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REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXXXI. No. 25
Published Every Satwday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y. Dec. 19,1925
8Ini
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Activity of the Chamber of Commerce
and Its Plans forjthe Future
President E. R. Jacobson, General Manager Alfred L. Smith, C. L. Dennis and C. M. Tremaine Sum Up This
Organization's Activities for the Past Year and Tell What Is Planned for the New—A
Clearing House of Information for Both the Music Trade and Music Industry
HOSE who attend the annual conventions
of the music industries or who read of the
proceedings in trade papers have this
opportunity once a year of gaining a general
idea of what the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce is accomplishing for the benefit
of the trade and something of the future plans
of that organization.
Between conventions,
however, those not in direct contact with the
Chamber are presented with fragmentary infor-
mation relative to the progress of that central
body through the announcements of this or that
move that may be made with some definite
object in view. This lack of information be-
tween convention periods is not the fault of the
Chamber in any sense, but la.gely due to the
scattered membership and lack of any definite
plan for presenting complete reports at regular
intervals, a plan that Will require considerable
expenditure of time and energy.
In the belief that the trade as a whole, and
pa.ticularly tiie numbers of those associations
affiliated with the Chamber, are interested in
what has been done by that body since the con-
wntioii, and wliat plans are under way for
activities to be earned out before the next an-
i.iiai meeting in June, i h e Review presents
herewith a grcu t j ol summarized leports by
the executives a.iU bureau ii^acls of the Cham-
ber. The reports indicate that real p. ug.es.,
has been made since the Chicago meetings in
June, and that, when planned activities are
carried out early next year, the Chamber offi-
cials will be able to go before the annual con-
vention in New York with a record of genuine
accomplishment for the preceding twelve
months.
It is significant that the work of the Chamber
has ceased to be spectacular. There are no out-
standing activities that are calculated to keep
the trade on its toes, such as the tax fight, for
instance. The work has settled down on a con-
tinuous systematic basis that is calculated in the
long run to achieve much more satisfactory re-
sults than can be secured by spasmodic bursts
of activity. The various departments of the
Chamber have been carefully organized and re-
organized to the end of efficiency and each func-
tion in its own way is a definite part of the
whole work.
President Jacobson of the Chamber empha-
sizes particularly the fact that the organization
T
is of and for the trade, and that its various
services are at the command of any members of
the industry who have reason to require them.
This co-operation of the individual is necessary
E. R. Jacobson
President, Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce
if the central body is to function in a manner
to benefit the greatest number.
In the presentation of the various reports
President E. R. Jacobson of the Chamber says:
What Jacobson Says
<<*~pHE program of the Music Industries
Chamber of Commerce is a continuous
one, acting as it does in the interests of all the
various divisions of the industry," says Presi-
dent E. R. Jacobson. "The Chamber, in the
exercise of its functions, is a clearing house for
the trade in general, distributing such trade
information as may come to it from its hundreds
of contacts everywhere to that portion of the
industry which such information might interest.
It is the 'eye' of the trade, keeping watch for
any developments, favorable or unfavorable,
that may arise as a help or a menace. It is a
constructive force in our industry, taking advan-
tage of every opportunity for the advancement
of music in the home, the local community and
the nation at large, co-operating with this end in
view with organized bodies everywhere in the
land, which, in a more or less limited sphere, are
laboring in the same field of endeavor.
"The work of the National Bureau for the
Advancement of Music is continuing to attract
wide and favorable notice. In addition to the
extensive program of work which it is sponsor-
ing of which the trade is familiar, it is under-
taking, at the suggestion of the National Asso-
ciation of Music Merchants, the development of
plans looking toward group instruction of mu-
sical instruments in the public schools. The
interest in this movement is very keen and
widespread and promises to become one of the
most forward movements in the history of the
trade.
"The coming session of Congress is of special
interest.
Features of the new revenue bill
affecting our industry; the new copyright bill
and other vital items will be followed with the
closest attention.
"Let this oft-made statement be repeated:
'The Chamber of Commerce is yours—yours for
use. Its personnel welcomes the opportunity to
serve—and again asks for your whole-hearted
co-operation that the vital interests of the indus-
try may be conserved.' "
A. L. Smith's Summary
T N his report as secretary and general man-
ager Alfred L. Smith says: "It is difficult
to answer the question 'what does the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce expect to do
during the coming year?' We seldom know far
in advance what special demands will be placed
upon us by unexpected conditions. We can
safely predict, however, that next year will be
the busiest year the Chamber has ever had, for
this has been true each year throughout the
Chamber's history. Every year more members
ask for information and assistance on their spe-
cial problems. There is also a constant increase
in what might be called the day-by-day routine
work of the Chamber,' as, for instance, the
regular music promotional activities carried on
(Continued on.page 4)