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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
I t o n i i r t n i P n t e regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
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Vol. LXXV
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 21, 1922
No. 17
THE MUSICLESS "MODEL HOME"
HE action of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce in
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calling the attention of the New York Tribune to the fact that
in spite of the recognition of music as a necessity no provision had
been made for the inclusion of musical instruments in the "Ideal
House" maintained by that paper near New York is to be com-
mended. The musical taste of the public has developed to a point
where the average citizen realizes that his home is incomplete with-
out a musical instrument of some type for producing music for the
entertainment and instruction of family and friends, but at the
same time the failure to install such an instrument in what is pre-
sented as "a model home" calls for rebuke. It is not simply a ques-
tion of looking for an additional channel for propaganda, but
rather one of establishing a fact.
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T H E SOUTH AMERICAN FIELD
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JT HOSE who have visited the World's Fair in Rio de Janeiro and
1 have returned to the United States have without exception been
greatly impressed with the progressiveness of the South Americans,
their desire to develop their businesses and particularly the general
inclination to enlarge their business relations with the other coun-
tries of the world.
It is agreed that the South Americans are living on a better
basis than ever before and demanding comforts and luxuries that
mean some big business for manufacturers and exporters of foreign
countries who sense the opportunity and take advantage of it.
The new situation as developed and explained by those who
have studied South American conditions is worthy of close atten-
tion from American manufacturers of pianos and other musical
instruments, for it is logical that, everything being equal, the two
Americas should build up closer business relationships.
Though the unfavorable exchange at present is calculated to
act as a temporary bar to doing any substantial amount of business
with some of the South American countries, especially Brazil, there
are indications that before a great while the exchange will be back
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OCTOBER 21, 1922
to normal, or so close to that point that the difference will not be
sufficient to act as a detriment to trade.
No nation can hope to hold a foreign market as a matter of
right, a fact proven in the case of Australia, where European com-
petition threatens to break the American foothold on that market.
There is going to be, and, for that matter, is, plenty of competition
in South America, principally from European manufacturers. If
American musical instruments are to dominate south of the Equator
it will mean that they must be established there on a basis of real
quality, a fair price and good will.
EARLIER DATES FOR CONVENTIONS
HERE has been considerable comment recently over the fact
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that music trade organizations, in a number of cases, have estab-
lished the practice of holding their annual meetings in the Fall of
the year, during the month of October or thereabouts, with the
result that members have hesitated about leaving their businesses
to attend these sessions, feeling that their services were required in
their own establishments.
There are, naturally, many members of the trade who believe
that the benefits to be derived from attending association meetings
are sufficient to warrant their taking several days from their busi-
nesses for the purpose of attending such sessions, but there are
others who consider every moment valuable, especially after Sep-
tember 1 or 15, when the Fall activities begin, as this is the season
when they are either beginning to do real business or are planning
earnestly for the holidays.
It might be well for association officials to give some heed to
these comments with the idea of advancing annual convention dates
to the Summer season when retail establishments are not so active.
Perhaps the change would not serve to increase the attendance at
meetings to any great extent, but a man who is sufficiently inter-
ested in his business to hesitate about leaving it even for a trade
convention is the sort of man who should prove valuable at asso-
ciation sessions.
INCREASED FREIGHT SHIPMENTS
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T"'HE movement of freight, as reported by the railroads of the
1 country, affords an excellent guide to business progress, for
neither manufacturers nor merchants are inclined to ship freight
about the country under the present high tariffs simply for the sake
of appearing busy.
Official reports for the last week in September are to the effect
that car loadings totaled 998,381,000, an increase of 15,090 over
the preceding week and an increase of 83,550 over the total for the
corresponding week of 1921. This means that a movement of
freight during that one week shows an increase of 8 per cent over
the movement for the corresponding week last year, and reflects a
most satisfactory increase in general business, as indicated by ship-
ments made. Considering the fact that the effects of a railroad
strike are still very apparent, particularly in the scarcity of cars in
good condition, as well as of locomotives to haul them, the big
figures covering car loadings would be even larger were conditions
normal.
This movement of manufactured products is reflected in the
activities of the factories and foundries of the country, in the cut-
ting down of the unemployment figures, and in the return of the
industrial worker to a point where he can again be regarded as an
excellent prospect for the sale of musical instruments and other
articles of like standard.
SALVAGING PIANO "PRISONERS OF WAR"
T
HE report from France to the effect that official action has been
taken in gathering together pianos that were "prisoners of war"
during the German occupation and returning the instruments to
their owners when such a course is possible adds a new dignity to
the piano as an instrument of value from both a musical and mone-
tary viewpoint. It is characteristic of the French to be thrifty and
to save and salvage wherever possible, and that trait may be respon-
sible for the Government action in the matter of pianos, but the
careful listing of the instruments and the effort to place them again
in the hands of their rightful owners serve to develop a sentiment
that is not entirely mercenary. It would be interesting to see just
•what efforts along that line would be exerted in this country under
similar circumstances.