Music Trade Review
Issue: 1918 Vol. 66 N. 25 - Page 47
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
JUNE 22, 1918
47
REVIEW
CONDUCTED BY B. B. WILSON
OFFER NEW DEMONSTRATION PLAN
Associated Music Publishers Appear to Be Meet-
ing With Success Along a New Line of Music
Distribution and Exploitation
To the casual visitor to the offices of the
Associated Music Publishers, 145 West Forty-
tifth street. New York, it would appear that
the business of that company is flourishing, as
is the music publishing business generally, de-
spite war conditions. The shipping room is par-
ticularly active with big piles of talking ma-
chines, records and sheet music ready for
dispatching to retailers in all sections of the
country.
Dealers appear to be grasping the unusual
proposition offered by the Associated Music
Publishers to sell popular hits on a commission
basis; only the latest music is supplied, as the
sale of the older numbers is left to the regular
channels. A practical and thoroughly novel
demonstration system is furnished subscribers
of the company at a pro rata charge, based upon
volume of music sales. A special advertising
arrangement with Pathe makes possible the dis-
tribution of a limited number of high grade
Pathe phonographs to be used for demonstra-
tion purposes.
Talking machine records of standard makes,
to correspqnd with sheet music sold on com-
mission, are furnished the dealer and frequent
exchanges are made so that new demonstrations
are possible every day.
EXHIBITS AT TEACHERS' CONVENTION
Exhibits of concert and teaching music will
be shown at the annual convention of the New
York State Music Teachers' Association which
will be held at the Majestic Hotel June 25, 26
and 27. Among those who will have displays
will be Oliver Ditson Co., Boston; Chas. H. Dit-
son & Co., New York; Hinds, Hayden & Eld-
redge, Inc.; New York; B. F. Wood Co., Bos-
ton; H. S. Gordon, New York, and a number of
others.
GREAT NATIONAL MARCH SONG
ROUSING LYRIC. WONDERFUL SWING
7 cents
THF I H C 1H\T MVhR
Glory Goes Marching On
The Most Popular and Comprehensive Books ever Published
LITTIG
HAWAIIAN STEEL GUITAR MKTIIOI)
50c
"
"
FOLIO
50c
I KULELE METHOD
50c
UKULELE CHART
net 15c
TENOR BANJO METHOD, No. 1
50c
"
"
No. I .
50c
COMBINATION STEEL (il ITAK and UKULKLK FOLIO 50c
W. A. QUINCKE & CO., Majestic Theatre Bldg., LOS ANGELES, CAL.
FEDERAL RULING PROHIBITS FIXING OF RETAIL PRICES
Order Issued by Federal Trade Commission to Clayton F. Summy Co. Sets a Precedent in Regard
to the Control by Publishers of the Retail Prices on Copyrighted Musical Works
Following the announcement made at the con-
vention of the National Association of Sheet
Music Dealers at the Hotel McAlpin last week
and published exclusively in The Review re-
garding the fact that Federal agents had been
busy in a number of cities investigating the
question of established prices and discounts in
the sheet music trade, word has been received
from Washington to the effect that the Clayton
E. Summy Co., the well-known music publish-
er of Chicago, has been notified by the Federal
Trade Commission to "cease and desist" from
use of the methods heretofore employed to fix
and maintain the price at which its sheet music
is sold to the public. The order comes as a
surprise inasmuch as music publishers have not
claimed rights under the Copyright Law to fix
retail prices, as has been the case of manufac-
turers of patented articles, and have relied upon
the copyright privileges only to govern the man-
ner in which they should supply the retail trade.
The ruling simply gives further proof of the
fact that under existing laws retail prices can-
not be controlled by the publisher or manufac-
turer, and that those desiring to maintain re-
sale prices on their products must wait until the
Stephens bill or some such measure is passed
to give them the right by statute.
Profits in the retail music business are cer-
tainly small enough, particularly in view of the
cost of doing business, and, to inaugurate a
reign of price cutting, practically under Govern-
ment sanction, would do immeasurable harm to
the industry as a whole. The Federal Trade
Commission has spoken, however, and in view
of its attitude the publishers generally must
govern their future conduct according to that
ruling. There has been little or no attempt in
the past to regulate retail prices by general
agreement. When one publisher has announced
a new series of discounts, it has been optional
with competitors whether they adopted the same
Chicago
McKinley Music Co.
