Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
EVEW
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Vol. LX1X
NEW YORK, AUGUST 9, 1919
No. 6
THE VALUE OF THE PERSONAL APPEAL
T
HE advice offered by George W. Pound, in his open letter
to the members of the industry urging a strong and personal
appeal to Congressmen for action looking towards the repeal of
the war excise taxes on musical instruments, is distinctly perti-
nent. To the casual observer it would seem that, in wrangling over
the various details of peace terms and Governmental policies, Con-
gress, both in the House and Senate, has altogether lost sight of
the rights of business men to relief from war burdens as speedily as
possible.
It is true that practically all business interests are besieging
Congress for relief from taxes and other burdens of one form
or another, and that the average legislator is apt to have reached
a frame of mind where he gives such appeals slight attention.
With Congress adjourned, however, and the Senators and Represent-
atives at home among their constituents, there exists a most desir-
able opportunity for reaching them all personally.
The personal appeal of the voter-—the constituent—made to
the Congressman when he is at home, and when he perchance is
thinking of the forces that made it possible for him to reach his
high station, will unquestionably receive attention that would under
no circumstances be accorded a request sent to Washington.
It will be constant, direct pounding by every member of the
industry that will have its effect upon the members of Congress
as individuals, and by that means upon the national legislative
body as a whole. The time for this action is now, if early relief
is to be forthcoming.
AUGUST 9, 1919
has served as a deterrent to exporting in more than one instance,
for the average small exporter often finds it overexpensive to
secure such information direct himself, and knows of no central
bureau where he can secure credit facts upon which he can rely.
In his domestic trade the American manufacturer tinds avail-
able, through various credit associations, printed information of
accuracy and value which may be obtained without fuss or delay,
and serves to protect him from many thousands of dollars in pos-
sible losses in the course of a year. If some central foreign credit
clearing house can be established, to function along the lines of
domestic organizations of the same sort, then much of the un-
certainty of foreign business will be eliminated.
As the problems connected with the handling of export business
are simplified, so may the foreign business of the country be ex-
pected to expand and receive attention from concerns who feel
that, under present conditions, they cannot risk entering foreign
markets.
This move towards the establishment of some sort of Foreign
Trade Clearing House, preferably under the auspices of the U. S.
Chamber of Commerce, follows close upon the announcement that
the Government, through the Shipping Board, has established some
seventy odd trade routes between the United States and foreign
countries, and assigned hundreds of ships to cover those routes
regularly. It all leads to the pleasant belief that the establishment
of a permanent, and possibly world-dominating, foreign trade by
this country is not simply a passing whim, but will become a fact in
the near future.
INCREASING INTEREST IN EXPORT TRADE
HE marketing of our products in foreign fields is engaging
T
wide attention throughout the nation. This is a good indication.
We have been self-centered, wrapped up in our domestic commerce,
says J. H. Tregoe, secretary of the National Association of Credit
Men, but now the increase of our productive powers and the need
of our products throughout the world make necessary the widening
of our distribution and the sharing of foreign demand for merchan-
dise with other industrial nations. Our part will be measured by
our willingness to extend credit.
The United States has a wonderful opportunity. It at present
stands pre-eminent as a world leader. Here are the materials, the
machinery with which to make them into goods, the credit resources
needed for their distribution as they never before existed in any
land. Clearly we must not look at the problem of world trade from
the seller's viewpoint only, but from that of the buyer also. We
must help in building up the buying facilities through recognizing
in foreign parts a sound basis for credit. We must create here a
market for the securities of the countries with which we desire to
trade and in the buying of them some portion of the savings of
the nation must be devoted.
This is where individual thrift can play an important part, either
directly or indirectly investing in the securities of the nations which
buy our goods. It is well that this subject is having attention and
that strong interests have entered the field with facilities for ex-
amining into the merits of foreign securities and marketing them
here as their findings warrant.
Every manager of foreign credits should be studying this eco-
nomic question seriously. It is a burning subject in the great world
of reconstruction work that is before us.
THE DECLINE OF SALESMANSHIP
HETHER or not the idea emanates from those who appar-
W
ently spend most of their time in foreseeing future troubles,
the fact remains that we are now warned to watch out for a
new post-war peril, in the decline of salesmanship. The thought
appears to be that the great excess of demand over production
which existed during the war, and still persists, has served to dull
SHEDDING LIGHT ON FOREIGN CREDITS
the edge of selling ability in many instances, and permitted some
HE plans now being considered by the Chamber of Com- of the bright stars among our distributing forces to become mere
order-takers. In other words, without the necessity of selling
merce of the United States, and other prominent business or-
against competition, and of disposing of production in excess of
ganizations, looking towards the establishment of a Foreign Credit
Clearing House of some sort, to make readily available to the ex- demand, selling forces have lost their vim. It is intimated, in short,
porter, or prospective exporter, accurate credit information regard-
that the rejuvenation of the selling forces, when conditions take a
ing foreign concerns with whom he plans to do business, is a
turn, and salesmanship is again at a premium, will be a task of
move that should be considered and encouraged.
no mean proportions. While the idea is not to be taken over-
There is no question but that lack of active credit information
seriously, it is at least worth a thought.
T