Music Trade Review
Issue: 1917 Vol. 65 N. 15 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
tion to the individual member when he stated that "the benefits
accruing from association membership were in exact ratio to the
benefits that the association received from the member himself."
In other words, the man who pays his dues and then waits for
something to happen very likely will be disappointed.
An association to be successful must be composed of en-
thusiasts and must possess to a marked degree what the French
so aptly term esprit de corps. As a chain is only as strong as
its weakest link, so trade association is just so strong as the
individual members tend to make it. It is a fact to be noted
that the man who most generally complains about the inactivity
of the association and its inability to bring about trade reforms
in a day, is the very man who sits in his office and waits for
something to happen. He doesn't stop to think that it is him-
self and those of similar characteristics who hold the organiza-
tion back. He wouldn't stand for a member of his organization
sitting at a desk all day without making effort to sell goods but
with plenty of time to comment upon the general business de-
pression ; and yet he wants the association to accomplish results
with much dead wood impeding its action.
A man that takes an active interest in an association will
see that it makes progress, and when the progress is not as
great as anticipated he will be in a position to understand the
cause. The officers of the trade association are drawn from the
members. They serve without pay and at times neglect their
own personal business interests to attend to the duties of their
offices. Their sacrifice is at least worthy of a little interest and
co-operation on the part of the individual member. That is
little enough payment for their work.
T
HE labor question is still one of the most pressing that is
facing the piano trade to-day, and there is no immediate pros-
pect of the situation being relieved to any extent for an indefi-
nite period to come. Not only has the call of the military taken
away many men from all departments, but the call of the war
industries, with their inflated wage offerings, has also met with
generous response not only from piano factories but from fac-
tories in every other peace industry.
The advisability of employing women is being considered
with more seriousness each week, not necessarily from any idea
that women are superior to men in handling the work, but sim-
ply from the necessity of having some form of human labor to
carry on the work at all.
One of the piano action factories has been forced to employ
female labor in several of its departments, and the experiment
has not proven wholly a success, from the simple fact that
efficient methods of control have not been devised. The foremen
had been used to bossing men for years and did not know just
how to handle women. They did not care to "bawl them out,"
as the common expression goes, and yet to reason or plead with
them would display'weakness. The result was that, between
the two extremes, the foreman was practically compelled to let
things slide and the work naturally suffered both in quality and
quantity. It is reported that the dropping of a bolt at one end
of the room would be sufficient to detract the attention of a
score of girls'from their work. Then there was the usual fac-
tory gossip to be indulged in, and on the whole the plan did not
work out at all satisfactory.
It is probable that the house in question will adopt the plan
of placing a forewoman over the girls and have her responsible
to the foreman, the woman to control the girls and the foreman
to lay out and pass upon the work. But the experience thus far
should serve to guide other manufacturers who expect to utilize
female labor.
T
HE action of the Federal Government in fixing the price of
the present wheat crop at $2.20 a bushel is now known
to be the first of a series of similar definite price fixing measures
which will be put into effect by the administration. While the
price fixed by the Government is not quite as high as some of
the farmers had expected to obtain, it is safe to assume that the
interests of the farmers generally have been conserved, and
that on the whole the producers of wheat will receive a fair profit
on their season's output.
This automatic fixing of a standard price for wheat will also
mitigate the chances of exorbitant prices for flour and other
wheat products later, as the speculators will find themselves
shorn of much of the power they formerly possessed to corner
the market and send prices skyward.
Aside from the fact that this act on the part of the Govern-
ment assures the farmer of a fair price for his product and also
assures the consumer that he will not have to pay an unfair
price for flour and bread later on, there is a psychological effect
pertaining to the procedure, the value of which must not be
underestimated.
There are still many people who have an inherent fear of
war time conditions, and despite the fact that the experiences
of both England and Canada have shown that war times, at
least in this day and generation, are prosperous times, there has
been an undercurrent of unrest distinctly noticeable in the minds
of many people. This unrest has not been due to a lack of faith
in the ultimate future of the country, but has been due to the
more or less uncertainty with which the future has been shrouded.
The action of the Government in definitely fixing the status
of the wheat market, easily one of the most important markets
in the country, should do much towards lifting the veil of ob-
scurity, so far as the future is concerned, thereby bringing to
those in need of it a more definite feeling of assurance that this
nation can safely weather the stress and strain attendant upon
the conflict in which it is now engaged.
