Music Trade Review

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JUNE 8,
1918
THE MUSIC TRADE
13
REVIEW
CONVENTION OF THE NATIONAL PIANO MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION—(Continued from p a g e 11)
on their part allowed us to proceed in our af-
fairs with the recommendation of but a mod-
erate change from the regular course.
Those who have been receiving reports from
Washington from the very first announcement
of the War Excise Tax measure to date realize
that quite a wrong impression of the piano in-
dustry was held, and a general enlightenment of
Senators, Congressmen and war officials was
brought about.
It is very pleasant to report that houses not
members of our association, notably including
Steinway & Sons, the Baldwin Piano Co. and
Sohmer & Co., have freely supported our
work financially and have expressed their ap-
preciation of the endeavors of our association.
The course of our affairs during the year that
has passed has changed inasmuch as we have
held executive committee meetings when occa-
sions demanded them, and have not adhered to
the precedent of one meeting in the month of
January or February. Informal meetings were
held in addition.
Through the issuance of bulletins you were
constantly kept informed of the general de-
velopment of affairs at Washington in respect
to proposed restrictions upon our industry.
On November 14 was held the most important
meeting probably ever brought about in our
trade, important in respect to the future, for
at that meeting a definite plan for co-ordinated
effort was arranged for. The co-operation of
all our industry was sought, and it was decided
to make the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce the avenue through which our en-
deavors should pass. The policy of isolation
of one association from the other was done away
with on that momentous day of November 14,
1917. It was a decision to be "one for all, all
for one," the one thought of the general good
of our industry to be followed.
Your executive committee was unanimous in
expressing its belief that our labors for the fu-
ture should be co-ordinated with the other
branches of the industry, of course keeping in-
tact our separate organization to perform its
functions as opportunity demands.
This will make some change in the organiza-
tion of our individual association, notably in re-
spect to the division of its receipts, and of the
personal efforts of those engaged to attend to
the work of those who are voluntarily render-
ing service.
The matter of finance will be presented to you
in a separate report, but I wish to say that the
basis for donation as arranged at the conven-
tion of last year has worked out most satis-
factorily.
The sympathy of our association is very
strongly with the Better Business Bureau, estab-
lished by the National Association of Piano Mer-
chants.
It must be held in mind that it was through
the initiative' of our association that the work
of the Bureau for the Advancement of Music
was started. I can assure you that the founda-
tion of this work is well laid; that the plans of
the bureau are thoughtfully formed. To date
the effort made has been a good and strong one,
yet bound by a conservatism that was forced
because of the war and. the youthfulness of the
endeavor.
You will also receive a special report about
this work, but I cannot refrain from appealing
to every member of our association to investi-
gate the operations.of the bureau; to aid it with
mental support as well as the financial aid you
are giving it; to assist it in all ways, and to
feel that a tremendous change for the better
can be brought about in our industry through a
far greater development of the work, through
watchfulness, and through the power of initia-
tive. I believe that no one should treat this
part of the endeavor of the National Piano
Manufacturers' Association, which is now sup-
ported by the other branches of the industry,
lightly, but most seriously, and most hopefully,
looking to the brighter future of our businesses,
if the supreme effort is made.
The dissemination of musical propaganda, the
publishing of musical articles, the work in the
schools and colleges, the recognition by our-
selves that we are engaged in a business, the
product of which should appeal to practically
everyone, the recognition by ourselves that as
yet we have not the full comprehension of the
power we have within us, the placing of the
limitations of the business of our industry—all
are within our power.
At the meetinig held in January Herbert
W. Hill, formerly our assistant secretary, was
given the office of financial secretary and
arrangements were made with him that he act
as general accountant for our association with
the understanding that his duties also applied
to the Music Industries Chamber of Com-
merce.
Now, at the close of my report to you, I be-
lieve it will not appear unseemly to deliver a
message which has in it a note of appeal. From
my point of vantage, as your president, I
keenly realize the fact that there is great work
to be done and I well know some of the diffi-
culties in the path of accomplishment, of hav-
ing workers in the different branches who are
paid for their services, capable and vigilant at
all times. Much depends on them. Our en-
deavor is an increasing one, and the incoming
officers and heads of the committees in the year
and years to come will have far greater re-
sponsibility than they had in the past, and this
will hold true for each individual organization
as well as the broader one of which we are an
integral part.
