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DECEMBER 4, 19?6
The Music Trade Review
Talking Machine & Radio Men, Inc.,
Discuss Present Radio Broadcasting
Passes Resolutions Favoring Control of Situation by Federal Government Legislation, Licensing
of Broadcasting Stations, Etc.—Congressman Sol Bloom the Speaker
meeting of the Talking Ma-
T HE chine monthly
& Radio Men, Inc., the organization
of retailers of New York, New Jersey and Con-
necticut, held on Tuesday of this week, was
devoted largely to a discussion of ways and
means for controlling the broadcast situation
with a view to overcoming, through the
medium of Federal control, the confusion at
present existing in the air.
The executive committee of the association
held a meeting recently, at which the subject
was gone into thoroughly and a set of resolu-
tions drawn up, which were adopted by the
members at large at Tuesday's meeting. The
resolutions • urged that Congress during its
present short session enact a law to give a
proper measure of protection to the public and
to the trade by regulation.
It was resolved that the channels of radio
communication should be perpetually main-
tained and controlled by and for the people
and should never be permitted to become pri-
vate property; that the use of the channels
of radio communication should be controlled
by Federal license, issued for a minimum of
three years and a maximum of five years, and
subject to revocation for any violation of the
law; that a sworn statement of the ownership
of the broadcasting station be filed with the
proper agency once every six months; that
the authority to issue licenses, assign wave-
lengths and call letters, and to establish power
limitations, etc., be vested by law in some
executive branch of the Federal Government,
maintained by funds appropriated by Congress;
that licenses shall not be transferable; that
broadcasting stations shall retain the right to
determine the character of all material broad-
cast; that there be no tax levied on radio
receiving sets or parts or on broadcasting
equipment, and that a copy of every speech
made over radio be filed with the proper au-
thorities within forty-eight hours after its
delivery and kept on file for a year.
Following the adoption of the resolution
Congressman Sol Bloom, of New York, spoke
at some length upon the radio situation and
the means being taken to relieve it. He
declared that unless proper attention was given
to framing the laws governing radio there was
a strong possibility of the creation of a
monopoly and the development of a situation
much worse than that which exists at present.
Congressman Bloom, who was for a number
of years in the talking machine business him-
self, was very frank in summing up the situa-
tion, and urged particularly that it was up to
the dealers to place before Congress the
opinions of the radio-using public and that the
campaign should not be left entirely in the
hands of the broadcasters and the manufac-
turers.
Another matter which received the attention
of the Association was the law introduced by
Assemblyman Alterman and which went into
effect on September 1, which serves to com-
plicate and make almost prohibitive the expense
of repossessing musical instruments, furniture,
etc., sold on instalments and on which pay-
ments have defaulted. The bill expressly ex-
cludes automobiles from its provisions, due to
the fact that automobile dealers were cognizant
of it and took immediate action. Now the
members of the music trade, together with the
furniture dealers, are working to have the bill
repealed. Having been passed, the details ot
the measure are more or less familiar to mem-
bers of the trade, and steps have been taken
whereby retailers will be advised immediately
of the introduction of other measures in Al-
bany that are calculated to affect the interests
of the industry.
The next meeting of the Association will be
held on January 12, when will''be considered
a proposed change in the by-laws to provide
for the election of sectional vice-presidents,
three in Manhattan, one in Queens County, one
in Kings County, one in New Jersey, one in
Bronx County and others as they may be need-
ed. These vice-presidents will have to do with
regional matters and will replace the vice-
presidents who are now in office and who rep-
resent groups of retailers of various lines of
talking machines.
Phillips-Andover Academy
Purchases an Ampico
Chickering Ampico to Be Installed in New
Auditorium of Noted Old Preparatory School
in Andover, Mass.
The Phillips-Andover Academy, at Andover,
Mass., one of the oldest and most famous col-
lege preparatory schools in the United States,
has recently purchased from Chickering &
Phillips-Andover Academy
Sons, Boston, a Chickering Grand Ampico for
installation in the magnificent new auditorium,
which is now being completed.
