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THE
VOL. LXXXV. No. 3
REVIEW
Published Every Saturday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 420 Lexington Ave., New York, N.Y., My 16,1927
8in
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Western Convention
Meets in San Francisco
Fourth Annual Gathering of the Western Music Trades Asso-
ciation Sets Record in Attendance — Wide and Varied Pro-
gram Fills Four Days of Daily Sessions — Many Exhibits
Philip T. Clay
AN FRANCISCO, CAL, July 14.—On
Monday evening there was every indica-
tion that, in the matter of attendance,
judging from the first day's registration, the
fourth annual convention of the Western Music
Trades' Association at the St. Francis Hotel
here would prove an unqualified success. By
the time the first business session opened on
Tuesday there could be no doubt of the fact,
for the representation of dealers from all sec-
tions of the Coast and a considerable territory
east of the Rockies was most imposing.
The Opening Session
The first business session of the convention
was formally opened on Tuesday morning by
Philip T. Clay, the association president, who,
in a brief address, recalled the founding of the
association three years ago, lauded Edward J.
Geisler, the first president, and outlined briefly
some of the accomplishments of the organiza-
tion during its comparatively short existence.
He urged that the delegates observe the time
schedule of the convention in order that there
might be no delay and that the full program
might be carried out without a hitch He also
announced that the exhibits, of which there
were fifty or more, would be closed during the
sessions.
Edward H. Uhl, past-president of the Na-
tional Association of Music Merchants, was the
first official speaker and dwelt at some length
upon the advantages of State and local asso-
ciations. He particularly emphasized
the
necessity for creating a strong desire for music
S
on the part of the public, and stated that this
could only be accomplished through associa-
tion effort. He praised the rapidly growing
movement for group piano instruction and
urged the dealers to work hard for the intro-
duction of such instruction in the public
schools, as tending to lessen juvenile de-
linquency and improve youthful morals, while
at the same time developing a field for more
musical instrument sales.
Describes Lectures for Salesmen
The next speaker was L. E. Fontron, presi-
dent of the Music Trades' Association of
Southern California, who, in an impromptu
talk, described a successful series of lectures
for salesmen staged by that association in co-
operation with local dealers, each paying half
the cost. The lectures have proven distinctly
effective, he said, in providing salesmen with
valuable information, and encouraging them to
greater efforts. At the present time the asso-
ciation is at work on a plan for holding a series
of piano playing contests.
Shirley Walker, secretary of the association,
was introduced as the man who had done all
the convention work but credited Philip T. Clay
with being his guide and adviser. Mr. Walker
described the activities of the Music Trade As-
sociation of Northern California, its well at-
tended monthly dinner meetings, the success of
the high school band contests, and the piano
tournament held under its auspices, and closed
with the pointed remark: "We do not tell the
dealers how to run their business, but we give
them service."
The Tuesday Luncheon
At noon an official "inspirational" luncheon
was held in the ballroom of the St. Francis
Hotel, it being designated as "Southern Cali-
fornia Day," with G. L. Taylor, of Sherman,
Clay & Co., as the principal speaker on the sub-
ject: "All Kinds of Music for All Kinds of
People." Before and after the address there
was considerable worthwhile entertainment to
keep the delegates in good humor.
Mr. Taylor's address was very witty at times.
He repeated the statement that music is the
universal language, especially in song form and
said that although tastes differ, songs must be
clean in sentiment to survive. Music merchants
deal in a priceless commodity, for music helps
to make the home, and the maintenance of the
American home is the big problem to-day. The
success and permanence of the entire music
business, he declared, depend upon the promo-
tion of good clean music.
Defends Instalment Buying
The first speaker at the Tuesday afternoon
E. H. Uhl
session following the luncheon was C. W.
Banta, vice-president of the Wells-Fargo Bank
& Union Trust Co., San Francisco, who treated
of the subject "Instalment Selling To-day." Mr.
Banta quoted figures to show that the country
as a whole has ample funds to care for its in-
stalment obligations and expressed the belief
that men and women appreciate saving money
on the instalment plan of buying, which has
led to larger sales, the wider development of
mass production, and manufacturing economies
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