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The Jiusic [jfiaJe
Established 1879
REVIEW
VOL. I l l - N o . 1
THE
PIONEER
January, 1952
PUBLICATION
2 r 862nd Issue
O F T H E MUSIC
I N D U S T R Y
National Production Authority Releases
Statement on Piano Manufacturers' Protest
The following statement has been re-
leased by the National Piano Manu-
facturers Association regarding the
meeting of the Industry Advisory
Committee on December 5th last with
the National Production Authority
which includes the release of the latter.
This is the meeting which was reported
in the Review last month after piano
was declared non-essential. The release
states:
"Asserting that their first quarter
1952 allotments are definitely out of
tune with the piano's place in Ameri-
can life, the Piano Manufacturer's In-
dustry Advisory Committee, at a meet-
ing today with the National Production
Authority, U. S. Department of Com-
reauested a change in the essen-
radios and television receivers were
given a higher classification, the mem-
bers said NPA's action meant that
'education and family life in the home
is non-essential.'
"NPA officials advised the committee
to submit definite evidence on the effect
of the lower first quarter allotments on
the industry. Before NPA can recom-
mend higher allotments for the first
and second quarters of 1952, it must
be able to show that the present allot-
ments will create hardship, officials
said.
Points of Information Requested
"Among the points on which NPA
requested information are these:
1. Present total employment in the
of first quarter allotments
1 firms.
of expected lay-offs,
t percentage production
ed.
lay-offs can be softened
y use of inventories,
work week, or spreading
Te record shows the present
base period to be among the three best
periods for the industry during the
past 15 years, but the agency will re-
consider the matter.
Struck at Classification
"Members struck at NPA's classifica-
tion of pianos among the less essential
consumer-type products. Noting that
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1952
[ointed out that the effect
tments would vary from
nd city to city. In some
contracts will require
guarantee of a 40-hour
ng employees, they said.
In othersTworPagreements will require
that work be spread among all em-
ployees. Opportunities for other em-
ployment for the surplus workers also
vary from one locality to another,
members said.
Few Defense Contracts
"The committee also reported that
the industry holds few, if any, defense
contracts and cannot expect to compete
successfully for new contracts. Piano
factories employ highly skilled crafts-
men and operate under conditions of
high cost. The industry works prima-
rily with fine woods and is not equipped
for mass production of military goods,
as many other industries are.
"Producers reported that the indus-
try had used every possible means of
conserving and substituting for scarce
materials, and would need balanced
allotments of controlled materials to
make the most effective use of their
facilities and materials.
First Quarter Allotments
"For the first quarter of 1952, the
piano industry is getting 75 percent of
its base period use of carbon steel, but
only 10 percent of the brass mill and
copper foundry products. Allotments
of alloy steel and aluminum will be 20
percent of the base period consumption
of these materials.
"W. T. Davis of NPA's Consumer
Durable Goods Division presided.
•
All Members Present
"These committees members attended:
J. F. Feddersen, Jesse French & Sons,
Div. H. & A. Selmer, Inc., Elkhart, In-
diana; E. R. McDuff, Grinnell Broth-
ers, Detroit, Michigan; George McDer-
mott, Gulbranson Co., Chicago, Illinois;
Webster E. Janssen, Janssen Piano Co.,
Inc., New York City; James V. Sill,
W. W. Kimball Co., Chicago, Illinois;
Henry Steinway, Steinway & Sons, New
York City; L. P. Bull, Story & Clark
Piano Co., Chicago, Illinois; William
Heller. Winter & Co., New York City."