Presto

10
PRESTO
February 5, 1920.
It is to be hoped that when the railroads are re-
turned to private control that reforms may be insti-
tuted that will be t othe mutual advantage both of
the railroads and the shipper.
The supplementary report was filed without read-
ing it. Mark P. Campbell's report on Internal Wa-
terways followed.
Mr. Campbell's address was followed by two very
lengthy papers—one quoting from an address by
Edward S. Walsh Dec. 10 last, on rivers and har-
bors; the other containing a mass of statistics on
trade and tonnage. Both of these long papers were
what Bill Nye or Eugene Field would have called
very thrilling literature.
Report of Music Bureau.
Assistant Secretary: Since our last convention we
have admitted to membership five new companies
Chairman: We shall now have the report of the
and our present membership consists of 131 Bureau for the Advancement of Music, Mr. Paul
members.
Mehlin.
Mr. Mehlin said: "Mr. Tremaine will no doubt
Chamber of Commerce.
In reporting for the delegates from the Cham- give you many of the details, although I believe it
ber of Commerce, Max de Rochemont, in the ab- will be impossible for you to obtain any clear pic-
ture of the wide variety of the work done, or of
sence of Paul B. Klugh, said:
the extent of its value to all of us engaged in the
"We have followed the same method for recent music
industry except by keeping in personal touch
funds as we did in 1918, except that we did not call with the
of this work from time to time.
on members but solicited by correspondence. The The very program
nature
of
the work does not lend itself to
reason for that was that all the manufacturers knew
or statistics.
the importance of contribution and they were all tabulation
"Of course, the war was the prime factor in dem-
willing to contribute. The response was gratifying onstrating
the value and the versatility of
and we have $29,375. A resolution was passed in music, but both
the bureau rendered great service in
the Chamber of Commerce which I shall read."
making known the facts brought out by the war.
Mr. de Rochmont then read the resolu- Anyone who will acquaint himself with what the
tion which called for the issuing by the Musical bureau has done in these three years will realize
Industries Chamber of Commerce of a dual stamp that it must have had a far-reaching effect and the
to be sold directly to the piano manufacturers at work done during the past eight months is particu-
he rate, of 50 cents each, and to be used on the larly impressive. Its accomplishment in organizing
back of each piano manufactured.
New York's Music Week alone will have far-reach-
Mr. de Rochemont said:
ing effects, for it will set the example for similar
"There was some talk that it was ridiculous to music weeks all over the country."
put a fifty cent stamp on a $2,500 instrument. They
Mr. Aldcroft: I have heard the report of Mr.
don't think that wise.
Mehlin. I do not believe anyone can appreciate the
"Now the Chamber of Commerce would like very interest which music week has created through the
much to have this stamp plan go into operation as city, and not only here but all over the East and
quickly as possible and the Finance Committee through the country. The interest of the press, too,
recommended that if possible they be started has been extraordinary. But I have another thought
March 1st."
and that is this: Mr. Tremaine is alone in this
Chairman: Have you any objection, Mr. Coffin, work. Mr. Tremaine has been doing this enormous
as to expressing our approval of the stamp plan?
work and undertaken this great burden which we
Mr. Coffin: No. I judge there will be discussion have placed upon him practically by himself, with
and considerable discussion and I think the better the assistance of six or seven clerks., mostly women.
way is to have your schedule and follow it and come
"We have decided in the Chamber of Commerce
to this during business a little bit later. I think to provide Mr. Tremaine with a big sales force to
that is new business.
do the work. How much will that take? I mean
Chairman: According to the by-laws, I doubt if how much will it take if you are sincere. You have
this is the proper time to vote on it.
got to sell this idea to the public.
"I merely mention this at this time because this
Nominating Committee's Report.
Chairman: We shall now have the report of the budget is coming up, and I mention it so that you
might give it the most serious consideration, and
Nominating Committee.
also to the plans of Mr. Tremaine, so that he might
The Secretary:
To the Members: In accordance with Article X have the proper setting to this idea, and get it over."
Tremaine Predicts a Depression.
of the by-laws of the association, the Nominating
Committee presents the following names
In the discussion that followed, Mr. Tremaine
For secretary, A. M. Wright of Boston; for treas- talked a great deal about music advancement and
urer, Charles Jacob of New York; for Membership of the height of his aims along this line. He said
Committee, William H. Williams, New York; A. among other things:
A. Mahan, Fort Wayne, Ind.; Ava W. Poole, Bos-
"It would take me days to tell you the line or
ton; A. Dalyrmple, New York; Hobart M. Cable, the extent to which we are bringing it into the work
La Porte, Ind.
and how we are increasing it. We are having may-
The other officers and committees are nominated ors and governors working for us and we will get
at the annual meeting.
to the senate and congress. We are moving along
Respectfully submitted,
an irresistible plane of power and impressing these
forces in line with us.
WARREN C. WHITNEY,
"If I should do something sensational and the
GEO. F. BLAKE,
bureau can do something sensational within the year,
SIDNEY MAYER,
that would win praise from all of you, but it will
Nominating Committee.
be superficial. If I. should increase your business
HERBERT W. HILL,
25 per cent within the next year what good would
Assistant Secretary.
Chairman: We shall now have the report of the it do you? You could not supply the demand. It
would start factory expansion.
Membership Committee Mr. Healy.