New York
FEATURING NEW TRENCH SONG
Leo Feist, Inc., Planning Strong Campaign on
"It's a Long Way to Dear Old Broadway"
Leo Feist, Inc., who several days ago re-
ceived a song direct from the boys in the
trenches entitled "Tt's a Long Way to Dear Old
Broadway," immediately started on a campaign
to popularize the number in this country. Cir-
culars, posters and other advertising material
have already been produced, and the profes-
sional department of the company has made ex-
tended arrangements to cover its end of the
work. Edgar F. Bitner, general manager of the
company, is immensely interested in the song,
and was a well-pleased man when one of the
star city salesmen of the company brought in
an order for five hundred copies of the num-
ber the day after the manuscripts were received.
W. D. Nesbit's Song of Liberty
7 CENTS
Chicago
JEROME H.REMICK&Ca'S
.Sensational Son^ Hit
ART TITLE
HUMAN FLAG OF 10,000 JACKIES
discounts or not, although in the majority of
cases more or less standard discounts have been
maintained through the action of individual
houses.
Music dealers, too, have, even before the for-
mation of the present association, quoted prac-
tically the same discounts to the public, simply
through the fact that only by observing these
discounts could the dealer realize a fair profit
and stay in business. It would be unfortunate
indeed if the action of the Federal Trade Com-
mission against one publishing house, and per-
haps later against others, would also be extended
to include the retail trade. We can only hope
for the early passage of some price maintenance
measure, so that efforts to provide living profits
mav not be construed as a violation of law.
8ONO8
"SWEET LITTLE BUTTERCUP"
"ON THE ROAD TO HOME SWEET
HOME"
"DON'T TRY TO STEAL THE SWEET-
HEART OF A SOLDIER"
"WHAT ARE VOU GOING TO DO TO
HELP THE BOYS?"
"BING BANG BLNG 'EM ON THE
RHINE"
"YOU'RE IN STYLE WHEN YOU'RE
WEARING A SMILE"
"BLUEBIRD"
"SOME SUNDAY MORNING"
"FOR YOU A ROSE"
"SO LONG MOTHER"
"WONDROUS EYES OF ARABY"
"CHEER UP FATHER
CHEER UP
MOTHER"
"DERBY DAY IN DIXIE"
•THERE'S A LUMP OF SUGAR DOWN
IN DIXIE"
JEROME H. REMICK & CO.
McKinley Music Co.
New
York
THE MUSIC TRADE
JUNE 22, 1918
47
REVIEW
CONDUCTED BY B. B. WILSON
OFFER NEW DEMONSTRATION PLAN
Associated Music Publishers Appear to Be Meet-
ing With Success Along a New Line of Music
Distribution and Exploitation
To the casual visitor to the offices of the
Associated Music Publishers, 145 West Forty-
tifth street. New York, it would appear that
the business of that company is flourishing, as
is the music publishing business generally, de-
spite war conditions. The shipping room is par-
ticularly active with big piles of talking ma-
chines, records and sheet music ready for
dispatching to retailers in all sections of the
country.
Dealers appear to be grasping the unusual
proposition offered by the Associated Music
Publishers to sell popular hits on a commission
basis; only the latest music is supplied, as the
sale of the older numbers is left to the regular
channels. A practical and thoroughly novel
demonstration system is furnished subscribers
of the company at a pro rata charge, based upon
volume of music sales. A special advertising
arrangement with Pathe makes possible the dis-
tribution of a limited number of high grade
Pathe phonographs to be used for demonstra-
tion purposes.
Talking machine records of standard makes,
to correspqnd with sheet music sold on com-
mission, are furnished the dealer and frequent
exchanges are made so that new demonstrations
are possible every day.
EXHIBITS AT TEACHERS' CONVENTION
Exhibits of concert and teaching music will
be shown at the annual convention of the New
York State Music Teachers' Association which
will be held at the Majestic Hotel June 25, 26
and 27. Among those who will have displays
will be Oliver Ditson Co., Boston; Chas. H. Dit-
son & Co., New York; Hinds, Hayden & Eld-
redge, Inc.; New York; B. F. Wood Co., Bos-
ton; H. S. Gordon, New York, and a number of
others.
GREAT NATIONAL MARCH SONG
ROUSING LYRIC. WONDERFUL SWING
7 cents
THF I H C 1H\T MVhR
Glory Goes Marching On
The Most Popular and Comprehensive Books ever Published
LITTIG
HAWAIIAN STEEL GUITAR MKTIIOI)
50c
"
"
FOLIO
50c
I KULELE METHOD
50c
UKULELE CHART
net 15c
TENOR BANJO METHOD, No. 1
50c
"
"
No. I .
