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MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, PIANOS ONLY, DECEMBER, 1U1
bring results that we least expect and might even bring closer unity into
our homes, our people, and our nation through its influence."
Pianos and Defense
(Continued from Page 17)
''Slogan Should Be 'Music Is Essential
for Defense'"
Julius Bumb, Jr., Julius Bumb Piano Movers, Inc..
New York
"Boys in Army Camps Absolutely Lost
Without a Piano"
W. Perry Chrisler, President,
Aeolian Co., of Missouri. St. Louis, Mo.
"Just recently a representative of one of the big Army camps visited
our store and pleaded for donations of pianos for use at the camp. He said
that in even the smallest group there were usually several of the boys
who could play the piano and stressed the fact that without a piano they
were absolutely lost in so far as group entertainment was concerned. A
crowd gathered about the piano singing the popular songs of the day pro-
vides needed diversion, bolsters the spirit, and is the best possible builder
of morale. Everything that can be said for the piano in the camp is
equally true of the piano in the home. We speak of the necessity of a
strong, courageous civilian population, of keeping up the morale in the
home . . . and then question the value of the piano, the one musical in-
strument which most people have learned to play. The piano is the basic
instrument and, therefore, indispensable to the study of music. In schools
all over this great country of ours nearly all music activities are built
around the piano. Thousands of children are enrolled in piano classes,
taught in groups to sing and to play. Who would deny the youth of our
nation this opportunity to become acquainted with the fundamentals of
music. For every church congregation that owns a great organ there are
many thousands of small church and Sunday school groups wholly de-
pendent upon the paino for music.
"The foregoing are important reasons why production of pianos should
not be curtailed in times like the present. There is still another reason
and this one dwarfs all the others in importance. Music unites a people
end speeds up production. There is no more fit being than the one with
a song on his lips and music in his heart. This is denied the people abroad
and in their stead you find sorrow, travail, and hate. Every man in the
piano business has a real job in the defense program . . . the job of main-
taining the American home spirit."
"Piano Music Soothes Pent Up
Emotions in Times of Stress"
F .O. Miller, Jr., F. O. Miller Piano Co.,
Jacksonville, Fla.
"The large number of pianos which have been purchased by the Army
and Navy for their various camps and bases throughout the USA is quite
conclusive proof that the government feels that pianos are very essential
in keeping up the morale of our armed forces.
"In times Ike the present everyone turns to music as an outlet for their
pent-up emotions to soothe and relax them during these exciting and un-
settled conditions the country is now passing through, and as the piano is
the basic instrument of all forms, which produce music, it is most assuredly
essential to America's defense programs."
"Wherever Music Is Found
Morale Maintains"
Reed Music Co., Little Rock, Ark.
"MUSIC in Army Recreation Camps will help to build the highest de-
gree of morale. Too much stress cannot be placed upon the importance of
musical porgrams wherever possible, in which the piano plays an im-
portant part. Wherever you find Music, you find the higher type individuals.
"Piano Music Inspires Unity in Our
People and Our Nation"
Edward J. Walt, Edward J. Walt and Sons Inc.
Lincoln, Neb.
"Expressing my views on American defense and how it relates to music
in the home, especially the piano, I believe that we all are 100% defense
minded (if not we should be) if we are true loyal Americans, but with the
war hysteria constantly before us every day, with sensational headlines!
both in the news and radio, we are inclined to overlook the most beautiful
things of life that furnish relaxation and incite us to loftier ideas.
"I really believe music in the home with the piano as an inspiration might
"A picture comes to my mind of an old fashioned family gathering
around a piano. Then comes to mind a picture of the boys in the service
who are enjoying a sing around the piano. Both of those scenes are
effective in building morale. 'Music Is Essential for the Defense' is a
good slogan for these hectic times."
"Government Should Provide
More Pianos for Camps"
W. H. Richardson, Birkel Richardson Co.,
Los Angeles, Cal.