Phillips-Andover has long been noted for the
excellent musical training it has given its stu-
dents as an added feature of its academic
curriculum, and the selection of the. Ampico in-
dicates both the desire of the Andover trustees
to provide modern equipment and also the
recognition on the part of educators of the
Ampico as an important factor in music educa-
tion.
The music at Andover is in charge of Carl
Pfattsicher, the noted organist and authority
on Bach. Mr. Pfattsicher will use the Ampico
in his lectures on music appreciation.
11
Wohn Bros, handle a fine line of instruments,
including the Hardman, A. B. Chase, Kimball
and Kohler & Campbell lines of pianos, Kim-
ball pipe organs, Sonora and Kimball phono-
graphs and Buescher band instruments.
In connection with its sales promotion ac-
tivities in the interests of pianos, considerable
auccocc has been experienced in making sales
to large educational institutions, demonstrating
the rewards to be obtained by aggressive
dealers in going after this business. Forty-four
Hardman pianos have been Sold to Wilson
College in Pennsylvania, and seventeen pianos
have been installed in Irving College, also in
that State.
School Superintendents
Interested in Piano Study
Over 600 Superintendents Write to National
Bureau for Advancement of Music for Book-
let on "Piano Classes in the Schools"
Six hundred-odd superintendents of schools
have written to the National Bureau for the
Advancement of Music during the past two
months requesting its booklet, "Piano Classes
in the Schools," these being in addition to the
more than one thousand requests previously
received from supervisors of music.
Approximately 150 of the superintendents
added some comment in the space provided for
this on the return postal enclosed with the
letter of announcement. Many remarks were
individual and revealed helpful facts concern-
ing the psychology of the school authorities,
particularly to what extent their interest in
piano classes had already been aroused. Fre-
quently these indicated that the superintendents
were actually on the lookout for more
information on the subject and that the
Bureau's booklet was a timely aid. Some
thirty asked for two or more copies for the
use of music supervisors or teachers in their
systems.
In all cases the tone of the comment was
one of respect for the Bureau's judgment and
disinterestedness. In one case, that of Super-
intendent M. W. Longman, of Muskegon,
Mich., the remark, "This looks like a booklet
of information," unconsciously disclosed the
suspicion with which the school people look
upon literature from sources which do not in
their opinion possess these qualifications.
Concert by Music Week
Gold Medal Winners
Interesting Musical Event Scheduled for Early
in the New Year Under Auspices New York
Music Week Association
The New York Music Week Association,
through its director, Miss Isabel Lowden, and
Walter Stoffregen, president of the Gold Medal
Winners' Club, announces the opening of re-
hearsals for the Gold Medal Winners' concert
to be given in the early part of the new year.
This concert will be participated in by the
Wohn Bros., of Harrisburg, Depend Upon Out- gold medal winners of the three past seasons,
side Organization for Sales Volume—Selling who will appear in ensembles under the direc-
tion of a distinguished orchestral conductor.
Pianos to Educational Institutions
The program, as outlined, includes two piano
HARRISBURG, PA., November 27.—Wohn Bros., ensembles of eight pianos each and a large
of this city, are successfully utilizing the can- string ensemble, together with two or three
vassing route to sales, five experienced sales- smaller numbers. The string ensemble will
men canvassers being constantly at work on include not only the gold medal winners in
the outside. E. W. Wohn, founder of the the string classes, but will be augmented to
business, which, by the way, is one of the eighty or more numbers by the addition of a
oldest music houses in the State, having been large number of silver medal winners, who
established in 1876, declares that canvassing is received marks of 90 per cent or over in the
vitally necessary to secure volume business. He contests of the past three seasons. All silver
emphasized the fact that only good men who medal winners in string classes who have
like the work are fit for outside selling and reached 90 per cent or more are invited to
the store has a sales organization composed of take part in this ensemble.
result-producing canvasser-salesmen. The men
have been selected by the process of elimina-
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
tion and are all on a straight salary basis.
The Review.
Finds That Canvassing
Produces the Results