Presto

July 4, 1925.
PRESTO
FIGHT FOR LIFE
OF BRITISH PIANO
EEBURG
Unfair German Competition for Fifty Years
Before the Great War Force English Manu-
facturers to Sheer Competitive Necessity
of Producing Cheap Instruments.
DUTIES GIVE RESPITE
TYLE"L"
The KEY to
OSITIVE
ROFITS
MANUFACTURED ONLY BY
J. P. Seeburg
Piano Co.
"Leaders in the
Automatic Field"
1510 Dayton St.
Chicago
Address Department "E"
McKenna Measures Gave Protection But German
Piano Importation Never Was Completely
Prevented at Any Time.
The fight of the British piano manufacturing indus-
try for its life in competition with the German pianos
was ably presented to the British Industries Con-
vention recently by Gerald Forty in his paper, "The
Case for British Pianos." Alluding to the McKenna
Duties he said:
I am sure that the manufacturers are not so mis-
guided as to think that a duty on imported pianos is
going to shield them from the chilly blast of foreign
competition for the rest of all time. They would do
well to regard this duty as affording them a respite—
possibly of brief duration, during which they may
secure their defences—in the only sound and effectual
way, namely, by so improving their product that, on
its merits as a musical instrument—and not by the
handicapping of its competitors, the British piano will
hold its own and establish for itself throughout the
world the proved and unchallenged reputation of
being second to none.
This is the position that the British piano held
fifty years ago, but whether it holds it now or not,
there is no gainsaying that its reputation has been
menaced and undermined by German competition
during the last fifty years, and duty or no duty, the
same determined attack will have to be reckoned with
—only in an intensified form—in the future.
German Royal Aid.
For fifty years before the war the British piano
industry suffered from utterly unfair German compe-
tition. The German Court influence of the Victorian
era fostered pro-German prejudice, the German com-
mission system warped the artistic discrimination of
the profession, and caused them to recommend Ger-
man pianos in preference to British. The most astute
and far-seeing trade development policy of the Ger-
man Government by means of subsidies, credits, rail-
way and shipping concessions, aided by our lamb-
like policy of so-called "free trade," combined to
admit such a flood of German pianos into this coun-
try at such unapproachable prices that British manu-
facturers—with the exception of the very few whose
famous names could withstand this devastating at-
tack—were forced by sheer necessity to make stuff
which was so cheap that it could just undersell the
worst class of German piano.
But at what a cost! The cost of our national repu-
tation as piano manufacturers. I am not blaming
them. They had no alternative short of ruin. The
dice were loaded and they hadn't a fair chance.
The War Time Piano.
Then the war came, and the whole condition of
things was changed, and as soon as that nightmare
was over and the powers, in their wisdom, introduced
the McKenna duties—which gave the crippled indus-
try a chance to get on its feet—it is a matter of pride
to us all that the British manufacturer made use of
the opportunity to endeavor to express his ideals,
and—speaking especially of the manufacturer of what
is known as the commercial piano—he made a better
piano than he had ever made before. He was in a
position to ask a fair but moderate price—a price
which would enable him to spend money on research
and finish and art, and he spent it on his product and
made it something that we can look upon with pride.
The manufacturers rose to the occasion and used
their improved circumstances—not only to get rich',
but to raise the quality and the prestige of the British
piano to a higher level than it had occupied for half
a century.
German Competition Continues.
In this recovery they were unquestionably aided by
the McKenna duties, and also by chaotic industrial
and economic conditions in Germany; but even those
factors did not prevent the importation during 1920
of 5,800 foreign pianos; or in 1921 of 9,000; or in
1922 of 16,000; or in 1923 of 13,000—practically all of
which came from Germany. During those years we
were still protected by the McKenna Duties, and
admittedly Germany was not yet on her legs; but
the Germany of today and next year and the year
after will be an increasingly formidable opponent,
and that is why I feel that I am justified in rallying
the retail side of the trade to the more active co-op-
eration in the counter-offensive which the manufac-
turers will have to put up. if the advantage which we
have won during the last few years is to be retained
and further consolidated.
For Improved Pianos.
The business of the manufacturers is to improve
their product, to make pianos that will withstand
both fierce competition and relentless criticism, and
then to back up their product with the most effective
publicity—both at home and abroad. This question
of propaganda is one which deserves serious consid-
eration. It is of no use to be "too proud to fight."
