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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
RMEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President u d Treasurer. C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
J. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
L. E. BOWERS, Circulation Manager
Executive and Reportorial Stati
EDWABB VAN HAMLINGIH, V. D. WALSH, E. B. MUNCH, LEE ROBINSON, C. R. TIGHE,
EDWAKS LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KINGWILL, THOS. W. BBESNAHAN, A. J. NICKLIN
W E S T E R N DIVISION!
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Entered as second-class matter September 10, 1892, at the post office at New York, N. Y.,
under the Act of March 3, 1879.
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
are dealt with, will be found in another section of
this
paper.
We
also
publish
a
number
of reliable technical works, information concerning
thlsp
which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Player-Piano and
Technical Departments
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Diploma
P a r i s Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. ... Charleston Exposition, 1902
Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Mtdal—Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting all Departments
Cable Address: "Elblll, New York"
Vol. LXXIV
NEW YORK, JUNE 10, 1922
R
EALIZING that under existing business conditions the retailer
cannot very well be expected to increase his sales totals by ad-
vertising and sales methods that were designed to apply to the trade
when the general situation is normal, the various manufacturers and
wholesalers who have made a practice of furnishing to the retailer
specially prepared advertising material have given thought to offering
the sort of copy that is calculated to make a particular appeal at this
time and to open up new fields of distribution.
In the past a pitifully small percentage of retailers have taken
their local advertising seriously or have made full use of the valuable
material offered to them by the manufacturers. With conditions
as they are at present, and as they promise to continue, however, the
retailers have begun to appreciate the necessity of using advertising
copy that reflects real selling power and does not simply represent
the casual thought of the small town ad solicitor.
Advertising to-day must do something more than keep the name
of the local retailer before the reading public. It must have a
definite appeal that is timely and meets the existing situation. Where
the retailer is not in a position to hire an advertising expert to pre-
pare his copy he cannot do better than give serious consideration to
the material prepared at substantial expense by the manufacturer
and offered to him either free or at a cost that is purely nominal.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FOREIGN TRADE
HAT the foreign trade of the United States is far from being
dead is evident from the Government reports, which indicate that
during March of this year the total exports in percentage terms was
practically fifteen per cent heavier than the exports during the month
of April, 1913, a pre-war period, and that the imports for the same
month were nearly double those for April, 1913. The percentages in
themselves are interesting. In April, 1913, the percentage of exports
was 89.5 and of imports 104.9, while during March, 1922, the per-
centages were 106.9 and 206.5, respectively. The figures are based
upon values, and when the effects of price changes are eliminated
T
it is still found that the volume of exports is of a most substantial
character.
A survey of the music trade indicates that the shipments of
pianos and other musical instruments to foreign ports keep up very
satisfactorily—at least for those concerns that have during years past
gone in for the systematic upbuilding of their export business. It is
true that volume does not measure up to that of the war period, when
American products, through particularly favorable circumstances,
practically controlled the field; but nevertheless the foreign business
has not been lost entirely, and in fact it is showing a noticeable gain.
This fact should be encouraging to those who see in the development
of foreign trade an opportunity to keep our domestic factories on a
strong production basis.
ACTIVITY IN THE BUILDING TRADES
T
HE country-wide activity in the building line, particularly in the
building of homes, has reached impressive proportions despite
substantial costs of labor and materials. There is hardly a city in
the country where the boom in building has not become a matter of
note. It means new homes are being provided for several hundred
thousand families, and these additional housing facilities are certain
to result in an increased demand for musical instruments of all kinds.
For some time past the music merchants have attributed de-
creased sales in a substantial measure to the lack of new homes and
the lack of room in old homes where in many cases two or more
families are doubled up. The building boom will serve to eliminate
this condition in a large measure.
Other effects of this building activity will doubtless be felt
through the millions of dollars in wages paid to the members of the
building trades that will find their way into circulation, and the other
millions that will likewise be released through purchases of materials.
It is naturally to be expected that if the proper effort is put forth a
substantial portion of this vast amount of money will find its way
into the coffers of music merchants, and should have a definite
tendency to help in bringing about improved business conditions in
the Fall.
THE BEHNING REORGANIZATION
No. 23
HELP FOR THE RETAIL DEALER
JUNE 10, 1922
T
H E successful reorganization of the Behning Piano Co., an-
nounced last week, is a matter for congratulation on the part of
the trade, for it represents the bringing back into the field of a
concern of high standing and clean history in the industry. That
the Behning Piano Co. has been brought out of its financial diffi-
culties and started afresh reflects credit not only upon the retailers
who handled the company's products for years and stood so solidly
behind it, but upon the various trade interests who are directly con-
cerned with the company's troubles in a financial way as creditors.
The return of the business to Henry and Gustav Behning means
the perpetuation of the Behning name—an asset of acknowledged
value—under the personal direction of members of the Behning
family, and the case should serve as an example to the trade of
what may be accomplished through proper and intelligent co-opera-
tion when the opportunity presents itself.
A SECOND WEEK OF CONVENTIONS
A
LARGE number of the music merchants and other association
members who attended the gathering at the Hotel Commodore
this week are in for still another week of conventions, planning to
attend either the meetings of the music publishers and dealers in
New York or the gathering of the National Association of Talking
Machine Jobbers at Atlantic City.
Having the conventions coming together as they do is calculated
to give all concerned a maximum return for a minimum expenditure
of time and money, and it is expected that out of next week's meet-
ings will come many suggestions relative to merchandising that will
be distinctly helpful.
Jj \*\
THE TARIFF SITUATION
T
HE statement by Senator Simmons of his belief that the tariff
bill will be passed by the Senate some time in July is interesting
and holds out some hope to business men of possible early relief
from the uncertainty that has been created by the prolonged dis-
cussion of the measure. Despite the assurance of the Senator, how-
ever, current developments in connection with the tariff bill are not
calculated to arouse undue optimism at the present time.