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SHEET MUSIC and BOOKS
SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION OF NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF SHEET MUSIC DEALERS
T
OTHER PAPERS PRESENTED
HE National Association of Sheet Music
Dealers enjoys the distinction of being
one of the associations in the industry
that did not permit conditions to interfere
with the holding of the regular annual
convention of the organization and for three
days, beginning June 6, the dealers were
in session at the Hotel McAIpin, New York,
and accomplished much of benefit to the
trade.
THE CODE OF ETHICS
What was considered by the majority as
the outstanding accomplishment of the con-
vention was the final adoption of the Code
of Ethics both by the dealers and by the
publishers who met the same week. The
Code is designed to bring about a closer
spirit of cooperation between the two sections
of the trade and to eliminate a number of
evils that have crept into the field, particu-
larly those having to do with competition
between publishers and retailers. The Code
of Ethics was first presented several years
ago and has been under discussion frequently,
its final adoption representing a distinct
tribute to those who have worked so hard
to put it into effect. Music dealers may
obtain copies of the Code from Thomas J.
Donlon, secretary-treasurer of the National
Association of Sheet Music Dealers, 325 West
Seventy-fifth street, New York.
Following the adoption of the Code of
Ethics a very definite move was made to
bring about an agreement between publishers
and dealers as to the territorial rights of
the latter. The publishers adopted a resolu-
tion pledging themselves as agreeing in
principle to the protection of dealers in the
matter of sales within the latter's immediate
territories and a committee consisting of
Harold Flammer, R. A. Ostbing, E. L. Gun-
ther, Michael Keane and VV. Kretschmer,
representing the publishers, and John Harden,
Elmer Harvey and Robert Schmitt for the
dealers held a conference that was successful
in defining the representation to which a pub-
lisher was entitled in return for the protec-
tion given the dealer against direct selling
in his own territory.
General conditions were discussed at great
length and the consensus of opinion was that
although sheet music sales were naturally
substandard they had kept up much better
than sales of many other commodities and
that the future of the industry held much
promise for those willing to work hard, in-
telligently and with confidence.
In his opening address President Harden
told the dealers that they could not exist
on past achievements but must adjust them-
selves to changed conditions. New fields
have been opened to the sheet music dealers
within the past two years, particularly among
schools, colleges and choral societies. New
fields must be found, however, and when
they are discovered they must be served
20
close hand before ordering and to save cus-
tomers much of the time consumed when
orders must be sent to distant points and
filled by mail.
JOHN HARDEN
Re-elected President
sanely. He again condemned the practices
of publishers in developing long-time con-
signment business and declared that if left
alone such houses would sink under their
own burdens.
DISCUSS CONSIGNMENT EVIL
In this connection several papers were read
by members of the association. Henry F.
Mutschler of Newark, N. J., declared that
long-time consignments were nothing more
than loans offering no profit to the dealer
and the publisher. However, the practice is
so strongly established that it must be fol-
lowed by those dealing with teachers and
professional people until some better method
can be found, as these professionals insist
upon studying the music in the quiet of their
own studios. The evil can be mitigated,
declared Mr. Mutschler, if both publishers
and dealers will fix a definite limit of thirty
days on all music sent out for inspection
purposes. In talking on the same subject
Ruth Hunt condemned the publishers for
sending music on consignment to unrated,
unknown and irresponsible teachers and pro-
fessionals.
DECLARE DEALERS ARE NECESSARY
Addie Zoll Ott of the A. Grossett Music
House, Jackson, Mich., and W. Deane Pres-
ton, Jr., of the B. F. Wood Music Co.,
Boston, both read papers on the subje«,
"Can the Music Industry Survive Without
Retail Distributors?" Both agreed that the
retailer was essential for the proper conduct
of the business for most of the work of
developing new fields and holding old ones
depended upon personal contact. The carry-
ing of stocks by retailers makes it possible
for customers to see and study the music at
THE
MUSIC
Other papers read at the convention in-
cluded one on "Minority Dictation in the
Sheet Music Business," by Karl K. Lorenz
of the Lorenz Publishing Co., Dayton, O.,
who declared that publishers were foolish
to allow the actions of a small minority to
influence them, particularly when such actions
were unsound from a business standpoint.
Several prominent dealers discussed in their
papers the question, "What Needs to be Done
for the Benefit of Sheet Music Retailers?"
Present and future problems and oppor-
tunities to be met by the dealer were out-
lined by Gladys Alwes of Indianapolis, Emil
A. Arendt of the O. K. Houck Piano Co.,
Memphis, Term., and S. Ernest Philpitt of
Miami, Fla. Other phases of the retail sheet
music business, including advertising, dis-
counts, etc., were also discussed at length.
Near the close of the convention John
Harden, of the Harden Music Co., Inc.,
Springfield, Mass., was elected to serve his
third consecutive term as president, and
Thomas J. Donlan of New York was named
secretary-treasurer for the eleventh time,
while Robert A. Schmitt of Minneapolis was
re-elected vice-president.
The following new directors were elected:
F.dgar P. Hangen, Hangeii's Music House,
Reading, Pa.; Emil B. Stock, Carl Fischer,
Inc., New York; S. Dallas Tucker, S. Ernest
Philpitt & Son, Washington; Will A. Young,
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Other directors, continuing in office, are:
Harold B. Adams, Adams Sheet Music Shop,
Lima, O.; John Y. Blaetz, Theodore Presser
Co., Philadelphia; E. Grant Ege, J. W.
Jenkins Sons Music Co., Kansas City, Mo.;
Edward Fitzmaurice, Lyon & Mealy, Inc.,
Chicago; William M. Gamble, Gamble
Hinged Music Co., Chicago; J. Elmer Har-
vey, Grinnell Bros., Detroit; Charles W.
Homeyer, Charles W. Homeyer & Co., Bos-
ton; William Jacobs, New York; William
H. Levis, Levis Music Store, Rochester, N.
Y.; Edward P. Little, Sherman, Clay & Co.,
San Francisco; S. Ernest Philpitt, S. Ernest
Philpitt & Son, Miami; Joseph M. Praulx,
G. Schirmer, Inc., New York; Paul A.
Schmitt, Paul A. Schmitt Music Co., Min-
neapolis; Otto P. Schroeder, D. L. Schroeder,
Flushing, N. Y.; Oliver Shattinger, Shat-
tinger Piano and Music Co., St. Louis.
During the convention the members of the
New York trade entertained the visiting
dealers at a dinner, followed by a theatre
party.
Robert Teller Sons & Doraer
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TRADE
REVIEW,
June-July, 1932