It is fatuous to pretend that the goods, no matter
how excellent, will speak for themselves. We learned
during the war—when it was almost too late—that
even the reputation of the British Empire had to be
defended by propaganda, and we had to oppose Ger-
many's insidious penetrative methods for forming-
public opinion by something similar—only better.
The British piano manufacturer cannot ignore the
effects of half a century of German propaganda, the
roots of which are so deep in as to have withstood
the shock of the four and one-quarter years of war.
Ask Retailers' Help.
Nothing is gained by a lack of frankness in con-
sidering this very important aspect of our industry,
for it constitutes a joint in our armour through which
can be reached a very vital part of our anatomy, and
I believe that I voice the views of the retail side of
the industry, when I say that it would help dealers
substantially in their efforts to combat foreign com-
petition if there were a strong and co-operative policy
on the part of our leading manufacturers, to replace
on the platforms of this country foreign concert
grands by equally good instruments of British manu-
facture. It would be to the interest of them all, and
they might profitably consider in what way they
might help one another to man this breach in our
defences.
Unless the British piano is prepared to compete
with the German piano, on its merits as a musical
instrument, we must not be surprised if the British
public—or, at any rate, that section of the public
which possesses sufficient money and discrimination to
be in a position to choose one or the other—decides
that art knows no frontiers, and that patriotism should
not be called into question where the means for musi-
cal expression is concerned; for that is what a piano
is to them—a means of musical expression—nothing-
less, and nothing more.
BURGLARS OPEN SAFE OF
WILLIAM TONK & BRO.
Loss in Money Inconsiderable, But Safe Was
Ruined and Papers Scattered in Mix-up
all Over Floor.
When William Tonk, head of William Tonk &
Bro., Inc., New York, entered his office Friday morn-
ing of last week, he had a very sharp surprise. Bur-
glars had entered the place and had broken into the
safe, scattering all the papers from it and all the
filing cases all over the floor. The safe was not
dynamited, nor were the locks manipulated, but the
door was forced open by chisels and other tools that
the burglars were able to obtain in the factory.
Luckily the greatest damage was to the safe. The
money they got consisted of petty cash and was
inconsiderable, amounting to about $25.00.
The damage to the safe will amount to consider-
able, however, and a new one may have to be pur-
chased in its place, as the repairing of the wrecked
"strong box" would possibly amount to as much as
the price of a new one.
"The worst job was the straightening out of the
papers emptied from the safe, desks and filing cabi-
nets and strewn all over the office. However, we are
fairly well over it now, except, of course, that the
replacing of the safe will require a few days. Where-
as, I am not glad, I am taking the loss philosophic-
ally," said Mr. Tonk this week.
ADVISE INSTALLMENT PLAN.
Frequently, foreign representatives of American
manufacturers write long communications to their
home offices complaining of losing business because
more favorable terms of payment than they were able
to extend were granted by foreign competitors. On
a recent trip to Mexico this same complaint was
heard by R. A. Lundquist of the Bureau of Com-
merce, and several recent instances were cited to him.
He points out the extent of the installment business
here and adds: "Looking at the subject from a man-
ufacturer's standpoint, it would seem that as foreign
manufacturers can sell goods in this manner where
good business judgment warrants such transactions,
American manufacturers with their greater resources,
should be able to meet competition."
NEW MUSIC TRADE DIRECTORY.
The French publishers of the Universal Music
Trades Directory report that the work is now near-
ing completion, and they promise a reliable guide to
the music trade of the world. This volume will con-
tain the addresses of music traders in all countries
without exception.
ADDS MUSIC GOODS.
A department carrying a line of general musical
merchandise has been announced by Barrier Bros.'
big department store of Lubbock, Texas, of which
C. G. Barrier is proprietor and manager. Until space
in the main building can be provided the new music
section will be housed in temporary quarters outside.
Enhanced content © 2008-2009 and presented by MBSI - The Musical Box Society International (www.mbsi.org) and the International Arcade Museum (www.arcade-museum.com).
All Rights Reserved. Digitized from the archives of the MBSI with support from NAMM - The International Music Products Association (www.namm.org).
Additional enhancement, optimization, and distribution by the International Arcade Museum. An extensive collection of Presto can be found online at http://www.arcade-museum.com/library/