Music Trade Review

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AUGUST 19,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1922
IVORY IMPORTS PLACED ON THE FREE LIST BY SENATE
Present Duty of 20 Per Cent Eliminated on Importations of Raw Ivory by Action of Senate—
Manufactures of Ivory to Be Taxed, but Rate Has Not Yet Been Decided
(Special to The Review.)
WASHINGTON, D. C, August 14.—Manufacturers
of ivory piano keys will be able to import their
raw material free of duty as a result of the ac-
tion of the Senate, following an attack by Sena-
tors Wadsworth, of New York, and New, of
Indiana, at the same time receiving protection
on their finished products to equalize differences
in production here and abroad. When the Mc-
Cumber-Fordney bill was reported to the Senate
it contained a rate of 10 per cent applicable to
"ivory tusks in their natural state or cut ver-
tically across the grain only, with the bark left
intact."
Senator Wadsworth, speaking on the floor of
the Senate, expressed the hope that this tariff
rate would be rejected. He stated that he knew
it had been a subject of discussion in the Finance
Committee on more than one occasion. He ex-
plained that the ivory which is brought to this
country in the raw state, or in the tusk form,
is used very largely, almost entirely, in the
manufacture of piano keys, and, further, that
the piano-key manufacturing business in this
country is independent of the piano business,
the piano makers buying keys from the key
manufacturers.
"It would be quite impossible for the manu-
facturers of the keys to compete with the low
labor costs of Europe were it not for a duty
upon the manufactured keys, and this section
provides for such a duty," said Senator Wads-
worth, "but at the same time that it provides
for a duty upon the manufactured keys it puts
a duty of 10 per cent on the ivory tusks from
which the keys are made."
Senator Wadsworth interested his colleagues
with his short statement of how this ivory is
gathered, sold and disposed of. He explained
that it is gathered by the natives of Central
Africa, for there it is found lying in the jungles
and on the plains, the result of the death through
the centuries and generations of the elephants
which produce it in the first instance. It is
purchased there by the traders and brought to
Europe in bulk to be sold at Antwerp and Lon-
don at public auction. He added that no duty is
charged against the importation of raw ivory
into England, Germany or France.
"Our manufacturers of ivory piano keys must
go to London or to Antwerp, as the case may be,
and bid against their competitors from Ger-
many, England and France," continued Senator
Wadsworth. "If we charge an import duty our
manufacturers of ivory keys will have to pay
this 10 per cent over and above the rate which
they pay for the raw ivory in competition with
the manufacturers of other countries. In addi-
tion to that they have to pay the freight from
Antwerp, or London, as the case may be, for
transporting the ivory at least 3,000 miles and,
in some instances, 4,000 miles, for some of the
imported ivory piano key manufacturers are
located in the neighborhood of Chicago, some
are in Buffalo and some are in the State of
A QUARTER CENTURY OF
Tuning Pin Manufacturing
Means
QUALITY, SERVICE and VALUE
Connecticut. The imposition of a 10 per cent
import duty on the raw material will make it
absolutely impossible, in my judgment, for them
to compete with the piano key manufacturers
of the other countries who buy their ivory in
an open market and pay no import duty at all,
and who do not have to pay the freight on the
raw material for 3,000 or 4,000 miles."
Senator New, of Indiana, pointed out that the
10 per cent rate would virtually be a 20 per cent
rate for the reason that it is claimed that 51
per cent of the raw tusk is unavailable for use
in the manufacture of piano keys.
The present rate of duty on tusks is 20 per
CREDIT COMMITTEE MEETS
Perfects Plans for Prompt Action by Creditors
in Event Any Bankruptcies Occur
The credit committee of the Musical Supply
Association of America, at a meeting held Thurs-
day, August 10, adopted certain policies or
recommended courses of action for the guid-
ance of members, which it is believed will as-
sist materially in making the Association a bene-
ficial and effective factor in cases of financial
difficulties in the trade.
