August 14, 1920.
PRESTO
MAKING ENTHUSIASM ENDURE
P. H. Beck, Head of Byron Mauzy's Phonograph
Department, San Francisco, Tells How to Do It.
THE HIT ALLEY TRUST
Two interesting newspaper items appeared
simultaneously the other day. One recorded
the information that among the three best sell-
ers in music were "You Are Free" and "So
Long Oo-Long." The other item was a story
about music publishers of the Hit Alley col-
ony being "sued as a trust." To people who
do not know much about music publishing it
may seem strange that the Government
should pause in the pursuit of profiteers in the
essentials of life to prosecute the publishers
of "So Long Oo-Long" and similarly danger-
ous and dignified necessities to human happi-
ness.
As a matter of fact, it isn't easy to reconcile
political and industrial conditions with any
thought of governmental intercession in be-
half of the jazz-hungry public. It suggests
the process of hunting gnats with howitzers.
If the Federal prosecutors are in the habit of
taking advantage of the department store bar-
gain counters, they know that the music put
forth by the Hit Alleyites named in the trust
complaint can be bought for a nickel a sheet
to twice that sum. And if there is anything
dangerous to either public welfare or inter-
state commerce in the business thus trans-
acted, it must be in the possibility, or proba-
bility, of encouraging the jazz-time taste.
The demoralizing influences of the "So
Long Oo-Long" style of music may be worth
while investigating. But that the danger of
a restraint of that kind of trade is such as to
call for Federal interference, to insure a full
share of the distribution of the song delights,
doesn't seem imminent.
However, to be perfectly fair about it, the
trouble is not so much in the restraint of the
sheet music selling, as in the organized at-
tempt on the part of Hit Alley to dictate to
the makers of Player-Piano Music as to how
they may apply the popular melodies to the
perforated sheets. It is a reopening of the
forgotten contest which stirred the trade
nearly twenty years ago, at the time Victor
Herbert, and other composers, proposed to
stop the reproduction of their inspirations in
the form of "canned music."
To all who know much about the music
trade, there is one particularly entertaining
statement in the Government prosecutor's
complaint in the anti-trust suit. It is that the
"companies named control 80 per cent, of
copyrighted compositions." Such a statement,
made without qualifications, seems so largely
an exaggeration as to be absurd. If the prose-
cuting attorney knew how many sheets of
music appeared every day, bearing the copy-
right notice, and also how many pieces the
half-dozen members of the trust had. put forth,
and how large are the catalogues of the older
houses in the business, he would have modi-
fied his statement.
But, even so, the flood that flows from Hit
Alley, through the channels of the department
stores, is sufficiently large, and if the Govern-
Omer N. Krushke, vice-president of the Western
Phonograph Company, as chairman of the Pathe
Dealers' Convention, held at the St. Francis Hotel,
San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, July 27, introduced
P. H. Beck, of the Byron Mauzy Company, San
Francisco, as one thoroughly familiar with the sell-
ing end of the game. Mr. Beck in his remarks
pointed out that in many instances the sales depart-
ments did not follow closely enough the various
national campaigns, together with local advertising
ment is bent upon its regulation and purifica- that was done for their product by the manufacturer.
tion, no well-meaning member of the trade Neither did they hook up their window displays,
sales arguments or special stunts with said expendi-
will have any cause for regret. And what is ture.
really needed is not a trust killer to slay the
Mr. Beck said that too often sales folks have felt
giant of jazz, but an. intelligent system of cen- that the main idea in selling was to get the money
the name on the dotted line. In fact, it was the
sorship to soften the suggestiveness and lessen and
consensus of opinion among those present that this
the illiteracy that now mark the outpourings should be done as expediently as possible. However,
of the top-story publishers and contribute to to their surprise Mr. Beck proved to them that while
this was important, of course, still after the sale
the steady ruin of the sheet music industry.
was made great care should be taken to see that the
purchaser had really understood what had been told
him regarding the whys and wherefores of his de-
cision in taking that particular make, so on delivery
his friends could not shake his faith in what he had
Popular Song Published by Sherman, Clay & Co., bought, but on the contrary act as salesman in con-
verting the invariable knocker.
San Francisco, Brings Big Price.
All in all, therefore, it is Mr. Beck's theory that
Ed. Little, head of the sheet music department of the salesman should constantly bear in mind his own
Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco, is naturally interest and curiosity in his sales product, that he
proud of the national success of recent songs pub- exercised the first time seeing such product, and
lished by the company. "Whispering," "Hold Me" transmit that same enthusiasm to the prospective
customer, whoever that may be.
and "Louisiana" are "arrived" songs that stay put.
Sherman, Clay & Co. recently sold the rights to
Art Hickman & Ben Black's "Hold Me" for the
ADDITION TO POWERHOUSE.
largest sum ever obtained for a song. The pur-
Ballinger & Perrot have invited estimates from
chasers are Jerome H. Remick & Company of New
York. It is not the amount received, but the fact Philadelphia contractors for the addition to the
that this amount breaks any previous existing record powerhouse at Camden for the Victor Talking Ma-
is the circumstance that causes Mr. Little particular chine Co.
gratification.
To illustrate the importance of the sale just con-
cluded between Sherman, Clay & Co. and the Remick
3—Snappy Dance Numbers—3
Company over "Hold Me," it may be stated that
Geo. A. Cohan received $25,000 for "Over There,"
"Pretty Mamie"
"Loving Mama"
which has heretofore been the largest price ever
"Heart
Like
An
Irishman"
paid for a song. Previous to that a famous high-
Get these Sellers, and Write for List of Others Just as Good
water mark was $10,000 which Neil Moret got for
"Hiawatha."
THE LORRAINE SONG SHOP, Plainfield, N. J.
Since concluding the "Hold Me" deal, Mr. Little
has received all kinds of offers from the East for
"Whispering," which he declares is more popular
now than any of the Eastern products even in their
If you are not handling the
own territory.
REMICK'S BUYS "HOLD ME"
TALKING MACHINE CO. ASSIGNS.
The Hoffay Talking Machine Company, Inc., a
Delaware corporation, with principal place of busi-
ness at Wilmington, and offices at No. 14 Thomas
street, New York City, last week assigned for the
benefit of creditors to Maurice L. Shaine of No. 299
Broadway. Joseph Hoffay is president of the com-
pany.
A FEW NOTES.
The Emerson Piano House, Decatur, 111., be-
lieves in actively advertising its record department.
The Frederick Burtsch Co., Inc., has closed out
its line of Franklin phonographs.
The Grafaret is the name of a talking machine
and record house recently opened in Salt Lake Citv,
Utah.
The Plymouth Phonograph Co., Plymouth, Wis.,
has increased its capital from $500,000 to $750,000.
New dry kilns and factor yextensions are among
the plans of the company.
The Cincinnati Phonograph Shop, Cincinnati, O.,
has moved from 126 East Fourth street to 147 West
Fourth street. Paul Oleman is manager.
NEW INCORPORATIONS.
La Belle Talking Machine Manufacturing Corp.,
Brooklyn, $15,000; M. L. Goldbert, I. Colbert, P.
Robbins, 130 Wadsworth avenue.
Increases in capital: Stradaveara Phonograph Co.,
Portland, Ore., $4,000,000 to $20,000,000.
Cirola Phonograph Corporation, New York City,
$500,000 to $1,500,000.
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