Music Trade Review
Issue: 1919 Vol. 69 N. 15 - Page 11
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
OCTOBER 11,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1919
11
A PLAIN TALK ABOUT CONDITIONS
By A. A. MAHAN, President, National Piano Travelers' Association
There is now the greatest demand in history always present in their minds, however, that
for pianos. Piano factories are from four or five "some day" they are going to buy a piano. They
months to a year behind in their orders. The realize that no home is truly complete without a
problem of the day is production—men, material, piano, not alone because of the entertainment,
machinery, transportation. When the armistice pleasure and comfort that it gives, but because
was signed, practically every business man felt there is a pride in ownership. It is mark of
sure that war-time production problems would household completeness.
The size of the pocketbook of Mr. Average Man
soon be over—that labor would be plentiful—and
that the prood old days would come back in our is what makes the market for pianos. So when
the war ended, piano factories faced three sepa-
rate kinds of unexpected demand, as follows:
1st. The normal demand which had accrued.
2nd. The demand from people who made big
money during the war.
3rd. The demand from people who were
forced to save.
Just how long it will take to catch up with the
demand, no one can foretell, because the answer
depends upon the outcome of fundamental eco-
nomic conditions through which the entire world
is now passing.
Production is still very much handicapped.
Shortages of material and labor continue. The
general unrest among the labor element—the
large number of strikes that are occurring in all
parts of the country—are creating production
problems that are as acute, if not more so, as ex-
isted during the war period. But this condition
A. A. Mahan
cannot go on. The peak is going to be reached,
midst. Piano salesmen began to take a long I believe it is here today. The radicals among the
breath, stretch their arms, and say to themselves, labor class have proved themselves better sales-
"Well, at last!—now I will be able to get back men than the employing class. I do not believe
on the job and make a record in getting signa- that the present labor unrest is in any measure
tures on the dotted line!"
representative of the heart of the masses of
But things haven't turned out that way. A workmen. They have simply been temporarily
huge demand for pianos had accrued during the misled with the wild economic theories of agita-
war due to curtailment in production. To add to tors whose income does not stop when there is a
the intensity of the demand, a new crop of pros- strike, and who, in the e.id, have nothing to lose.
pective piano buyers had grown up as a result of
The world can't make progress when it is
the war. This came about in two ways. First, fighting.
the high wages paid during the war enabled tens
Capital and labor must work together—as
of thousands of people to make more money than friends and co-operators.
they had ever made in their lives, and, when the
Labor cannot destroy capital without itself be-
whistles blew on armistice day, these people pro- ing destroyed, and this is equally true as regards
ceeded to figure out ways to spend their money. capital. Capital makes labor and labor makes
Pianos, quite naturally, stood at the top of the capital.
list of their wants. Second, there were tens of
I feel that out of the present economic upheaval
thousands of other people whose incomes may or there are going to be many readjustments for
may not have kept pace with the rising costs, the good of humanity. After all, the very most
but who, nevertheless, were practically forced to that the average man wants is nothing more or
save several hundred dollars because of the pres- less than a square deal. In the past, employers
sure brought to bear on them through the Liberty have not kept in close enough touch with their
Bond drives as well as the persistent request of workmen—they have failed to take into considera-
the government and all public-spirited people to tion the human element that should be a supreme
practice thrift.
quality in every organization. Manufacturers are
A piano is an article that every man and woman, now, however, waking up to the fact that there is
who has a home, desires to possess. Most couples, a real heart beating in the breast of every work-
in starting up a home, have just about enough man in the factory, and to win co-operation and
money to buy the actual necessities in furniture. loyalty they must give to each of their workmen
Many of them do not have enough money to pay as fair a deal as they themselves would expect
cash for that—and buy on time. The idea is were the positions reversed.
What is the piano salesman to do during the
neriod that piano factories are swamped with or-
ders? Does it mean that there is nothing for him
to do? I do not believe so. The piano salesman
is the connecting link between the customer and
the house. The retail merchant has many mer-
chandising problems. The salesman can invest
for the finest
his time most profitably in behalf of his house
by helping the merchant to perfect his merchan-
dising methods in preparation for the day—which
is surely coming, sooner or later, when produc-
tion will be shouting for more orders. When
there is no war, a nation does not do away with
its battleships. And neither can a business, when
it is in an oversold condition, do away with its
salesmen.
FOTOPLAYER
Motion Picture
Theatres
AMERICAN PHOTO
PLAYER CO.
San Francisco
Chicago
New York
W. R. Bannister, of the Chas. Parker Co.,
Meriden, Conn, was recently nominated as City
Auditor on the Republican ticket at a caucus held
in that city.
Victrola XVII, $300
Victrola XVII, electric, $365
Mahogany or Oak
Other Styles $25 to $950
Victor
Supremacy
is firmly established
on a basis of great
thingsactuallyaccom-
plished.
A supremacy that
is growi ng greater
every day—that in-
sures ever-increasing
prosperity to every
Victor retailer.
Victor Talking Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
" V I C T R O L A " » the Regutered Trade-mark
of the Victor Talking Machine Company desig-
nating the product* of this Company only.
WARNING: The use of the word Victrola
upon or in the promotion or tale of any other
1 alking Machine or Phone graph products it mis-
leading and illegal.
IMPORTANT NOTICE. Victor Record,
and Victor Machine! are scientifically co-ordinated
and synchronized in the proceurs of manufacture,
and should be wed together to secure a perfect
reproduction.
