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FEBRUARY 7, 1925
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
California Retail Trade Protests on
Proposed Freight Increase on Radio
Frank E. Bates Pacific Coast Representative on Transportation Committee of Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce—C. Alfred Wagner a Visitor—Visitors Expected in Trade
CAN FRANCISCO, Cal., January 29.—As the
result of traffic news given out during the
last week in January, California members
of the music trades, metaphorically speaking,
have had, like the Queen in Hamlet: "One drop-
ping, and one auspicious eye." News of a pro-
posed freight rate increase of 50 per cent on
radio receiving sets and equipment caused a
prompt protest to be registered. The protest
will be presented before the Interstate Com-
merce Commission by Seth Mann, of the San
Francisco Chamber of Commerce, who is now
in Washington, D. C. The rejoicing, on the
other hand, has been caused by news that the
State Railroad Commission, at its headquarters
in the State Building here, has received a tel-
egram from Washington, D. C, to the effect
that the Federal Court of the Third Division,
after a hearing conducted in St. Louis, Mo., de-
nied a temporary injunction against the going
into effect of reduced interstate express rates
on March 1, 1925. It seems that the rail car-
riers of the West and Southwest, over whose
rails the American Express Co. operates, had
filed a bill in equity to enjoin the American
Railway Express Co. from putting into effect
certain reduced express rates, and the victory
for lower rates is due chiefly, it is stated, to the
efforts of the California State Railroad Com-
mission. The amount of reductions will be an-
nounced prior to March 1, when the American
Express Co. will supply shippers with new tariff
books.
The vital interest of the foregoing news to
Eastern manufacturers and California dealers
lies in the fact that most of the radio receiving
sets and equipment come to the Coast by
freight. On the other hand, most of the com-
panies which manufacture phonograph records
and band and orchestra instruments send their
goods by express, consequently they will feel,
very materially, the results of the reductions
which, it is hoped, will be quite important.
Nothing, however, like a 50 per cent decrease-
is expected.
Music Traffic Body Formed
Frank E. Bates, traffic manager for Sherman,
Clay & Co., has accepted the appointment of-
fered him to be one of the ten members of a
transportation committee of the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce of America. Mr
Hales, he believes, will be assigned to the ter-
ritory wpst of the Rocky Mountains. This is
the first national traffic organization that the
music trade industry has ever had, at least in
this country. Up to to-day, Mr. Bates has not
received full instructions, but he is daily ex-
pecting them. He said that dry goods and
hardware people have their national traffic or-
ganizations, and the music industries are just
as much in need of having their traffic interests
safeguarded.
Mr. Bates was one of those who attended the
meeting of a number of organizations and inter-
ests which drafted resolutions protesting against
the proposed freight rate increase of 50 per cent
on radio receiving sets and equipment. The
meeting which drafted the protest was attended
by fifty representatives of the local jobbers,
manufacturers and dealers in radio equipment,
including representatives- of the traffic bureaus
of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
and the Pacific Radio Trades Association. The
protest sets forth:
1. That the proposed increase would be ex-
tremely detrimental to and would work a hard-
ship upon the newly developed radio industry
of San Francisco and the Pacific Coast.
2. That the rate on radio receiving sets
should be no higher than the rate that applies
to electrical goods in general.
3. That the present rate has been in effect
for a period of two and a half years and that
the industry has been built up upon this gen-
erally accepted rate.
Well-known Piano Man Here
C. Alfred Wagner, vice-president of the
American Piano Co., is registered at the St.
Francis Hotel here. Mr. Wagner has been
leading a busy life since he arrived here a
day ago, for, in addition to meeting members
of the trades, some of his friends also decoyed
him to the golf links. This afternoon George Q.
Chase, president of Kohler & Chase; Beeman
P. Sibley, Coast representative of the Kohler
Industries, and James J. Black, treasurer of the
Wiley B. Allen Co., all went with Mr. Wagner
to the Lakeside course, fully armed for making
an afternoon of it.
Reports Please President Tom Pletcher
Tom M. Pletcher, president of the Q R S
Music Co., and vice-president of the Zenith
Radio Corp., arrived here last Saturday and has
been seeing dealers, playing golf as a side relax-
ation, and has also been receiving reports of
progress. A. L. Quinn, Coast manager for the
Q R S Music Co., has been going round a good
deal with Mr. Pletcher, who, it is stated, is
pleased with the very satisfactory reports of
the year's progress at the Q R S factory here,
as well as with the reports of the progress
made by Zenith radio goods in this territory.