50c
COMBINATION STEEL (il ITAK and UKULKLK FOLIO 50c
W. A. QUINCKE & CO., Majestic Theatre Bldg., LOS ANGELES, CAL.
FEDERAL RULING PROHIBITS FIXING OF RETAIL PRICES
Order Issued by Federal Trade Commission to Clayton F. Summy Co. Sets a Precedent in Regard
to the Control by Publishers of the Retail Prices on Copyrighted Musical Works
Following the announcement made at the con-
vention of the National Association of Sheet
Music Dealers at the Hotel McAlpin last week
and published exclusively in The Review re-
garding the fact that Federal agents had been
busy in a number of cities investigating the
question of established prices and discounts in
the sheet music trade, word has been received
from Washington to the effect that the Clayton
E. Summy Co., the well-known music publish-
er of Chicago, has been notified by the Federal
Trade Commission to "cease and desist" from
use of the methods heretofore employed to fix
and maintain the price at which its sheet music
is sold to the public. The order comes as a
surprise inasmuch as music publishers have not
claimed rights under the Copyright Law to fix
retail prices, as has been the case of manufac-
turers of patented articles, and have relied upon
the copyright privileges only to govern the man-
ner in which they should supply the retail trade.
The ruling simply gives further proof of the
fact that under existing laws retail prices can-
not be controlled by the publisher or manufac-
turer, and that those desiring to maintain re-
sale prices on their products must wait until the
Stephens bill or some such measure is passed
to give them the right by statute.
Profits in the retail music business are cer-
tainly small enough, particularly in view of the
cost of doing business, and, to inaugurate a
reign of price cutting, practically under Govern-
ment sanction, would do immeasurable harm to
the industry as a whole. The Federal Trade
Commission has spoken, however, and in view
of its attitude the publishers generally must
govern their future conduct according to that
ruling. There has been little or no attempt in
the past to regulate retail prices by general
agreement. When one publisher has announced
a new series of discounts, it has been optional
with competitors whether they adopted the same
Chicago
McKinley Music Co.
New York
FEATURING NEW TRENCH SONG
Leo Feist, Inc., Planning Strong Campaign on
"It's a Long Way to Dear Old Broadway"
Leo Feist, Inc., who several days ago re-
ceived a song direct from the boys in the
trenches entitled "Tt's a Long Way to Dear Old
Broadway," immediately started on a campaign
to popularize the number in this country. Cir-
culars, posters and other advertising material
have already been produced, and the profes-
sional department of the company has made ex-
tended arrangements to cover its end of the
work. Edgar F. Bitner, general manager of the
company, is immensely interested in the song,
and was a well-pleased man when one of the
star city salesmen of the company brought in
an order for five hundred copies of the num-
ber the day after the manuscripts were received.
W. D. Nesbit's Song of Liberty
7 CENTS
Chicago
JEROME H.REMICK&Ca'S
.Sensational Son^ Hit
ART TITLE
HUMAN FLAG OF 10,000 JACKIES
discounts or not, although in the majority of
cases more or less standard discounts have been
maintained through the action of individual
houses.
Music dealers, too, have, even before the for-
mation of the present association, quoted prac-
tically the same discounts to the public, simply
through the fact that only by observing these
discounts could the dealer realize a fair profit
and stay in business. It would be unfortunate
indeed if the action of the Federal Trade Com-
mission against one publishing house, and per-
haps later against others, would also be extended
to include the retail trade. We can only hope
for the early passage of some price maintenance
measure, so that efforts to provide living profits
mav not be construed as a violation of law.
8ONO8
"SWEET LITTLE BUTTERCUP"
"ON THE ROAD TO HOME SWEET
HOME"
"DON'T TRY TO STEAL THE SWEET-
HEART OF A SOLDIER"
"WHAT ARE VOU GOING TO DO TO
HELP THE BOYS?"
"BING BANG BLNG 'EM ON THE
RHINE"
"YOU'RE IN STYLE WHEN YOU'RE
WEARING A SMILE"
"BLUEBIRD"
"SOME SUNDAY MORNING"
"FOR YOU A ROSE"
"SO LONG MOTHER"
"WONDROUS EYES OF ARABY"
"CHEER UP FATHER
CHEER UP
MOTHER"
"DERBY DAY IN DIXIE"
•THERE'S A LUMP OF SUGAR DOWN
IN DIXIE"
JEROME H. REMICK & CO.
McKinley Music Co.
New
York
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