November 14, 1925.
PRESTO
25
SHEET MUSIC AND RADIO
MAYOR-ELECT WALKER'S SONG
One-Time Popular Song Was Written for Chicago
Girl, Now Composor's Wife..
When State Senator Jimmy Walker is inaugurated
mayor of New York City, the city's first lady and
official hostess will be a native of Illinois, for many
years a resident of Chicago.
For Mrs. Janet Walker, wife of the mayor elect,
was born in De Kalb, 111., the daughter of Frank
Allen, for years a reporter on The Chicago Tribune
and later a city editor on the Chicago American.
She was the original Phoebe Snow of the stage and
met her illustrious husband when she as a singer
lived in Greenwich Village and he was a rising young
song writer.
He wrote a song for her. They saw a lot of each
other and a wedding attended by most of Tammany
Hall's district leaders resulted on April 11, 1912, at
St. Joseph's church in the village.
Although not scheduled on the wedding program,
Walker's song, "Will You Love Me in December
as You Do in May," actually was a part of the musi-
cal program. Miss Allen had helped make it popular;
the author was the groom, so what was more natural
than that it should be sprung on the couple.
The mayoralty contest was enlivened by the sing-
ing of Candidate Walker's successful song by the
campaign quartets, and others as good but not as
well known, were also revived.
SERVICE TO RADIO LISTENER
Interests of Radio Fan Well Looked After at Con-
ference Held in Washington This Week.
The development in radio programs since the first
radio convention three years ago, is one of the amaz-
ing things suggested to the convention in Washington
this week.
Then it was the talk of the country because there
were 50 broadcasting stations. Today there are up-
wards of 550. Three years ago it was a novelty to
hear a piano, a singer, or a brass band on the air.
Today the greatest artists and the finest orchestras
are heard by the humblest listeners.
"Service to the listener" was one of the first points
discussed at the convention in Washington this week.
"The radio listener has already protected himself
against advertising of objectionable quality through
broadcasting stations," said Henry M. Shaw, presi-
dent of the National Radio Trade Association. "By
refusing to listen to uninteresting advertising and
propaganda programs, he has censored the radio pro-
grams of even the greediest broadcaster."
On account of the congestion of the ether the
number of radio broadcasting stations in the United
States is to be reduced as stations voluntarily go out
of existence.
Thereafter no new station will be licensed unless
it is established to the satisfaction of the secretary
of commerce that it would not interfere with other
broadcasting and that it would render a service of
benefit to the public. This policy will be followed in
Manufacturers of
RADIO
Elgin Phonograph & Novelty Co.
Elgin, 111.
the government regulation of radio as a result of
the recommendations of the fourth national radio
conference which ended its deliberations on Wed-
nesday of this week. Congress will be asked to em-
body these recommendations in permanent regulatory
legislation.
"The present conditions threaten the entire broad-
casting structure and the continuation and perform-
ance of broadcasting depends upon the solution of
this problem," said the committee in its main report.
Under the regulations proposed by the conference
the secretary of commerce would be authorized to
appoint local committees to recommend what sta-
tions should or should not be licensed. Other rec-
ommendations follow:
"That the doctrine of free speech be held inviolate.
"That those engaged in radio communication shall
not be required to devote their property to public
use and their properties are therefore not public
utilities, in fact or in law; provided, however, that a
license or a permit to engage in radio communica-
tion shall be issued only to those who in the opinion
of the secretary of commerce will render a benefit
to the public; or are necessary in the public interest;
or are contributing to the development of the art.
PUBLISHER AND BROADCASTER
Questions of Vital Interest to Each Interest Side-
tracked at Radio Convention and Sent to Congress.
The questions of the broadcasting of copyrighted
musical and other compositions proved so contro-
versial at the convention in Washington this week
of radio interests that Secretary of Commerce
Hoover, presiding over the final session of the con-
ference, sidetracked the whole subject and referred
to Congress a committee report recommending legis-
lation regulating the terms on which copyrighted
matter may be broadcast.
The conference committee declared that while
broadcasters recognize the right of copyright pro-
prietors to compensation and to withdrawal of their
compositions from broadcasting they contend that a
composition released to one broadcaster should be
released to all. The broadcasters and composers so
far have failed to agree on terms.