It has been the sad experience of the trade in
a number of instances that receivers have been
appointed in connection with affairs of insol-
vent concerns, after which matters have run on
and on without the creditors knowing much
about the real conditions. Lengthy receiver-
ships are usually costly. Yet it is difficult for
any one creditor to hasten matters. All credi-
tors working in harmony can usually have the
affairs of a bankrupt concern liquidated in a
prompt and efficient manner. With these facts
in view the committee voted:
"To take such means as the Association has
at its disposal to have a meeting of creditors
called as soon as possible after the appointment
of a receiver for any piano manufacturing con-
cern, at which meeting a committee of creditors
be appointed, of which the secretary or some
other representative of the Association shall be
a member."
It is likewise important that the Association
officially be recognized promptly in case of
financial difficulties. The credit committee is,
therefore, preparing to take this matter up with
each member of the Association, with a view
to getting each member to commit himself to
the policy of actively working for the appoint-
ment of an official representative of the Asso-
ciation on any creditors' committee composed in
part of members of the Association or appointed
at a meeting at which members of the Associa-
tion are present. To this end also members
will be urged to notify the Association and to
request attendance of an official representative
whenever there is any formal or informal pre-
liminary meeting of creditors to investigate the
affairs of a debtor in financial difficulty.
The Association is working definitely toward
the policy of all members "putting themselves
in the same boat'" whenever piano manufactur-
ers are threatened with financial difficulties. It
is maintained that it is not only to the best inter-
ests of the trade, but also to the best interests
THE
Cxelusive manufacturers of
Used in the world's finest pianos
Piaivo BeiveKes
ai\d Musie Cabinets
AMERICAN MUSICAL SUPPLY CO.
451 Communipaw Ave.
Jersey City, N. J.
ARJNOVELTYCO.
GOSHEN
Write for catalog find details
INDIANA
41
cent and on manufactures of ivory the rate is
35 per cent. The House has provided a rate
of 30 per cent ad valorem on the American val-
uation plan and the Senate a rate of 50 per cent
on the foreign valuation plan upon manufactures
of ivory, which would cover ivory keys. When
this paragraph came up for consideration in the
Senate, however, it was decided to retain the
present rate of 35 per cent ad valorem, based
upon the foreign valuation. This difference be-
tween the two bodies will have to be ironed out
in conference.
Senator Smoot (Republican), of Utah, op-
posed the removal of the 10 per cent duty, de-
claring that under existing rates of duty no con-
siderable importations of ivory keys are com-
ing into the United States. Senator New stated
that the importations would be noticeable when
once Germany got into full working order again.
of each supply firm, that everyone work in har-
mony rather than each attempt to obtain the
most preferential conditions possible for him-
self. Members of the Association will be asked
to recognize the following as an established
trade custom and observe it strictly:
"That after there has been any co-operative
action between any creditors with respect to a
piano manufacturer in financial difficulty no at-
tempt will be made by any member of this As-
sociation to obtain a preferred claim, but, on the
contrary, the situation will be laid confidentially
before all creditors—except those of minor im-
portance—and before the Association officials.
AN INTERESTING TRADE CATALOG
Comprehensive Volume Issued by J. & J. God-
dard, of London, Affords Excellent Idea of
Number of Parts Used in Piano
- .
There has just been received at this office
from J. & J. Goddard, the old-established and
prominent piano supply house of London, Eng-
land, a very comprehensive catalog of 176 pages
illustrating and describing the complete line
handled by that concern embracing all sorts of
felts, hardware, tools, finishing materials and
accessories used in the making and repair of
pianos. The catalog affords an excellent idea
of many items that enter into the reproduction
of the complete piano and reflects to the credit
and Standing of the house standing sponsor for
it. Several pages incidentally are given over
to organ parts and player-piano equipment.
The man who uses Behlen's Varnish
Crack Eradicator can afford to figure
lower, yet makes more profit on a re-
finishing job, than the man who does
not use it.
The reason—he saves the time, trouble
and expense of scraping off the old var-
nish and shellac and the finished job is
just as satisfactory too—if not more so.
Send for a sample can to-day and try
it
H. BEHLEN & BRO.
Anilines
Shellacs
Stains
Fillers
10-12 Christopher St., New York
Near 6th Ave.. and 8th St.