Presto

14
PkESTO
HOW PRESTO READERS FEEL
ABOUT SOME TRADE DOINGS
Expressions of Opinion and Statements of Facts by Practical Members
of the Trade Who Think and Give Expression in
Plain Terms to What They Think.
MR. MEYERCORD ON EXPORTS
Manager of American Manufacturers' Foreign Un-
derwriters Corrects Presto Article.
Chicago, July 20, 1920.
Editor Presto: I refer to a clipping of your issue
of July 3, covering your mention of the plan of
insuring foreign credits under the mutual company
organized by Mr. Meyercord and other officials of
the Illinois Manufacturers' Association.
The explanation of the service, however, that you
give is not in accord with the actual plan and I
rather imagine that your article is based upon a
very old talk of Mr. Meyercord's given before the
National Foreign Trade Council at Cincinnati. It
was at that time that he suggested that all forces
interested in export trade could logically combine
to form a company for the insuring of foreign
credits.
However, since that time Mr. Meyercord and his
ascociates have worked-out a very broad and con-
structive plan for giving this service to exporting
American manufacturers and to more fully acquaint
you with the plan, I am sending you copies of Man-
ufacturers' News, in which appears Mr. Meyercord's
talk on the subject at the convention of the Na-
tional Foreign Trade Counsel held in San Francisco
two months ago.
I want to ask for the benefit of your readers that
in the coming issue of your paper you correct th«
wrong ifnpression given.
Yours very truly,
J. B. BENSON,
General Manager American Manufacturers' Foreign
Credit Underwriters, Inc.
[The data kindly furnished by Mr. Benson ar-
rived too late for us to comply with his suggestion
in this issue. Next week's Presto will give the mat-
ter attention and will present an entertaining and
valuable contribution to an important subject.—
Editor Presto.]
* * *
SHEET MUSIC TROUBLES
Head of Active Music House in Kentucky
States His Case and Asks for Sugges-
tions for Betterment.
Owensboro, Ky., July 14, 1920.
Editor Presto: The writer has carefully noticed
from time to time, the last six months, different arti-
cles relative to standardizing the sheet music busi-
ness, but the matter is not clear to us as to what im-
provement the publishers and jobbers are making,
or what advancement they have attained.
We all know very well what has caused sheet
music, and the business, to drift into the ten-cent
stores, and to be kicked out of the back doors of
the live music houses. When the time comes that
the music publishers and jobbers will not sell the
music teachers and academies at the same price they
sell the dealers, we may have an adjustment of af-
fairs. How can they expect a fair representation
from houses that have made the country musical to-
day?
Many years ago, we well remember, the sheet music
end of our business was the best part of it when it
came to ready cash. Then we sold teaching music to
the teachers and academies. But since they have been
furnished all the music they desired on six months'
approval, to sell to the pupils from their homes and
studios, and return all they did not use, it has
certainly put a crimp in the business for dealers.
The dealers have tried, all over the country, to ex-
plain this matter intelligently to the public and, in
spite of all they could do, it has been disposed of
in this way.
The music dealers have built the trade, and now
they have been forced to take this part of it away,
losing considerable money. And until the publish-
ers and jobbers go, hand-in-hand and heart-to-heart,
with the music dealers, so that we can thoroughly
understand the situation of the dealers, and arrange to
have territory, the same as we have for instruments,
the publishers can never expect the dealers to in-
vest ready capital.
We know from personal experience, in our own
city, and it is to be regretted, if one wants a good
standard piece of music, he has to wait until a spe-
cial order is made and returned before he can get it,
or he must go to a ten-cent store and buy a copy of
popular music that does not live any time. Then
the public keeps asking what is the matter, that
they cannot get service when they want good stand-
ard music. We know, but are ashamed to acknowl-
edge to our customers that such conditions prevail
which has demoralized the sheet music business.
When the time comes that we, as one concern,
can be safeguarded against the rules and methods
today existing, we are willing to put in a depart-
ment and keep it all the time, for the public to have
standard sheet music, and which will be a credit to
our business
We are addressing this letter to you, hoping that
there may be a way so that the dealers may have
an old-time music store again. Any information
you may give us along these lines will be appre-
ciated.
Yours very truly,
SAMUELS-BITTEL MUSIC CO.,
By W. S. SAMUELS.
[We can sympathize with what is said about the
condition of the sheet music business. Of late,
however, there has been effort made to improve in
some respects, and Mr. Delaney, of Lyon & Healy,
Chicago, has evinced a good deal of ambition in be-
half of his branch of the business. It is possible
that, after reviewing our correspondent's communi-
cation the gentleman just named may be induced to
make some suggestions along the lines to which
attention is drawn.—Ed. Presto.]
* * *
BRADFORD IMPROVEMENTS
July 24, 1920.
PLANS OF MANAGER
FOR CHILD TRAINING
George H. Hubert, Head of Sales Department
of Arthur Jordan Piano Co., Wash-
ington, Tells Them.
George H. Hubert, the new sales manager of
the Arthur Jordan Piano Co., Washington, D. C,
is a man thoroughly well versed in piano selling
methods and musical affairs generally through the
years spent with Wanamaker in New York, Lyon
& Healy, Chicago, and with Sherman, Clay & Co.,
Tacoma, Wash. Mr. Hubert succeeds Frank H.
