit crops are bringing fairly good prices.
Building so far this year beats the total of the last two years."
The music industry must certainly benefit from the improved conditions reflected in these reports from
widely separated sections of the country.
URGED TO CONTINUE TAX FIGHT
Music Industries Chamber
gests That Members of
Only to Senate Finance
Congressmen in General
of Commerce Sug-
Trade Protest Not
Committee But to
Against Excise Tax
The Ways and Means Committee of the
House of Representatives having finally refused
to eliminate the excise tax on musical instru-
ments from the draft of the War Revenue Bill,
the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce is
now concentrating its efforts on the Senate
Finance Committee with a view to having that
body f ^k£ off the tax on music when the draft
of the Revenue Bill comes before it.
The Ways and Means Committee had actually
eliminated the excise tax on musical instru-
ments, but later reinserted the clause in order
that the necessary revenue for the Government
be thereby assured. Efforts made to have some
form of sales tax adopted met with failure.
The Chamber, in a letter to the members of
the music industry, urges that protests against
the excise tax be lodged not only with members
of the Senate Finance Committee, but also with
the members of the Ways and Means Commit-
tee of the House and with individual Congress-
men in the hope that the pressure thus brought
to bear will have the desired effect of reliev-
ing the industry from discriminatory taxes. The
letter to the trade read:
"It is now quite definitely known that the
tax bill which the Ways and Means Committee
of the House of Representatives will report out
next Monday or Tuesday will retain the 5 per
cent excise tax on musical instruments, and that
the bill, with this discriminatory tax left in.
will be passed by the House within the follow-
ing week.
"Our hope of ridding the industry of this
unjust burden now rests with the Finance Com-
mittee of the Senate, which will practically re-
write the law which the House is to pass.
"But we must convince the members of the
Finance Committee that the tax is unjust and
that the House bill is a wartime hodge-podge
dictated by expediency, and the way to con-
vince them is this :
"Watch the press dispatches for the Ways
and Means Committee report, and if it retains
the excise tax and does not adopt a sales tax
make an immediate telegraphic and mail pro-
test to Washington, which the Finance Com-
mittee will be certain to hear. Wire your own
representative and Senators and the members
of both the Ways and Means and Finance Com-
mittees that the industry cannot advance cash
to the Government in the form of an excise tax
and then wait months for its own returns. Ad-
vocate a sales tax.
"Watch the press dispatches for the passage
of the bill by the House and again protest, more
strongly, if possible, than before.
"Other trade organizations affected as ours is
by the House bill will follow a program similar
to that outlined above. The combined onslaught
is certain to cause the members of the Finance
Committee to stop, look and listen."
PAUL FINK HAS SPRAINED ANKLE
Sales Manager of the Behning Piano Co. Victim
of Accident—Gustave Behning on Trip
Paul Fink, sales manager of the Behning Piano
Co., 133d street and Alexander avenue, New
York, met with a painful accident last week. He
left New York early in the week to make an
extended trip through the Middle West. Upon
reaching Canton, O., and alighting from a trolley
car to go to his hotel, he turned his ankle to
such an extent that it became badly sprained
and the ligaments were torn. Being unable to
continue his trip, he returned to New York and
is now confined to his home at 2993 Walton
avenue.
Gustave Behning left on Wednesday of this
week to complete the trip which Mr. Fink had
already started and will continue traveling until
Mr. Fink is able to go on the road again.
LOW RATE ON EMPTY PIANO BOXES
By Knocking Down Empty Boxes and Marking
Them Properly • They May Be Shipped at
Fourth-class Freight Rates, It Is Announced
The Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
advises the trade that by knocking down empty
piano boxes and shipping each box in a bundle
and billing as "Bundles Box Material (Wooden),
Fourth Class," the fourth-class rate can be ob-
tained as against the double first-class rate now
charged on piano boxes. The saving in trans-
portation charges thus effected is sufficient to
warrant the time and trouble necessary to knock
the boxes to pieces for the purpose of sending
them back to the factory.
C. L. DENNIS HOME FROM VACATION
C. L,. Dennis, director of the Better Business
Bureau of the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce, and secretary of the National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants, returned on Monday
from his vacation, which he spent on an auto-
mobile tour through New England and eastern
New York State, taking in the Berkshires, White
Mountains and the Adirondacks en route.
The agency for the Waltham Piano Co.'s in-
struments at Madison, Neb., has been taken over
by the Gerken Pharmacy.
REMODEL NEW KRAKAUER STORE
Gain Possession of First of Chain of Stores
This Week—Ready for Business in Septem-
ber—Work .of Remodeling Started
The first of a series of piano stores planned by
Krakauer Bros, in New York and Brooklyn has
been taken possession of by the company in the
Brownsville section of Brooklyn, and alterations
have already been started to make the establish-
ment fit for the business which it will house.
The store, which is located at 1653 Pitkin ave-
nue, will be completely remodeled and redeco-
rated and, according to Milton Weil, who is to
have supervision over the chain of stores, will
be ready for occupancy some time during the
early part of September. This establishment
will be under the direct management of H. Lif-
sliitz, who is now connected with the Krakauer
retail force.
Mr. Weil states that business at the Forty-
fourth street salesroom is showing marked signs
of an upward trend. This is especially encour-
aging in view of the fact that the people who
migrate away from the metropolis to the shore
and mountains during the Summer months have
not yet returned.
REGARDING THE SPANISH TARIFF
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce Finds
That Import Duties Are Favorable to Ameri-
can Manufacturers—Suggests Course of Ac-
tion to Have Present Tariff Reduced
Following several complaints from one of its
members the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce has investigated the new Spanish tariff
and finds that while the tariff is high it is
really favorable to American manufacturers in
that American grand pianos, for instance, are
subjected to a duty of 650 pesetas, as compared
to 975 pesetas charged on grand pianos from
other countries. A proportionate rate applies
to other musical instruments. The present pro-
visional customs tariff in Spain became effective
last May and will remain operative until super-
seded by a permanent bill.
Inasmuch as the United States Government
finds it difficult to make representations to
Spain regarding tariff rates the Chamber urges
that American exporters have their agents and
clients in Spain endeavor to create a sentiment
against high import duties. The Chamber has
asked manufacturers doing business with Spain
to send in the names of their agents.
Henry W. Pinner, of the wholesale depart-
ment of the Aeolian Co., left on Tuesday of this
week for his vacation, which he will spend at
l a k e George, doing some motoring at intervals.