"There is going to be a depression. These condi-
Membership Committee's Report.
tions cannot last. I have had that in mind. The
Due to the excellent organization of the National football game points out to an event. Harvard points
Piano Manufacturers' Association as well as to its to the Yale game and Princeton points to the Yale
general high reputation in the trade, I have for game, etc. They try to win that game, but they are
three years, as chairman of the Membership Com- pointing to an event. I am now pointing to an event
mittee, been quite conscious of the fact that we are and I am pointing this bureau for the time when
in the unique position of having perhaps as light a the depression comes, so your business is going to
burden as any membership committee of an organi- be less than it is now, so the music business will
zation can have. The National Piano Manufactur- occupy a larger percentage of the total buiness done
ers' Association, however, has practically no pros- than it would without our effort, and how am I
pect list. With very few exceptions, the desirable gonig to do it? I know the time it takes."
Merchants' Marine Report.
members of the trade are already in the associa-
tion. This is stating a great deal for the wide reach-
J.
A.
Coffin,
chairman of the Merchants' Marine
ing influence and desirability of the National Piano department, reported
broadly on American shipping
Manufacturers' Association.
and said in part:
M. A. HEALY,
"Our industry is to have its own export depart-
Chairman of the Membership Committee.
ment. There must be and will be a close alliance
Traffic Committee's Report.
between the two bureaus of Merchant Marine and
Julian T. Mayer, chairman of the Traffic Commit- Export. They have the same objective—a co-ordina-
tion of effort must be theirs, that by mutual endeav-
tee, reported:
The railway situation in this country, as you ors the foreign business of our country shall be so
know, still being in the hand* of the Government, increased that we of the music trade, in securing
supplies very little encouragement to any initiative our just share of not only foreign but domestic
commerce may so advance that our zeal, our power
on the part of any trade or organization.
PIANO MANUFACTURERS
HEAR REVIEW OF YEAR
At Convention This Week President Kirkland H. Gibson Tells of Trying
Conditions Experienced and Sounds an Optimistic
Note in Conclusion.
The New York convention drew good crowds of
live piano men. And the National Music Show
makes a new record. If all of the exhibits had
been ready on opening day there would have been
no blemish to a remarkably fine display. A fierce
blizzard, of the Dakota variety, attended the open-
ing days.
The meetings of the piano manufacturers were
of more importance than customary, because of the
disturbed condition of all business, and especially
of the difficulties which have beset the piano busi-
ness because of shortage of supplies, greatly in-
creased costs, and excess of demand over possibili-
ties of supply. The election of officers resulted in
the following strong executive staff for the ensuing
year:
Otto Schulz, president; Carl Conway, first vice-
president, C. C. Chickering; second vice-president;
Chas. Jacob, treasurer; A. M. Wright, secretary.
Tuesday Morning's Session.
The National Piano Manufacturers' Association
opened its twenty-fourth annual convention Tues-
day morning with a quorum present. On motion
of Max de Rochemont, the press was granted per-
mission to remain present and take full notes. The
reading of the minutes of the last meeting was dis-
pensed with, and the chairman read the president's
rport, which was as follows:
President's Report.
To the Members of the National Piano Manufac-
turers' Association of America:
Since our last convention the piano manufacturers
of this country have been forced to struggle through
eight strenuous months unlike any period in the
past. The many trying conditions, with disappoint-
ing results, are only too well known to all. To have
the crying demand for pianos but to be unable to fill
orders, has hurt. How much longer will the out-
put lag behind the demand? And how soon must
we face the inevitable falling off in business?
Your officers, committees and members are about
to make interesting reports upon today's difficulties
—labor problems, scarcity of materials, taxation,
finances, advancing costs. The need of full discus-
sion of conditions, with advance from as many
members as possible for future guidance, is one of
the chief reasons for holding this meeting.
Your delegates to the Music Industries Chamber
of Commerce have important formation upon the
several matters directly affecting this association.
Under its present able president the Chamber of
Commerce is doing valuable work for the entire
music industry. Our members as a body will help
this association, and also for themselves indi-
vidually find it well worth while, if they will become
more closely acquainted with the broad field now
being covered by the Chamber of Commerce; Mr.
Pound, Mr, Tremaine and Mr. Hill will give what-
ever information is needed.
Death has taken from us men the loss of whose
counsel today we regret; it will be impossible to
express in words the feelings of the members in
their loss, but the usual appropriate resolutions will
be offered.
If ever the need for associating was made evi-
dent it has been plainly shown to our entire industry
in the recent struggles of the piano manufacturers
of this center. Private interests were merged in
their common stand for fair, honest principles. It
is easy to imagine a condition such that when united
we stand and when divided we fall. This asso-
ciation is today financially sound; it will be wise
lo continue its good work and to keep it intact,
healthy and active. Respectfully,
KIRKLAND H. GIBSON, President.
Treasurer's Report.
The report of Treasurer Jacob, read by Assistant
Treasurer Hill, follows:
Balance on hand June 2, 1919, $32,234.40; total re-
ceipts, $27,318.03; total, $59,552.43.
Total disbursements, $18,786.88; balance on hand
Feb. 2, 1920, $40,765.55; uncollected subscriptions,
under 1918 plan, $145; under 1919 plan, $5,591.50.
Secretary's Report.
The chairman called for the secretary's report.
Mr. Chickering: The assistant secretary will no
doubt volunteer to read my report.
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