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REVIFW
THE
[HMC TIRADE
VOL LXXIV. No. 6
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York.
Feb. 11, 1922
A
KR months of protest and through the strenuous efforts of association officials and members of the
industry in general musical instruments were on January I finally freed from the onerous and discrimi-
nating excise tax, but, nevertheless, there are other tax problems facing the music trade as well as other
industries, and preparations must be made to meet these problems before they develop to a point where
discriminatory tax legislation is actually under way.
The question of raising the huge sums—billions of dollars—for taking care of soldier bonus plans is one
that cannot be ignored and will bear continuous watching. It is agreed that special and drastic revenue legis-
lation must be passed to bring in money for the bonus over and above the great sums required to operate the
Government itself and meet its regular obligations.
Each Government official appears to have a different plan for raising this bonus money, and a great
majority of the plans provide, among other things, for special forms of taxes to be placed on certain groups
of manufactured products. One official declares that a special sales tax placed on twenty luxury and semi-
luxury products will bring in the required amount, considering, of course, that a certain revenue will be realized
in other directions, such as increased postage on various classes of mail, stamps on all bank checks, an increased
tax on tobacco, etc.
The soldier bonus, therefore, means that the business men of the country will face substantially increased
Federal tax levies at a time when they are operating under particularly heavy burdens in that direction, and at
a time also when the general business situation would suggest some substantial measure of relief from taxation
rather than increased assessments.
Just at the present time, so far as the music industry is concerned, there have been no definite proposals
made calculated to discriminate against this industry in the matter of proposed bonus legislation. One does
not assume the role of alarmist in believing that an attempt will be made sooner or later to put over a special
tax measure that will affect manufacturers and dealers in musical goods and it is only by constant watchfulness
that the members of the industry can save themselves from possible discrimination in the matter of levying
special taxes.
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Having won the excise tax fight, many association members have shown an inclination to rest on their
oars and let their organization work lag, in the belief that there is nothing but clear sailing in the future. It is
to be hoped that coming events will justify such an attitude, but it is much better to be prepared for every
emergency and to forestall discriminatory legislation before it has a chance to develop and gain support. The
members of the House and Senate have shown, on various occasions, a strong disinclination to remove from
bills that have already been introduced paragraphs operating against the interests of various factions. To pro-
test after a plan has developed that far means a long, uphill fight, but to protest while the plan is in the process
of formulation means, in most cases, the gaining of favorable attention and, in many cases, the elimination of
the objectionable feature or features.
During the months when the fight was being carried on against the excise tax, the music industry was
organized as never before in its history and presented a line of offense and defense that stretched across the con-
tinent and unquestionably had much to do with impressing members of Congress with the importance of music
and the music trade. In view of the situation in Washington and the developments that are promised not only
in the matter of soldier bonus legislation, but in other directions, including the tariff bill, this nation-wide trade
organization must not be permitted to lose its cohesiveness and to crumble.
The practice of resting comfortably under a sense of false security has, on many notable occasions,
proven far more costly than the maintenance of a strong, militant organization ready to meet any situation at
a moment's notice. This is no time for lessened vigilance. : ' : - • ' •