THE
4
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
DJ::CEMBEl<
22, 1923
of course, that the sensational always has precedence over cold
facts and the newspapers have not been so anxious to correct the
'wrong impression they created as they were to offer the original
story.
r-
its budget for the coming fiscal year the Department
I N of outlining
Commerce asked a substantial increase in the appropriation
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
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Cable Addre.. : "E1blll, New York"
Vol. LXXVII
NEW YORK, DECEMBER 22, 1923
•
~o
aU mtmbtrs o( tl)t music inbustrits 1[:f)t
_us it 1[:rabt l\tbitbl txttnbs linctrt blisf)ts
(or ~ ~trrp ~f)ri5tmas anb a most .,appp anb
t)rosptrous .J}tbl !tar.
:.
MEETING PROPAGANDA AT ITS SOURCE
HE Music Industries Chamber of Commerce has begun, and
already with some success, to offset the propaganda, inspired
or otherwise, which has appeared in the daily papers reflecting
upon the stability of the music industry and intimating that its
doom was sealed by radio.
New York newspapers, and th(; New York Herald in particu
lar, have published within the last \veek or so interviews with the
heads of the various bureaus of the Chamber testifying to the
sound character of the music industry at the present time and
emphasizing the fact that the volume of holiday business is fully
equal to, and in many cases exceed~ by a considerable margin,
that handled in previous years.
The New York Herald thought of it enough to carry an edi
tprial setting forth the facts of the case and the emphatic denial
that neither the jazz craze nor radio ha,d any serious or material
effect on musical instrument sales.
The important point is that the Chamber alone should not be
expected to carry on this work of setting the newspapers and the pub-
lic right regarding the actual status of the musical instrument trade.
It is to the interest of every individual music merchant to see tD
it that the newspapers in his own city or town are informed of
the facts and persuaded to present them in some form or another
in their columns.
The trouble is that the newspapers have been very quick to
misinterpret various developments in the trade that had to do with
the management of affairs of individual concerns and do not in any
sense reflect the actual conditions in the industry. It is unfortunate,
T
for the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce to extend ma
terially its activities in collecting information for American business
men in foreign countries and in otherwise widening, through the
mooium of an enlarged corps of field representatives, the service
which it has been rendering and plan.; to render to the exporters of
this country.
As with other measures not distinctly of the pork barrel va
riety, the request of the Department of Commerce for an increased
appr.opriation will probably meet with considerable opposition from
Congress, and it might be well for business men generally to give
heed to the matter and lend their endorsement to the plans likely
to develop foreign trade.
It t.oo often happens that the individual manufacturer who is
quite content to handle domestic orders feels that the foreign field
and its developments are something for the exporter atone to worry
about. As a matter of fact, however, any development of export
trade serves to protect the domestic market from the evils of over
production and the dumping of surplus products. In this respect
it protects the non·exporter and is, therefore, worthy of receiving
consideratiDn at least.
The United States has for many years been somewhat back
ward in the actual and practical support that has been given the
exporter, but under Secretary of Commerce Hoover and his assist
ants an earnest effort has been made to remedy this condition and
to give to the manufacturers of this country service that is distinctly
businesslike, practical and helpful. It is the sort of service that
is deserving of support.
No. 25
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-WIDENING THE FOREIGN TRADE SERVICE
GENERAL MUSIC STORE AND HOLIDAY TRADE
HE character of the trade during the present holiday season
and the diversified tastes regarding musical instruments dis
played by the average run of purcha ser.s has served to offer con
vincing proof of the logic of the general music establishment of
the sort where every musical requirement of the customer can be
met under one roof.
At the holiday season, for instance, it is right and proper to
emphasize the desirability of a fine piano or a talking machine for
the Christmas gift and then cash in on the desire thus created. It
happens, however, that many ~o-called prospects do not answer to
the appeal for several reasons, chief among them heing that they
have one or both of those instruments already, they dn not care fDr
that sort of music or they lack the necessary funds.
Any or all of the several reasons may be answered satisfactorily
by the general music store where may be purch ased a set of traps,
a violin, a saxophone or some other instrument or combination of
instruments which are reasonably priced, do not conflict with in
struments already in the home and cater to th e desire for something
cJiifferent in music.
There have been several periods durillg the year when piano
and talking machine business showed a slight lull, but strong sales
totals were maintained because of the fact that the public kept right
on buying and buying strongly in the other departments. With the
general music store it is seldom that there is a slackening of buying
in all departments, and that is a point to be considered in these
days when constant and frequent turnover spells busines~ success,
T
DOES THE TRADE WANT TAX RELIEF?
the members of the mu sic trade really desire to obtain some
I F relief
from their present tax burdens during the present session
of Congress now is the time for them to make their desires known
in no uncertain manner through communicating directly to their
Congressmen and Senators and w01:king with the organized busines ~
interests in their respective localities to that end. It will take pres
sure and lots of it to make Congress realize the popular demand
and put Mellon's plan for tax reduction into effect, wholly or in
major part.