12
June 13, 192S.
PRESTO
MUSIC MERCHANTS'
INTERESTING WEEK
Annual Convention of National Association
at Drake Hotel a Period of Business Talks
and Friendly Interchange of Pleas-
antries by Big Congenial Gathering.
that they may know all of the facts and conditions and
go before the classification committees, backed up by
the authority, in the interest of the people in this trade,
before they can get any reductions or any relief."
Parham Werlein, New Orleans, moved the matter
be referred to the executive committee for concerted
action to be taken. The motion was carried.
TH£ ANNUAL BANQUET.
"Make America Musical," in letters of golden light
over the speaker's table, was the greeting to the hun-
dreds of delegates, the ladies, and their friends, who
gathered in the large dining hall and the Avenue of
Palms, at the Drake Hotel, Chicago, on the evening of
June 10. It was the twenty-fourth annual banquet of
the National Association of Music Merchants, the event
W. W. Smith, Retiring Head of Organization, Voiced de-luxe of the big 1925 convention.
Protest Against Causes Leading to Regrettable
Appetizing Menu.
Condition at Meetings.
Nothing had been overlooked to make the event com-
Following his annual report, President W. W. plete, and the attractive menu in heliotrope was a
Smith, alluded to the difficulty of getting the mem- memento of the occasion. As for the bill of fare, a
will suffice to convince the most critical epicure
bers into the meetings, and said he knew it was due glance
that
it
would
to a certain condition. "Before next year it seems be convinced. be difficult to improve upon it. Read, and
to me some steps should be taken to eliminate the
MENU.
luncheons that not only interfere with our meetings,
Canape Tricolor
and the manufacturers' meetings and the tuners'
meetings, but take from the Chicago Piano Club
Cream of New Asparagus
luncheons. Those fellows have devoted weeks and Celerv
Olives
Radishes
weeks of hard work to preparing for this conven-
tion.
Escallope of Whitefish, Americain
"Understand, there are a number of luncheons at
Broiled Breast of Chicken, Virgienne
noon. It is not the fault of our members, it is a fault
String Beans Au Beurre
of the condition that exists. I would be glad to see
Potatoes Alphonso
our dealers take it up with the manufacturers as they
meet them around here, and not wait until our mid-
Salad Blackstone
year conference or something of that kind, but start
right now and clean up this situation. It is all
Fresh Strawberry Mousse
wrong."
Mignardises
Honors for Alec McDonald.
Demi-Tasse
The association recognized the value of the slogan
"Make America Musical," originating with Alec Mc-
Cigars and Cigarettes
Donald, and honored him, presenting him with his
slogan beautifully engraved, and Mr. Cromwell moved
Music Was Broadcast.
that a fund be appropriated from the treasury and that
An elaborate musical program had been prepared,
some stamps be made with his slogan, "Make Amer-
ica Musical," and be furnished free to any merchant which by the way, was broadcast over the radio, and
immediately after the diners had partaken of the fare,
writing for them.
P. E. Conroy offered an amendment that the Na- this was begun. The several artists, all well-known
tional Music Merchants' Association have manufac- products of our American music schools, proved to be
most noteworthy, and the great applause showered
tured several single and double wood cuts that could
be circulated among all the dealers in the country to upon each was the best evidence of what a tine im-
use in their advertising. Motion and amendment pression they made on those present.
The first performer was William Lusk, well-known
were carried.
A message of congratulation sponsored by Ed. violinist composer, who played several numbers, the
Guissler, Los Angeles, president of the Western Mu- first being a work of his own—then followed George
Liebling, pianist-composer, who enjoys a splendid rep-
sic Trades' Association, was read.
Carrying Charges vs. Interest.
J. J. Black, of the Willy B. Allen Company, San
Francisco, read a valuable paper on "Carrying Charge
on Installment Sales," applying to talking machines,
radios and small instruments, on the Pacific Coast.
There is no carrying charge on pianos on which in-
The Intrinsic Qualities of This
terest at 8% per annum is charged.
In an instructive address on the trade-in C. A.
Piano Command Attention
Grinnell of Detroit said he would like to stress one
very important point, and that is the adoption by the
trade of the term "used piano" or "reconstructed
A High Grade Instrument at a
piano" in its application for sale to the public, in-
Moderate Price
stead of the term "second hand piano." He con-
sidered it has a better psychological effect on the
minds of the public than the use of the word "second
First Class Factory and Equipment
hand."
Ample Production and Service
The Freight Question.
Col. Hollenberg, in the course of a forceful address,
said:
FACTORY: Thirty-First St. and First Ave.
"We have got to make some effort to get the Mu-
sic Industries Chamber of Commerce or the Mer-
OFFICES: 338 East 31st Street, New York N. Y.
chants' Association to establish a freight bureau so
PRESIDENTS PROTEST
SPENCER
SPENCER PIANO COMPANY, Inc.
utation in the musical world, who favored his hearers
with several classic selections. Miss Cyrena Van Gor-
don, contralto, a leading member of the Chicago Grand
Opera Company, sang two high-class numbers in a
wonderful manner, and concluded a most enjoyable pro-
gram.
Some Ready Speakers.
Toastmaster Smith announced the names of several
members of the association, who in a few well chosen
words, bade welcome to the guests, and voiced the sen-
timent of the convention by expressing their praise for
the good work being done by the organization, and their
pleasure at being present on this occasion.
The speakers of the evening were then announced,
the first being the Hon. Henry R. Rathbone, con-
gressman-at-large for the state of Illinois. Congress-
man Rathbone's reputation as an orator is well known,
and his talk on this occasion was in keeping with his
usual standard. He spoke on the value of the slogan
adopted by the national association, of the importance
of music—good music—in the home and every other
place in the country, dwelling upon the effect that mu-
sic has on everyone. He stated that every nation should
be musical, and incidentally took a rap at modern jazz,
which was polluting good and beautiful music. He
was given an ovation at the close of his address.
The next speaker was T. Anthony Mills, of New
York, who spoke in a more jocose mood, but whose
talk was greatly enjoyed for the ideas expressed.
And then the Dance.
With the conclusion of Mr. Mills' talk, Toastmaster
Smith announced that dancing would be enjoyed by
those who cared to participate, in the ballroom, and as
the hour was growing late—or early—the jolly crowd
wended its way where the heart desired, and the ban-
quet was at an end.
But even then the memory lingers, and the recollec-
tion of the hours spent amid such a gathering of con-
genial spirit?, lingers, like an old song, haunting us
with its melody of a vision that will not down.
Golfers at the Convention Tournament, which is to
be held at the Olympia Fields Country Club, may, dur-
ing the interval between rounds, entertain themselves
with the Ampico. The Raymond Music Corporation of
Chicago have recently placed a Knabe Grand Ampico
in this handsome club house.
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