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I Continued from page 27)
in asking for a more liberal interpre-
tation of the liirice 'squeeze' policy of
O1»A.
"Without question the most impor-
tant activity in the national field has
been the activity in securing relief
from the proposed full 13 per cent
absorption on new piano prices as an-
nounced by Ol'A last November. This
was discussed in some detail at the
mid-year meeting of the Board of
Control, although confirmation of the
full effect of the Association's activ-
ity was not made iffieial until sev-
eral weeks after.
The members of
the Association were promptly noti-
fied of the terms of the new order.
"Service of outstanding value has
been rendered in the issuance of in-
terpretive bulletins and particularly
in replying to direct inquiries from
members.
Recently there has been
considerable interest in the proposed
order setting uniform dollar-and-cent
ceiling prices on used pianos. Several
bulletins have been issued on this
subject.
A great many office con-
ferences on this problem have been
held with dealers on their visits to
('hicago."
Promotion Already Started
"In the months following' the mid-
year meeting of the Board, we have
attempted to implement the four-point
program adopted at that meeting-. This,
you will recall, included selling-, serv-
ice, store modernization, and music pro-
motion. We believe that we have made
definite progress in each of these fields.
We feel particularly that a very valu-
able educational program has been car-
ried on through the medium of the
regional
meetings and through the
trade press which has reprinted a num-
ber of the speeches delivered at the
regional meetings. These papers have
been presented by some of the foremost
authorities in their respective fields.
They constitute a valuable contribution
to the published literature of the Music
Industry.
"There have been two fields in which
we have been particularly active. The
first has been our attempt to emphasize
the importance of broadening the base
of interest in music. The second has
been in the field of store service. Time
does not permit a detailed discussion of
these activities nor have we had the
time available to check the files care-
fully to assure a complete listing of our
activity in this field. All we can hope
to do is to highlight the more important
activities which will serve as a basis
of indicating possible future activity
in these fields.
"As I indicated to you when I first
met with this group in January, one of
the fields in which there is an oppor-
tunity for constructive service is to
work with consumer magazines in an
effort to secure their cooperation in
highlighting music. We have made a
start and while I would have difficulty
in proving that we had anything to do
with it, it is a fact that both editorially
and in the display advertising, there is
a marked increase in the use of pianos,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JULY, 1945
musical instruments, and musical sym-
bolisms. Some of these we can defin-
itely trace to the work of our Associa-
tion. We think that in the future you
will without question see a more gen-
eral acceptance of this idea. We have
dealt in some instances directly with
advertisers and in other instances with
advertising agencies, and in still others
with the publishers and editors of the
magazines. We have hardly scratched
the surface. There is much to be done
but we have gone far enough to know
that if we apply ourselves intelligently,
our suggestions will be well received
by all parties concerned.
"We planted a story with Mrs. Roose-
velt which she used in her "My Day"
column. We have talked with officials
of the American Legion and have laid
the groundwork for very close coop-
eration in the reactiviation of American
Legion drum corps and bands just as
soon as instruments are available. We
have talked with representatives of the
United States Junior Chamber of Com-
merce about emphasizing the use of
music in their youth welfare programs.
Through this group of young business-
men we have an opportunity to make
use of musically inclined young people
after they graduate from high school
and college and who ordinarily drop
their group musical activities. We have
established necessary liaison with rep-
resentatives of the Architects Associa-
tion and with publishers of architec-
tural magazines as the basis of a pro-
gram of education to provide necessary
wall space for pianos in the new homes
that are to be built postwar and to
emphasize the importance of the proper
methods for installing antenna for FM
radio and for television. We have taken
steps which we hope will lead to an
intensification of interest on the part
of local Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs in
music as part of their community serv-
ice programs.
"We have prmoted a more active par-
ticipation by music merchants in local
Music Week activities and through our
'Give Records as Gifts' promotion have
laid the groundwork to expand this
idea to 'give music as gifts' when musi-
cal instruments are again available.
"We have held a series of conferences
with retailers, wholesalers and manu-
facturers of phonograph records which
lead us to believe that there is a real
opportunity for increased sales and in-
creased profits through the promotion
of phonograph records as gifts for all
occasions."
Mr. Mills then referred to the work
being done by the By-Laws Committee
and the Advertising and Press Com-
mittee. He said that other committees
would be activated after the present
meetings.
"There has been considerable inter-
est in store modernization," he said.
"Sources of information have been de-
veloped.
Through these contacts we
have been able to answer all of the
inquiries we have received from inter-
ested merchants. Closely allied with
store modernization is the increasing
interest in percentage leases for music
stores. We have accumulated some in-
formation on the subject. We expect
to make additional studies and probably
issue a special bulletin devoted to cost
of building occupancy.
"Everybody wants to know "When are
we going to get merchandise?" and
"How much will it cost?' We are con-
stantly in touch with sources of supply
and with government agencies exercis-
ing regulatory control. We try to keep
abreast of current information.
What
we get is passed along to the entire
membership if it appears to be of gen-
eral interest.
.Summary
"1 have never experienced such en-
thusiasm as I have encountered in my
contacts with the music industry. To
indicate that I am 'satisfied' with ac-
compilshments to date would be far
from the truth. While we have achieved
a measure of success, we have not
reached many of the objectives I had
in mind six months ago. The unexpected
turn of the war following the German
'break through,' the subsequent diver-
sion of consumed goods has delayed the
availability of instruments and has
made inadvisable some of the promo-
tion plans we had in mind. The plan-
ning of and participation in regional
meetings took more time than was an-
ticipated but I'm sure was worth all
the time and effort required. The weeks
of comparative quiet T had anticipated
for opportunity to get acquainted with
the industry just did not exist. In-
stead I found myself catapulted into a
period of activity probably unequaled
in the Association's history.
"One of the greatest disappointments
was our inability to have a colorful
annual meeting and trade show at
which we had hoped to introduce our
program and through which we had
expected to launch our membership cam-
paign.
"While personally I am disappointed
in not being able to carry through some
of our original ideas, I certainly am
not apologizing for what has been done.
I'm confident that the Association has
excellent industry acceptance, that mer-
chants will support the program, that
we are building soundly and will short-
ly take our place alongside other great
national trade associations. What has
been done up to this time has been
possible through the cooperation of a
great many people.
Outstanding in
their cooperation have been the men of
the trade press. They have been good
counselors; they have eloquently told
the story of the month-to-month devel-
opment of the program; but more than
that
they have been
understanding-
friends. Much of what has been done
has been possible only through their
cooperation and because of the trade
acceptance they have developed in our
behalf. To all of them and to all others
in the industry, members and non-mem-
bers alike, who have aided during these
trying months, 1 am deeply grateful.
"While the past lias been productive,
the future is full of promise.
This
Hoard, your officers and staff have a
great obligation to provide the kind .
of leadership which will take full ad-
vantage of our almost unlimited poten-
tial. It calls for big plans for an in-
dustry with a great future."
Banquet
On Monday evening at 6:30 P.M. a
dinner was served at which as guests
were the presidents of practically all
music industry associations, as well as
many members of the piano, organ,
radio, musical merchandise trade and
the trade press.
(Torn fo page 30)
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