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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
44
FEBRUARY 18, 1922
A NOTEWORTHY APPEAL FOR CLEANLINESS IN SONGS
WANTS ALL THEATRES TO PAY UP
Letter of £. C. Mills to Members of Music Publishers' Protective Association Should Prove a
Distinct Inspiration to All Members of Music Industry
Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
Now Going After the Big Vaudeville Houses
to Secure Annual License Payments
MUSIC PUBLISHERS' PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
56 WEST FORTY-FIFTH STREET
NEW YORK CITY
Vtndcrbili 4327
February 7 t h , 1922.
E. C. MILLS
Churmuv Exacutiv* Botrd
ALL UEIJBERS
I again call your attention to the importance of refus-
ing , in every case and under all circumstances, to publish any
composition the lyrics of which are suggestive, offensive to
decent people, or which ridicule any race, sect or law.
The songs we publish are played on more than six million
phonographs and seven hundred thousand "player-pianos in the
homes of this country; they are listened to, hummed, whistled
and sung by twenty million people who go to theatres; they are
an influence and a factor in the life of the nation.
There should be nothing- in them to inspire a leer on the
face of a youth, or force a blush to the cheek of a girl, v;ho
hears them. If there is, then such a song will deserve, and
will receive tuithless, merciless suppression, regardless of by
whom it is written or published, not only from our own industry
but allied enterprises which are committed to the clean and
decent motif in songs.
The words and music of "Good Bye Broadway, Hello France"
put many a man into the uniform; "Over There" sold more Liberty
Bonds than all the fervid oratory of the wartime period, and
"Keep The Home Fires Burning" did much to strengthen the grit
and courage of those who remained'to fight the battle here.
Don't make the mistake of belittling the influence of the songs
you publish - they are of outstanding, nation-wide effect upon
the thought of our people, and especially of the youth.
Never mind the veil of the professional reformer who raves
and rails against so-called "jaz2" music. I have no doubt there
was a time when this class decried the waltz and proclaimed
that it was leading the country to the "dernnition bow-wows" .
Just keep the words clean - the music will take care of itself.
If it has no appeal it will die quick enough; if a million
people like to hear it, it is harming none of them, for there
aren't a million minds'in this oountry that couple any music
with prurient thought unless the words prompt such coupling.
I repeat my remarks of just a year ago: "Clean fun, wit
and humor - yes - and plenty of it. LyriC6 that inspire lewd
thought or action - NO - and none of them. M
. ,
No wise publisher is either big or 3iaall enough to even
consider the publication of lyrics coming under the ban: please
that the writers understand thiB.
Chairman, Executive Board.
The American Society of Composers, Authors
and Publishers is at the present time consider-
ing the establishment of a flat annual fee to
be paid by all vaudeville theatres for the use
of copyrighted music and sold by its members.
A number of theatres throughout the country
have for some time past been paying license
fees for the use of copyrighted music, but a
group of the larger vaudeville houses were ex-
empted as a result of overtures made by vari-
ous music publishers.
Just now, however, the Society believes that
the time has come to take definite action in
this matter and make the big theatres pay as
well as the small ones. Just how strongly the
vaudeville moguls will resist this new move re-
mains to be seen. It is stated that a flat sum
of $250 annually for the larger theatres is con-
sidered about the right thing by the Society.
CARRIE JACOBS-BOND IN EUROPE
Noted Composer Will Remain Abroad for
Part of a Year
Mrs. Carrie Jacobs-Bond, the well-known
songwriter, author of "A Perfect Day," left New
York early this month for a nine months' visit
to Europe. Prior to her departure she was the
guest of honor of the Congressional Club in
Washington, following which she spent several
days in New York. California friends presented
Mrs. Bond with a laurel wreath as a token of
love at a farewell reception held in her home
in Hollywood, Cal.
SMITH BACK^VITH MARKS CO.
Sammy Smith, who was formerly connected
with the professional department of the E. B.
Marks Music Co. and other publishing houses,
but who in more recent months has been acting
as a vaudeville agent, has, it is announced, re-
turned to the staff of the E. B. Marks Music
Co. in the capacity of professional manager.
TO DISSOLVE MUSIC FIRM
Bob Harris, formerly of the recording depart-
ment of the Columbia Graphophone Co., and
more recently head of the Bob Harris Music Co.,
has decided to dissolve his publishing company
after a very short existence. No announcement
has been made as to his future activities.
Facsimile of Letter Sent by E. C. Mills to Association Members
Otto Jordan, of Harms, Inc., is spending three
weeks in Western territory, making his headquar-
ters in Chicago.
Sherman Jpayfc Co,
San Francisco
SMILIN'
TDMORRCWlAND
"RIO NIGHTSMiOING STRONG
"Rio Nights," the waltz song which several
months ago the A. J. Stasny Co. purchased from
the Fisher Thompson Music Pub. Co., Butte,
Mont., is fast becoming one of the leading num-
bers of the present season. The sales have
mounted steadily and retailers throughout the
country are giving it a conspicuous position on
their counters. In recent weeks some very at-
tractive window displays have been made of the
song, particularly in Pittsburgh and Buffalo,
N. Y.
W. A. Quincke, of Los Angeles, Cal., publisher
of "My Dearest Prayer," by H. J. Tandler, has
sold the number to Sherman, Clay & Co., San
Francisco, Cal.
HAKE YOU FORGOTTEN
oN
Fox Trot-Paul Whiteman
Order from your regular jobber
or direct from us
She's ^A Sensation!
OLDEASHIQNED
GIRL
I Long to Call You Darling
Why Did You Say Good Bye
The public is ever quick to recognize
a song of real merit. The director of a
theatre orchestra writes: '
"These numbers are being
featured every night to the
highest and must say they
are great, taking from three
to four encores on each,
every night."
Can a higher tribute than this be
paid to any song? Can YOU well
afford not to have numbers of this
caliber on sale?
STARR PUBLISHING CO.
Carlos, Indiana