In my belief no one should accept office ex-
cept he will give time to the association and
the industry's affairs. Our workers will con-
stantly need advice and assistance. Name it
appeal or admonition, I repeat the elected offi-
cers must constantly supervise and often direct.
The warring nations in Europe and neutral
ones as well are planning for the development
of future trade; and in this time of war I be-
lieve we of the piano industry should likewise
so plan that we meet the gigantic commercial
strife that is impending well prepared with cour-
age and good hope.
Appreciation of President Coffin's Efforts
At the conclusion of President Coffin's re-
port Mr. Klugh moved that it should be adopted
and ratified, and took occasion to voice the ap-
preciation of the interest and thoroughness dis-
played by the president in his work during the
year.
TREASURER'S REPORT
C. C. Conway, treasurer of the association,
next read a detailed statement regarding the
finances of that body, and which gave a key in a
measure to the remarkable increase in the ac-
tivities of the association. The report indicated
that the financial affairs were in excellent shape
and had proven ample during the year.
SECRETARY'S REPORT
The next report was from the secretary,
Howard B. Morenus, which was in part as fol-
lows:
Your secretary begs to report an interesting
and successful year, with an expansion of the
activities of the association, and encouraging
progress all along the line.
Recently the office of the secretary has been
transferred to 105 West Fortieth street, where
it is under the immediate supervision and direc-
tion of our counsel and general manager, George
W\ Pound.
During the past year the membership com-
mittee have done excellent work, and it is large-
ly due to their efforts that we are able to report
the election of eighteen new members, as fol-
lows: Biddle Piano Co., Chase-Hackley Piano
Co., E. P. Johnson Piano Co., Schaff Bros. Co..
Winter & Co., Ricca & Son, Kranich & Bach,
the American Photo Player Co., the Whitman
Piano Mfg. Co., Inc., Waltham Piano Co., Stultz
& Bauer, O. W. Wuertz Co., M. Welte & Sons,
Inc., Smith, Barnes & Strohber Co., Florey
Bros., Wilfred Piano Co., the Rice-Wuest Co.,
and the Operators Piano Co.
The membership of Gordon Piano Co. was
transferred to Bjur Bros. Co., and—owing to the
merging of the Krell Auto-Grand Piano Co.
and the Krell Piano Co. with the Werner In-
dustries Co.—the membership of these two firms
has been transferred to the Werner Industries
Co.
Resignations have been received from the fol-
lowing members: The Everett Piano Co., the
Howard B. Morenus, Retiring Secretary
Schubert Piano Co., and Boardman & Gray, re-
sulting in a total membership to-day of 118.
The credit bureau and information bureau of
the association are conducted in the office of
the assistant secretary, and I am advised by Mr.
Hill that these departments have been in con-
stant operation.
Since our last convention we have lost by
death the following: Paul G. Mehlin, of Paul
G. Mehlin & Sons; James Brannen, of Cunning-
ham Piano Co., and J. J. Downey, of Price &
Teeple Piano Co., and you will be asked to pass
resolutions prepared by our resolution commit-
tee expressing the sorrow and sympathy of our
association and its members for their bereaved
families.
| MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE'S REPORT
In the absence of Marquette A. Healy, chair-
man of the membership committee, his report
was read by N. A. Fegan, of Lyon & Healy, and
indicated that Mr. Healy had worked hard to en-
roll new members in the association during the
year, and had, in fact, secured eighteen new mem-
bers out of a possible 122. Mr. Healy had sent out
three strong letters to prospective members, set-
ting forth what the National Association of Piano
Merchants had done in the matter of protecting
trade interests under the excise tax, curtail-
ment order, .and other ticklish situations, and
urging that every member of the trade should
give the organization -his support. Copies of
the letters were read in connection with the
report.
Report of the
Freight Traffic Committee
One of the most interesting and comprehen-
sive reports read at the meeting was that of the
traffic committee, of which E. S. Conway is
chairman. The report was particularly inter-
esting in view of the announced increase in
freight rates by the Government, and read in
full as follows:
Of the developments in the field of transpor-
tation since our last annual report, the funda-
mental, the tremendous fact that the. Govern-
ment has assumed the operation and manage-
ment of the systems of transportation, tran-
scends all others, and marks an epoch in the
transportation history of our country. Presi-
(Contitiucd on page . 14)