Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
DECEMBER 9, 1922
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
MEETING THE EMPLOYMENT PROBLEM
IN PIANO FACTORIES OF COUNTRY
Earle E. Conway, President of Hallet & Davis Piano Co., Tells of the Results of
Regular Employment and Capable Factory Management
The employment problem in the piano factory
to-day depends quite as much upon the man-
agement as upon the employes, in the opinion
of E. E. Conway, president of the Hallet &
Davis Piano Co., who maintains that much of
the difficulty experienced in rebuilding factory
organizations that were curtailed or almost en-
tirely disbanded some time ago, is in many cases
due quite as much to the standard in manage-
ment of the factory as to the so-called stub-
bornness of workers.
"The demand for pianos is about as great
the last four months of the year as in the first
eight, which makes it extremely difficult for the
manufacturers to effect deliveries in the Fall,
and they are burdened with overproduction for
eight months in the year," said Mr. Conway.
"It is very desirable to keep the employes work-
ing steadily the year around as near as pos-
sible. We worked out this problem by storing
goods to a certain extent in warehouses in Los
Angeles and San Francisco particularly, and by
getting our larger dealers to stock up during
the Summer months. As regards our factory
we try to have the inventory in all departments
extremely low on January 1 with just enough
stock on hand to operate the plant. We then
run our mill steadily throughout the year, which
means that the stock accumulates through the
departments in the Summer, at which time we
are selling less than we are manufacturing, and
then it runs out in the Fall when we are selling
more than we are manufacturing. This takes
both room and capital, but it is economical in
the long run.
"The Hallet & Davis Co. has worked on
this system for some time past with consider-
able success, keeping the plant working steadily
on an even basis, building up a reserve of in-
struments when buying was slack and cleaning
out that reserve when buying again became
normal, as for instance, in the early Fall
months. The result has been the elimination
of part time and the necessity of reducing fac-
tory forces with the consequent problem of
reassembling.
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"Working conditions, too, have much to do
with the successful operation of a piano fac-
tory, as well as in other manufacturing plants.
Even the most ordinary worker appreciates
those features in factory equipment that en-
able him to handle his work with a minimum of
effort. In our plant, for instance, we have in-
stalled much machinery designed solely to this
IIIIIIIIIIIIL
to obey his orders. A selection, therefore, of
a factory superintendent who is thoroughly
qualified for his job, not only in knowing abso-
lutely all details of,,, piano manufacturing, but
in knowing how,: t]bj handle the men, is of prime
importance.
/' : ; "'
"It is an•''• acknowledged fact that a well-
managed factory is, from the standpoint of
both the manufacturer and the employes, a suc-
cessful factory and is seldom faced with the
problem of rebuilding and reorganizing forces
that have been disorganized. The main thing
is to keep the plant operating steadily and capa-
bly, and this can be done in the piano trade as
well as in any other line of industry. We have
proven it and other manufacturers can prove it.
These things, of course, are, first, intelligent
direction, and, second, steady employment,
which, as a matter of fact, depends on capable
direction."
RESERVE BOARD REPORTS GAINS
Marked Increase in Business and Industrial
Activity Reported by the Federal Reserve
Board—Retail Trade Better Than Year Ago
WASHINGTON, D. C, December 4.—Reports to
Earle E. Conway
end, making it seldom necessary for the work-
man to lift or transport heavy weights, travel-
ing cranes and other equipment being provided
for the purpose.
"Much depends, too, upon the intelligent di-
rection of workmen.
The average factory
worker, with few exceptions, is not expected to,
and does not, measure up very high from a
mental standpoint, but he has respect for brains
and finds pleasure in working under the direc-
tion of a man who knows, and can prove he
knows, more than those who are called upon
the Federal Reserve Board show there was a
marked increase in business and industrial ac-
tivity during October, with a resultant increase
in the volume of employment.
Retail trade continued to be greater than a
year ago and throughout the country was larger
than last month.
The volume of payments by checks also in-
creased in every Federal Reserve district, com-
pared with last month. The total for 140 cities,
not including New York, was 11 per cent larger
in October than in September and 13 per cent
larger than in October, 1921. The increase over
last October is partly due to the increase in
wholesale prices during the current year. These
figures indicate clearly the remarkable strides
forward in the industrial and mercantile world
diirinir the last vcar.
LOOKING FORWARD TO GREATER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
(Continued 'from page 3)
just now, and the good outlook is not confined to the piano trade, but is also found in other lines upon
whose prosperity the seller of musical instruments must in a large measure depend.
We find, for instance, that the .various industrial centers of the country are veritable hives of in-
dustry, with labor almost at a premium and unemployment practically unknown. We find that the steel
business, one of the basic industries, is in excellent shape, with the demand in some quarters exceeding the
supply. We find savings bank deposits increased to a tremendous degree, and billions of dollars being
spent in new housing" operations that mean new homes and new customers for musical instruments. On
top of all this is the steadily increasing appreciation of music that is being developed throughout the country
through the various channels of music advancement work, which means much for our industry.
The music trade may have problems that are calculated to cause trouble occasionally even during
the best years, but the fact remains that the country itself is in a sounder condition than it has been for a
number of years, and with everything else prosperous, the music industry is bound to enjoy its share of
substantial business.
Good business, however, is not going to come automatically. It must be worked for just as during
poor years, and to the intelligent and energetic workers will come the profits.