LIST OF MUSICAL LITERATURE.
J. M. Priaulx, of the Charles H. Ditson Co., Bos-
ton, has compiled a useful list of books relating
to music which enterprising dealers will find of
much interest. This compilation is of a character
that arouses interest among musicians and others.
Such books when placed upon sales counters or used
in show windows will create sales. At this particular
period of the year musical literature of this type will
also be found to be readily salable as Christmas gifts.
HUGH A. D'ARCY DIES.
Hugh Antoine D'Arcy, author of the poem, "The
Face Upon the Floor," better known in its song
form as "The Face Upon the Barroom Floor," died
this week of heart disease in the Lenox Hospital,
New York City. He was 82 years old. D'Arcy com-
posed many poems and songs, but "The Face Upon
the Barroom Floor," translated into many languages,
gained for him the most prominence.
To Piano Makers
and Dealers/
For best advertising Song Booka for Grand
Openings, Special Occasions, Holidays, Quanti-
ties for Country Schools, Societies, etc., write
to the Illinois State Register, Dept. P, Spring-
field, Illinois.
PAUL KLUGH ON BROADCASTING
President of National Association of Broadcasters
Explains Purpose of Ballot Sent to Members.
A ballot has been sent to every broadcasting sta-
tion in the United States by the National Associa-
tion of Broadcasters with a request that the owner
vote upon the proposal to submit to congress a peti-
tion to amend that portion of the copyright law hav-
ing to do with mechanical reproduction. It is desired
that it may be applied to broadcasting, that recogni-
tion be made of the rights of the copyright owners,
but that fair payment be stipulated for the use of such
rights by broadcasters.
"Congress in the year 1909 enacted the present
copyright law, placing therein a special paragraph
having to do with mechanical reproduction, by which
is meant phonograph records, piano player rolls, etc.,"
said Paul B. Klugh, speaking for the broadcasters.
"The aim was to prevent monopoly, and to fix a stat-
utory payment which would make copyright music
available to all mechanical reproducers upon the
same terms and conditions. A special provision per-
mits a copyright owner to refuse to release his copy-
right for mechanical reproduction, thus giving the
copyright owner full control of his property. But
the law further provides that if the copyright owner
release his copyright to one mechanical reproducer,
then he is compelled to release to all others at the rate
which the law provides. This law has now been in
operation sixteen years and has protected the inter-
ests of all parties concerned with fairness and equity,
including the public."
It is explained to broadcasters that their filling out
the ballot will in no manner affect their present status
on copyright music, and leaves them free to act indi-
vidually as they may desire.
"It will, however," Mr. Klugh concluded, "place the
National Association of Broadcasters in a position to
proceed upon a program which has for its purpose,
first, a fair recognition of the rights of copyright
owners; second, a fair payment for the use of such
rights; and lastly, the making of the proposed
arrangement permanent and beyond the control of
any one to change, through asking congress to amend
the present copyright law."
APOLOGY AND RETRACTION.
Thomas J. Donlan, 325 West 75th street, New
York, secretary-treasurer of the National Association
of Sheet Music Dealers, sends to Presto the follow-
ing: "The rumor to the effect that the Richmond
Music Supply Corp., of New York, had collaborated
with others in the supplying of the publications of G.
Schirmer, Inc., to the Theo. Presser Co., of Philadel-.
phia, after Messrs. Schirmer had curtailed the last-
named firm's wholesale rates, having been declared to
be without foundation in fact by the head of the firs^
named, I therefore take great pleasure in apologizing
for having mentioned it and in retracting the same."
Mr. Donlan signs the statement just as it is here
quoted.
REMICK SONG HITS
Sometime
By the Light of the Stars
Sweet Georgia Brown
If I Had a Girl Like You
Got No Time
You Told Me To Go
Mother Me Tennessee
Oh Lovey Be Mine
On the Bam Bam Bamy Shore
Good Mornin'
I'm Going to Charleston, Back to
Charleston
Let's Wander Away
When Eyes of Blue Are Fooling You
J. H. REMICK & CO.
New York
Chicago
Detroit
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