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
tion to the individual member when he stated that "the benefits
accruing from association membership were in exact ratio to the
benefits that the association received from the member himself."
In other words, the man who pays his dues and then waits for
something to happen very likely will be disappointed.
An association to be successful must be composed of en-
thusiasts and must possess to a marked degree what the French
so aptly term esprit de corps. As a chain is only as strong as
its weakest link, so trade association is just so strong as the
individual members tend to make it. It is a fact to be noted
that the man who most generally complains about the inactivity
of the association and its inability to bring about trade reforms
in a day, is the very man who sits in his office and waits for
something to happen. He doesn't stop to think that it is him-
self and those of similar characteristics who hold the organiza-
tion back. He wouldn't stand for a member of his organization
sitting at a desk all day without making effort to sell goods but
with plenty of time to comment upon the general business de-
pression ; and yet he wants the association to accomplish results
with much dead wood impeding its action.
A man that takes an active interest in an association will
see that it makes progress, and when the progress is not as
great as anticipated he will be in a position to understand the
cause. The officers of the trade association are drawn from the
members. They serve without pay and at times neglect their
own personal business interests to attend to the duties of their
offices. Their sacrifice is at least worthy of a little interest and
co-operation on the part of the individual member. That is
little enough payment for their work.
T
HE labor question is still one of the most pressing that is
facing the piano trade to-day, and there is no immediate pros-
pect of the situation being relieved to any extent for an indefi-
nite period to come. Not only has the call of the military taken
away many men from all departments, but the call of the war
industries, with their inflated wage offerings, has also met with
generous response not only from piano factories but from fac-
tories in every other peace industry.
The advisability of employing women is being considered
with more seriousness each week, not necessarily from any idea
that women are superior to men in handling the work, but sim-
ply from the necessity of having some form of human labor to
carry on the work at all.
One of the piano action factories has been forced to employ
female labor in several of its departments, and the experiment
has not proven wholly a success, from the simple fact that
efficient methods of control have not been devised. The foremen
had been used to bossing men for years and did not know just
how to handle women. They did not care to "bawl them out,"
as the common expression goes, and yet to reason or plead with
them would display'weakness. The result was that, between
the two extremes, the foreman was practically compelled to let
things slide and the work naturally suffered both in quality and
quantity. It is reported that the dropping of a bolt at one end
of the room would be sufficient to detract the attention of a
score of girls'from their work. Then there was the usual fac-
tory gossip to be indulged in, and on the whole the plan did not
work out at all satisfactory.
It is probable that the house in question will adopt the plan
of placing a forewoman over the girls and have her responsible
to the foreman, the woman to control the girls and the foreman
to lay out and pass upon the work. But the experience thus far
should serve to guide other manufacturers who expect to utilize
female labor.
T
HE action of the Federal Government in fixing the price of
the present wheat crop at $2.20 a bushel is now known
to be the first of a series of similar definite price fixing measures
which will be put into effect by the administration. While the
price fixed by the Government is not quite as high as some of
the farmers had expected to obtain, it is safe to assume that the
interests of the farmers generally have been conserved, and
that on the whole the producers of wheat will receive a fair profit
on their season's output.
This automatic fixing of a standard price for wheat will also
mitigate the chances of exorbitant prices for flour and other
wheat products later, as the speculators will find themselves
shorn of much of the power they formerly possessed to corner
the market and send prices skyward.
Aside from the fact that this act on the part of the Govern-
ment assures the farmer of a fair price for his product and also
assures the consumer that he will not have to pay an unfair
price for flour and bread later on, there is a psychological effect
pertaining to the procedure, the value of which must not be
underestimated.
There are still many people who have an inherent fear of
war time conditions, and despite the fact that the experiences
of both England and Canada have shown that war times, at
least in this day and generation, are prosperous times, there has
been an undercurrent of unrest distinctly noticeable in the minds
of many people. This unrest has not been due to a lack of faith
in the ultimate future of the country, but has been due to the
more or less uncertainty with which the future has been shrouded.
The action of the Government in definitely fixing the status
of the wheat market, easily one of the most important markets
in the country, should do much towards lifting the veil of ob-
scurity, so far as the future is concerned, thereby bringing to
those in need of it a more definite feeling of assurance that this
nation can safely weather the stress and strain attendant upon
the conflict in which it is now engaged.
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).