Music Trade Review

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JANUARY 21,
1922
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
TRADE ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES
HOLD IMPORTANT CONFERENCES
Mid-Year Gatherings of Executive Boards of Merchants 9 and Manufacturers 9 Asso-
ciations and Directors of Chamber of Commerce Held Last Week
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The mid-year meeting of the Executive and
Advisory Boards of the National Association of
Music Merchants was held at the Republican
Club, New York, on Thursday of last week,
January 12, for the primary purpose of receiv-
ing reports of association activities since the
last annual convention in Chicago and discuss-
ing plans for the next national convention to
be held in New York in June, and which is her-
alded as the Jubilee Convention.
The session was presided over by M. V. De-
Foreest, of Sharon, Pa., president of the Asso-
ciation, those attending including C. L. Dennis,
secretary; Alex. McDonald, New York, and W.
C. Hamilton, Pittsburgh, members of the execu-
M. V. DeForeest
tive committee; E. Paul Hamilton, Baltimore;
F. B. T. Hollenberg, Little Rock, Ark.; Edmund
Gram, Milwaukee; Andrew Meiklejohn, Provi-
dence, R. I.; P. E. Conroy, St. Louis; Robert N.
Watkin, Dallas, Tex.; E. G. Brown, Bayonne,
N. J.; Milton Weil, New York, and J. O. Adams,
Wichita, Kans. President R. B. Aldcroftt; Gen-
eral Manager Alfred L. Smith and General
Counsel George W. Pound, of the Music Indus-
tries Chamber of Commerce, as well as C. M.
Tremaine, director of the National Bureau for
the Advancement of Music, were also present.
Mark P. Campbell Heads Convention Committee
In opening the session Mr. DeForeest called
attention to the fact that plans for the convention
were actively under way, and that Mark P.
Campbell, president of the Brambach Piano Co.,
had been appointed chairman of the convention
committee, with a corps of able assistants who
will be announced.
In talking of plans for increasing the member-
ship of the Association, the president empha-
sized particularly the desirability of enrolling as
many of the talking machine dealers as possible
and outlined some of the inducements offered
by the Association to such interests, including
the endorsement of the Stephens-Kelly bill for
price maintenance, financing plans for instalment
sales, and other activities.
To Publish Book on Care of Piano
Considerable discussion was brought about as
a result of a suggestion that the Association
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publish a booklet on the care of the piano for
distribution by individual dealers to piano buy-
ers, and it was finally decided that such a book-
Jet would be prepared along the lines of those
already in existence, and to be issued through
the Trade Service Bureau.
C. L. Dennis, director of the Trade Service
Bureau of the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce, told of the development of the work
of that Bureau and outlined what was being
done for music advancement, how business forms
and methods were being collected and prepared
for the use of retailers, and of the information
service that was offered to Association members.
The Question of the Music Show
The next subject of debate was whether or not
there should be a music show in connection with
the forthcoming convention. Although the Mer-
chants' Association had passed a resolution ad-
vocating such a show, a questionnaire sent out
to manufacturers brought forth answers that
indicated an overwhelming opposition to the
plan. Several of those present, particularly Col.
Holleuberg, strongly favored a regular exhibit
which could be kept closed during the time of
the meetings and thus not interfere with the
attendance.
There was some talk regarding the plan of
having special floors in one of the neighboring
hotels set aside for exhibits instead of having
a regular show at Grand Central Palace, but
after considerable argument the matter was left
in the hands of the general convention commit-
tee for attention and possible action.
To Have Special Convention Ticket
As a result of the discussion over the show,
and of the poor attendance at meetings because
of exhibit attractions, it was suggested that a
special form of ticket be prepared for distribu-
tion among the convention delegates, the tickets
to have stubs good for admission to various con-
certs and other attractions of the convention
period, and also for admission to the meetings,
so that a check might be kept on the attendance.
The Progress of the Stamp Plan
The progress of the stamp plan for raising
revenue for the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce and its activities was next discussed,
and there was some plain talk regarding the
dealers and manufacturers, comparatively few in
number, who do not use stamps on instruments
bought and sold. General Manager Smith, of
the Chamber of Commerce, took occasion to ex-
plain the attitude of some of these trade mem-
bers as he had found them. The result of the
discussion was that it was decided to recommend
to the forthcoming convention that members of
the Association receive no pianos without stamps
attached.
Increase in Association Membership
Secretary Dennis* read a report indicating that
the Association membership was increasing
slowly but steadily. The number of active mem-
bers increased from 924 to 964 during 1921, and
the number of associate members from 218 to
223, despite a number of resignations and deaths.
Joseph M. Mann, of Baltimore, who has left
the piano trade to engage in another line of
business, was elected an honorary member of
the Association in recognition of his work in the
interests of that organization in the past. '.
Plans Strong Membership Drive
President DeForeest next launched into the
details of the strong new membership campaign
of the Association, through the medium of both
State Commissioners and individual members.
He said that the State Commissioners would be
reorganized in a manner to get the best results
Mark P. Campbell, Convention Chairman
and every effort would be made to get all non-
members into the fold. In order to stimulate
efforts several prizes have been offered, includ-
ing a cup from J. Edwin Butler to the State
Commissioner bringing in the most new mem-
bers before the convention; another cup from
Dan J. Nolan to the traveler bringing in the
most members, and a cup from President De-
Foreest to the individual member bringing in
the most recruits. A series of banners will also
be given to the manufacturers and State asso-
ciations bringing in most members.
Those Who Passed Away
At this time Secretary Dennis read the list of
those members who had passed away during the
year, they including C. A. House, Wheeling, W.
Va.; Chas. J. Orth, Milwaukee; Geo. W. Fraser,
San Francisco; M. H. Andrews, Bangor, Me.;
Richard W. Gertz, Mansfield, Mass.; H. W.
Hangen, Reading, Pa.; A. L. Bailey, St. Johns-
bury, Vt.; D. P. Commerer, Philadelphia; Geo.
A. Gibson, Boston; Ira L. Grinnell, Detroit, and
A. L. Ebbels, New York, of the active mem-
bership, and E. H. Lansing, Boston, of the
associate membership.
Alex. McDonald, vice-chairman of the General
Convention Committee, gave a general outline
of the character of the plan being considered by
the committee to put the convention over in a
big way, stating that the idea would be to em-
phasize the fact that it was a national conven-
(Continued on page 7)
For over 25 years Specialists
in high grade Piano Cases
Paterson Piano
Case Co.
PATERSON, N. J.