Big Music House on the Air
Another splendid program was broadcasted
from KPO here on Tuesday last by the Wiley
B. Allen Co. under the direction of its piano
salei manager, Harald Pracht. It was a pro-
gram of chamber music of the highest type,
given in the Gold Ballroom of the Fairmont
Hotel. The members of the trio consist of:
William F. Laraia, violinist and director, a
prominent member of the San Francisco Sym-
phony Orchestra; Elsie Cook Laraia, concert
pianist, and William Dehe, cellist, assistant so-
loist of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.
Expects Visitors on His Return
Several prominent members of the music
trades are expected by Beeman P. Sibley, Coast
representative of the Kohler Industries, on his
reurn from the Northwest, for where he leaves
next week. Gustav Erbe, of Kohler Industries,
accompanied by Mrs. Erbe, will spend a few
days here in February on their return from
Honolulu, (T. H.). Mr. Sibley also expects
Harry Sohmer, of Sohmer & Co., accompanied
by Alex Macdonald, during February.
Employes' Association Has Splendid Report
The annual meeting of the Employes' Asso-
ciation of Sherman, Clay & Co. brought over
one hundred members to the roof garden of
Hotel Whitcomb last Tuesday evening. The
financial leport showed that over $3,000 had
been expended during the past year for the ben-
efit of members who had been suffering from
accidents or sickness. Three thousand, seven
hurdied and fifty dollars remained in the treas-
ury. Directors were elected for the coming
year and the evening ended with a very enjoy-
able dance at which the music was supplied
by the orchestra of Carl Lemont, manager of
Sherman, Clay & Co.'s professional department.
A substantial cash prize was given by Fred
Sherman, vice-president of the company, for
the prize waltzers. This was won by Miss Eg-
gleston and James O'Leary.
On the following day the newly appointed
nine directors met and elected the following
officers, J. O'Connor, the successful retiring
president, refusing to run again: President, Wil-
liam Morton; vice-president, Frank Bates,
treasurer, Ed. Carberry, (re-elected); corre-
sponding secretary, Mrs. Laura Cahill; and re-
cording secretary, Miss Marion Flannigan. The
remaining directors: Miss Lillian Bain, Wil-
13
liam J. O'Connor, Benjamin Malatratt and Bob
Skinner.
Philpitt Music Season
Launched by Werrenrath
Popular Baritone Sings in Miami and St. Peters-
burg in First Concert of the Series, Traveling
Between Cities by Airplane
MIAMI, FLA., January 30.—The Philpitt Artists'
Course for the new season, conducted under the
auspices of S. Ernest Philpitt, head of the music
house of l'hilpitt & Son, this city, was inau-
gurated on Monday evening with the appear-
ance of Reinald Werrenrath, the popular bari-
tone. Mr. Werrenrath stayed in Miami until
the Friday following the concert for the pur-
pose of enjoying the fishing and then traveled
to St. Petersburg for his next concert in the
Philpitt series by means of an airplane and fast
motor car. After the St. Petersburg concert
he returned to Miami by plane.
Duo-Art Piano in Russia
Word comes from Moscow of a recent inter-
esting gathering of the members of the English
and American colony, at which the Duo-Art
reproducing piano provided the evening's enter-
tainment.
Among the selections played by the Duo-Art
were Paderewski's performance of his own Min-
uet and Melody, and Chopin's Polonaise, No. 1;
Schubert's Military March, played by Ethel
Leginska, and Percy Grainger's playing of the
English Morris Dance Melody. The Duo-Art
also played the accompaniment for several vio-
lin solos.
Johnson's Sons Go. to Move
ALLIANCE, O., February 1.—Announcement is
made that the J. H. Johnson's Sons Co., Alli-
ance, piano dealers, will move soon to its new
three-story building, being erected in the down-
town district. In its new quarters the store
will have a much larger space for pianos, talk-
ing machines and records. This store, for many
years, has been located in East Main street.
Opens Radio Department
CANTON, O., February
1.—Announcement is
made that the Rhines Edison Shop has added
radio and will feature the De Forest line and
the Jewett super-speaker horns. Harold Rut-
ledge is manager of the radio section of the
Canton store of the Rhines Co.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
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