"There is no question but that the piano is considered a necessity in
training camps as a source of entertainment and a builder of morale. It is
a pity the Government has not made some arrangements to provide pianos
the same as it has organs. It will be recalled that some 500 or more organs
were purchased for chapels, and these instruments are only used a few
hours each week for religious services, whereas pianos if placed in various
camps would be used every day by many trainees during their spare time.
"Lately pleas have been made for old pianos to be donated for use in
camps, which further shows their necessity."
"Music, Aside From Religion, Greatest in
Character Development and Morale"
J. F. Houck, O. K. Houck Piano Co.,
Memphis, Term.
"Music, aside from religion, is the greatest influence in the development
of character and moral. In World War number one our government found
that music was the only means of building up and maintaining the moral
of our army and our people.
Therefore, the piano, as the fundamental musical instrument, the one
most used in public and private performances, is essential to America's de-
fense program."
"Paradoxical Government Attitude
Hard to Understand"
Frederick Philip Stieff, Chas. M. Steff, Inc..
Baltimore, Md.
"It has been difficult for me to comprehend the paradoxical attitude taken
by the Government on the subject of music as an influence in our daily lives.
"The Army purchased over 600 electric organs for the Camps. Baltimore
was appealed to and the people urged to give pianos for the recreation
rooms at the Camps, and the U.S.O. are desirous of pianos for their recrea-
tion rooms. It is unfortunate that children who are putting aside 25£ and
50# or whatever they can get, to buy the instrument on which they
are studying must pay a tax to the Government. Churches that are tax free
as to buildings and grounds pay a Federal Tax in order to install the least
expensive electric organ. Priorities tie up the small amount of copper that
is needed to wrap bass strings.
To hamper the national public when it comes to the enjoyment of music
in times of war and near war; to decrease the possibility of music being
heard, played, studied when it is the greatest relaxation one can have to
take his mind off and away from the harrowing international conditions, is
an action hard to understand.
"If I understand correctly from the statistics which have been given me,
_ the tax on musical instruments will run around a million dollars, and it
doesn't seem that this great country is so hard put to it that it must col-
lect down to a million dollars at the expense of our religious and educational
institutions, to say nothing of the millions of American homes to which
music means so much and to the people who are helped by music to with-
stand the conditions that a worried world imposes upon them.
"We may not need a Diogenes to spread light on the situation but we
certainly do need some type of illumination whereby our legislators can be
made to realize the gross injustice that they are doing in making it more
difficult for the American church, the American school, the American youth,
and the American home to enjoy music."
N. Y. Year End Luncheon Dec. 30th
Price Feted by Wurlitzer Dealers
The annual Year End Luncheon of the
New York piano trade will take place at
the National Republican Club, 54 West
40th Street, New York, on December 30th.
Arrangements are in the hands of Albert
Behning as usual who is planning to have
prominent speakers on timely subjects.
Notices will be sent to the trade early this
month. Mr. Behning recently became suc-
cessor to Behning & Albin Inc., general in-
surance brokers and makes his headquar-
ters at 384 East 149th St., New York.
In testimony of the cooperative and
conscientious service rendered by W.
Morris Price, Wurlitzer Regional Director
of the Central District, his dealers in the
factory vicinity gathered for a social
meeting when he visited DeKalb recently.
The meeting was held at the Rice Hotel
and thirty-two were in attendance.
Hugh Stewart, Wurlitzer Vice President
and Sales Manager, announced the back-
ground of the special festivity and then
the meeting was turned over to Assistant
Sales Manager, Walter Benson, who had
been appointed Master-of-Ceremonies
and chief spokesman for the group.
Mr. Benson gave an interesting descrip-
tion of Wurlitzer activities and then at the
request of the assemblage Morris was
called upon to present the Wurlitzer Dem-
onstration System of Selling. Following
this, interesting Wurlitzer experiences
were related by various dealers present.