Kimmel, now on the road forces of the Foster-Arm-
strong division of the American Piano Co.
The other day, in conversation with the musical
editor of The Herald, Mr. Hubert spoke of a plan
he had in mind to assist in the revolutionizing of
the educational moving pictures containing a con-
sistent story with a genuine moral in it. This move-
ment must be made simultaneously throughout the
entire world in every town, city and hamlet, and
the interest maintained by parents and others who
arc interested in the welfare of children. While the
pictures will be the attraction and serve as an edu-
cational feature for the children, good music will be
the real motive and power behind with which to
mold the finer sensibilities and natures.
"If this movement is carried on for a period of
fifty years,'" said Mr. Hubert, "in an altrustic and
co-operative spirit I have the utmost faith that the
mind of the child today will be gradually developed
into a kinder and into a finer feeling for others
when great and important questions are to be set-
tled. The world can never prosper until we have
as our principle a kindly thought for our fellow
man, or at least the inclination to try and see the
other side of the question, and I believe music will
be, if not the main factor in developing this char-
acter or dispositon, one of the most important in--
fluenc.es that can be brought to bear."
" 'In other words," continued Mr. Hubert, "the
child mind brought up in an atmosphere of good
music for a period of two or three generations will
so attract everyone as to compel them to become
interested in this movement. Such a change will
bring complete co-operation and will also develop
the child until it comes to a position where it must
decide important questions, at which time the musi-
cal influences will temper its judgment to the more
humane and kindlier decisions."
Milwaukee Will Have One of the Best-Equipped
Piano Houses in the Country.
Milwaukee, July 19, 1920.
Editor Presto: It might be of interest to you to
know that we are at the present time rebuilding
our four-story store at 411 Broadway, as well as
making many changes at our south side branch at
596 Mitchell street. Our business has grown so the
past two or three years that we have completely Workers in Factories of English Metropolis Termi-
nate Trouble Without Definite Results.
outgrown our quarters, and building conditions are
such that it is impossible to build a new building,
[By Presto's Special Correspondent.]
which we had planned, so we are meeting the
London, July 7, 1920.
proposition by condensing departments and a com-
The London piano factories, which for more than
plete remodeling.
When our store is complete, we believe we shall twelve weeks have been closed, are again open, and
have as attractive and well arranged piano house as work commences this morning. It will be remem-
there is in the country. We are putting in a very bered that the strike and lockout was caused by the
elaborate front window and are also installing a difference between the pianoforte manufacturers
new service counter and filing cases for both Victor and the men's union upon the question of a bonus
records and playerpiaho records; nine new booths on output.
The union opposed the bonus, as likely to lead to
for Victor records and two exclusively for player-
piano records, as well as new reception rooms and the pre-war system of piece work. The pianoforte
executive offices. This will all be on the first floor. manufacturers insisted upon the establishment of
The second floor will contain our talking machine the bonus to speed up production and to reduce
department, with especial rooms devoted to Period costs. The terms of settlement allow the men to
Tvpes, also parlors for demonstration of player- return on the day work principle, of a minimum
pianos. The third floor will contain parlors for re- rate of wage, and it has been agreed that within a
producing grands and uprights, and other parlors period of three months a ballot of the trade be
for grand pianos. The fourth floor will be devoted taken to decide the whole question.
The strike, with its attendant losses, has thus
entirely to Mason & H ami in parlors, while the base-
ment will contain the receiving and shipping depart- ended without definite results being attained.
ment. The entire building will be finished in an-
tique ivory, and will be carpeted and refurnished
LARGER CHASE-HACKLEY PLANT.
throughout.
H. H. Bradley, manager of the Chicago and Mid-
Our business for the entire year has been most Western business of the Chase-Hackley Piano Com-
satisfactory, each month showing a very handsome pany, was at the factory last Friday. He says the
increase over any previous corresponding month in company is now occupying the new part of the fac-
the history of our business.
tory in addition to the old parts. The lumber work-
The lines we represent are Mason & Hamlin, ing parts have been extended and the company is
Sohmer, Conover, Shoninger, Cable, Kingsbury, using a dryer-room in which it has installed mod-
Wellington. Brambach and the entire Apollo and ern processes. The business is on a high plane of
Cable line of players in grands and uprights, as well efficiency and the company is looking after its old
as Victrolas and Sonoras.
customers, particularly during these days of scarcity
I am giving you this information, knowing that of manufactured goods.
you have no correspondent here in town and that
you might desire to make use of it. With best
wishes, I am
spondent in Milwaukee. This paper has been rep-
Yours very truly,
resented there, by capable service, for the past
J. B. BRADFORD" PIANO COMPANY,
twenty years or more, as the weekly review of the
HUGH W. RANDALL, President.
Milwaukee trade gives evidence. But what Mr.
[Mr. Randall's letter will be read with interest. Randall says about the Bradford Piano Co. has not,
But he is mistaken about Presto's having no corre- before, perhaps, been fully covered.—Ed. Presto.]
LONDON PIANO WORKERS
STRIKE ENDS AT LAST
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