Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
KMFW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President, J. B.
Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave'., New York; Second Vice-President, J. Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
J. RAYMOND BILL, Associate Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, CARLETON CHACE, L. M. ROBINSON, WILSON D. BUSH, V. D. WALSH,
WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, A. J. NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
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Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
anil
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
p
a r e d e a ] t w j t h, will be found in another section of
this paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concern-
ing which will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
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Paris Exposition, 1900 Silver Medal. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
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NEW Y O R K , OCTOBER 5 , 1918
EDITORIAL
NDER most favorable auspices the Fourth Liberty Loan
campaign opened on Saturday last, and from now until its
close on October 19 its development will be watched with the
keenest interest not only by our vast army of friends in Europe
who are our associates in the war against the Teutonic Powers,
but also by our enemies. Tt will be regarded by them as a
measure of the American people's support in the war.
We are in this fight to win, and the harder we hit the line
the sooner we will win. The Germans know full well the tre-
mendous weight and significance of popular support of the war
—of the people at home backing up the army in the field. The
loan is the surest test of the loyalty and willingness of the peo-
ple of the United States to make sacrifices compared with the
willingness of our soldiers to do their part.
It is going to be a tremendous task to raise the world's big-
gest loan in three weeks, but it is going to be done, for the
American people are determined that the war must end soon, and
to achieve this end we must strike hard and destroy the power
of the enemy to disturb the peace of the world in the future.
There must be and will be no failure by the people to measure
up to the courage and devotion of our men in Europe, who are
giving up their homes and their lives to make the world safe
for democracy.
When we view their sacrifices how paltry our contribution
of money seems; but yet it is an essential to carry on the war
successfully, and by carrying it on to so shorten it as to save
lives, save money, save property, restore peace and enjoy its
blessings the sooner—better still make it permanent.
The Allied Music Trades Industry is going to do its part,
and has already shown its earnestness by subscribing over four
million dollars to the Fourth Loan, that being the amount of the
subscriptions collected at the monster Liberty Loan Rally held
under the auspices of the Allied Music Trades at Carnegie Hall
on Monday night. This subscription is only a small part, how-
ever, of the total thai will be subscribed by the industry through-
U
OCTOBER 5, 1918
out the country, and when the lists of subscriptions are finally
completed the music industry will not be among the least of
those who will have shown in a most practical manner their de-
sire that the cause of democracy and liberty' shall achieve a
speedy triumph.
I
T is gratifying to learn from reports covering practically every
section of the country that piano merchants generally are
beginning to show an appreciation of the fact that to remain in
business on a profitable basis they must of necessity sell their
instruments on better terms.
It is no uncommon thing nowadays to learn of some more
or less prominent piano house that has made definite announce-
ment of the fact that pianos at the present time will be sold only
on terms, that will clean up accounts within a period of two
years or less. There is also a general tendency to demand a
first payment of sufficient size to minimize the danger of having
to repossess the instrument.
Of course, it is the only logical thing to do. That fact has
been preached, and preached and preached some more, but despite
the general adoption of a new principle in the piano business,
there still remain some dealers who lack the courage, or the
wisdom, to shorten terms, and who continue to advertise pianos
at terms that represent little, if any, increase over those of two
or three years ago. Short terms mean more cash in the hands
of the dealer, and cash will be found to be a mighty good friend
to the business man riuht now.
T
HE announcement of George W. Pound of the method to
be pursued by piano manufacturers in securing the neces-
sary supplies of steel under the recent priority ruling will be
received with interest and pleasure by the trade. There has
been considerable worry as to the possible working out of the
allotment question, and with the matter thus definitely settled
the trade members now know where they stand so far as the
matter of the steel supply is concerned.
B
USINESS of all kinds in this country is destined to undergo
many changes as a result of the war. A few years ago it
was treason almost for big companies to join forces for ex-
pansion ; laws were passed and efforts made, in some cases suc-
cessfully, to close them up.
Now the Government is forming every kind of business into
what is popularly termed a "trust." W e have railroad, express
companies, and a great many private businesses merged so that
the Government may be able to secure more efficient results.
Business men of brains, leaders in every field—prominent and
practical manufacturers, financiers and merchants—are being en-
listed by President Wilson to direct the war work of the nation.
Director General McAdoo has drafted railroad executives into
the service of the Railroad Administration. If these attempts
to secure efficiency in the prosecution of the war are as successful
as we have reason to expect, a mighty change in the relations
between the plain people of America and "big business" may
follow. Shipbuilding and other war industries already show good
results following the appointment of practical and energetic men
to direct operations.
"When the American people learn the value of practical busi-
ness men in public office, they will try to keep them there in time
of peace as well as in time of war," says a prominent financial
man. "To do this the office must seek the man. In all our legis-
lative bodies we have too many lawyers who have plenty of time
to play politics, and too few men of affairs. In the emergency
precipitated by war, the Federal Government has sought and
obtained the help of practical men who give their services with-
out pay to the nation.
"Tf these men succeed, as they undoubtedly will, the nation
should express its appreciation by electing some of them to high
public office. The ablest men we have should be chosen to ad-
minister the affairs of the countrv in the days following the end
of the war. when we shall be forced to struggle for our place in
the sun. and when problems relating to finance and domestic
and foreign trade must be solved. The men who are bringing
order out of chaos in war work now should be well fitted for the
tasks that must be performed in time of peace."