OCTOBER 11,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
1919
11
A PLAIN TALK ABOUT CONDITIONS
By A. A. MAHAN, President, National Piano Travelers' Association
There is now the greatest demand in history always present in their minds, however, that
for pianos. Piano factories are from four or five "some day" they are going to buy a piano. They
months to a year behind in their orders. The realize that no home is truly complete without a
problem of the day is production—men, material, piano, not alone because of the entertainment,
machinery, transportation. When the armistice pleasure and comfort that it gives, but because
was signed, practically every business man felt there is a pride in ownership. It is mark of
sure that war-time production problems would household completeness.
The size of the pocketbook of Mr. Average Man
soon be over—that labor would be plentiful—and
that the prood old days would come back in our is what makes the market for pianos. So when
the war ended, piano factories faced three sepa-
rate kinds of unexpected demand, as follows:
1st. The normal demand which had accrued.
2nd. The demand from people who made big
money during the war.
3rd. The demand from people who were
forced to save.
Just how long it will take to catch up with the
demand, no one can foretell, because the answer
depends upon the outcome of fundamental eco-
nomic conditions through which the entire world
is now passing.
Production is still very much handicapped.
Shortages of material and labor continue. The
general unrest among the labor element—the
large number of strikes that are occurring in all
parts of the country—are creating production
problems that are as acute, if not more so, as ex-
isted during the war period. But this condition
A. A. Mahan
cannot go on. The peak is going to be reached,
midst. Piano salesmen began to take a long I believe it is here today. The radicals among the
breath, stretch their arms, and say to themselves, labor class have proved themselves better sales-
"Well, at last!—now I will be able to get back men than the employing class. I do not believe
on the job and make a record in getting signa- that the present labor unrest is in any measure
tures on the dotted line!"
representative of the heart of the masses of
But things haven't turned out that way. A workmen. They have simply been temporarily
huge demand for pianos had accrued during the misled with the wild economic theories of agita-
war due to curtailment in production. To add to tors whose income does not stop when there is a
the intensity of the demand, a new crop of pros- strike, and who, in the e.id, have nothing to lose.
pective piano buyers had grown up as a result of
The world can't make progress when it is
the war. This came about in two ways. First, fighting.
the high wages paid during the war enabled tens
Capital and labor must work together—as
of thousands of people to make more money than friends and co-operators.
they had ever made in their lives, and, when the
Labor cannot destroy capital without itself be-
whistles blew on armistice day, these people pro- ing destroyed, and this is equally true as regards
ceeded to figure out ways to spend their money. capital. Capital makes labor and labor makes
Pianos, quite naturally, stood at the top of the capital.
list of their wants. Second, there were tens of
I feel that out of the present economic upheaval
thousands of other people whose incomes may or there are going to be many readjustments for
may not have kept pace with the rising costs, the good of humanity. After all, the very most
but who, nevertheless, were practically forced to that the average man wants is nothing more or
save several hundred dollars because of the pres- less than a square deal. In the past, employers
sure brought to bear on them through the Liberty have not kept in close enough touch with their
Bond drives as well as the persistent request of workmen—they have failed to take into considera-
the government and all public-spirited people to tion the human element that should be a supreme
practice thrift.
quality in every organization. Manufacturers are
A piano is an article that every man and woman, now, however, waking up to the fact that there is
who has a home, desires to possess. Most couples, a real heart beating in the breast of every work-
in starting up a home, have just about enough man in the factory, and to win co-operation and
money to buy the actual necessities in furniture. loyalty they must give to each of their workmen
Many of them do not have enough money to pay as fair a deal as they themselves would expect
cash for that—and buy on time. The idea is were the positions reversed.
What is the piano salesman to do during the
neriod that piano factories are swamped with or-
ders? Does it mean that there is nothing for him
to do? I do not believe so. The piano salesman
is the connecting link between the customer and
the house. The retail merchant has many mer-
chandising problems. The salesman can invest
for the finest
his time most profitably in behalf of his house
by helping the merchant to perfect his merchan-
dising methods in preparation for the day—which
is surely coming, sooner or later, when produc-
tion will be shouting for more orders. When
there is no war, a nation does not do away with
its battleships. And neither can a business, when
it is in an oversold condition, do away with its
salesmen.
FOTOPLAYER
Motion Picture
Theatres
AMERICAN PHOTO
PLAYER CO.
San Francisco
Chicago
New York
W. R. Bannister, of the Chas. Parker Co.,
Meriden, Conn, was recently nominated as City
Auditor on the Republican ticket at a caucus held
in that city.
Victrola XVII, $300
Victrola XVII, electric, $365
Mahogany or Oak
Other Styles $25 to $950
Victor
Supremacy
is firmly established
on a basis of great
thingsactuallyaccom-
plished.
A supremacy that
is growi ng greater
every day—that in-
sures ever-increasing
prosperity to every
Victor retailer.
Victor Talking Machine Co.
Camden, N. J., U. S. A.
" V I C T R O L A " » the Regutered Trade-mark
of the Victor Talking Machine Company desig-
nating the product* of this Company only.
WARNING: The use of the word Victrola
upon or in the promotion or tale of any other
1 alking Machine or Phone graph products it mis-
leading and illegal.
IMPORTANT NOTICE. Victor Record,
and Victor Machine! are scientifically co-ordinated
and synchronized in the proceurs of manufacture,
and should be wed together to secure a perfect
reproduction.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).