Music Trade Review

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THE
JUNE 7, 1924
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Seventh Annual Convention
of the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce
New York, June 2, 1924
T
H E opening gun of the 1924 National country to realize that, if the existing living
Music Industries Convention at the Wal- standard is to be maintained, it will be necessary
dorf-Astorial Hotel, New York, was fired for each individual to produce in a volume com-
at 12.30 o'clock on Monday, when nearly five mensurate with the high wages received.
In addition to increasing production per indi-
hundred members of the music trade from all
over the country sat down at the first of a series
of get-together luncheons in the grand ballroom
of the Waldorf.
The success of the first luncheon proved en-
couraging to those who had some doubts as to
just how popular the convention would be, for
it occurred a day before the regular associa-
tion meetings and likewise before many of the
association members had reached New York.
Welcomed by Enright
The presiding officer was Richard W. Law-
rence in his capacity as president of the Music
Industries Chamber of Commerce, for it really
was the first session of the Chamber's meeting.
After the necessary eating had been attended
to Mr. Lawrence presented Richard E. Enright,
Police Commissioner of the City of New York,
who welcomed the visiting music men in the
name of Mayor Hylan and took occasion to tell
them just how great a city it was that they had
chosen for the gathering.
Lewis E. Pierson Chief Speaker
The chief speaker of the session was Lewis E.
Pierson, president of the Merchants' Association
of New York, and chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Irving Bank-Columbia Trust
Co., who had for his subject "Business Condi-
tions and the Future Outlook."
Richard W. Lawrence
Mr. Pierson, being in an unusually favorable
vidual with a view to cutting down cost per
position for sizing up industrial affairs, delivered
unit, successful readjustment for the future re-
an address which provided much room for
quires that the business of the country be freed
thought on the part of those who heard it. He
from oppressive taxes, ill-conceived and burden-
declared that the country was facing a period
some legislation, and the responsibility of sup-
of business readjustment and that the sooner a
porting increasing hordes of non-producers in
realization of that fact was brought home to
government service.
business men, and particularly the public, so
The business man owes it to himself, declared
much sooner would the continuance of present
prosperity be assured.
He stated that the future here rested upon
economic conditions abroad, particularly Europe,
and the manner in which those conditions are
met by America. No country is self-contained,
he went on, nor can it exist successfully on
I N S T E A D of presenting reports of the general
domestic enterprise alone. Particularly since the
*• manager and bureau heads of the Music In-
war it is absolutely necessary for every nation
to carry on a readjustment of its business struc- dustries Chamber of Commerce, before the mem-
tures in keeping with the changes brought about bers of the affiliated associations in one general
meeting, the plan of having a general manager
in the rest of the world.
Just at the present time, declared Mr. Pierson, and the bureau heads present their reports in
the standards of living in practically all Euro- person in the meetings of each of the several
pean countries are being lowered steadily and associations was followed this year along the
this has a direct effect upon the economic situa- same lines that proved so successful last year at
tion, particularly from a competitive standpoint. the Chicago convention.
In his annual report as secretary and general
The result, in short, is to make possible greater
production at a lowered cost, a very serious mat- manager of the Chamber, Alfred L. Smith laid
particular stress upon the importance of the
ter from the American standpoint.
In this country, he stated, business men are Chamber's work in connection with the Internal
faced by a number of unfavorable conditions, Revenue Bill. In this connection he said:
''The so-called jewelry tax has always applied
including high taxes, high prices of materials,
high rents and high wages. These have all re- to practically all band and many other musical
sulted in a much higher standard of living and instruments because of the use of gold or silver
it is essential, he said, for the workers of the plating. This tax, which amounts to S per cent
the speaker, to keep the public informed as to
actual conditions, so that the people at large
may realize the need for readjustment and the
fact that overconfidence in the continuance of
present prosperity is a fallacy under existing
conditions.
President Lawrence's Report
At the conclusion of Mr. Pierson's address,
President Lawrence made a brief but compre-
hensive report as president of the Chamber, call-
ing attention to a pamphlet distributed at the
luncheon which listed twenty-seven of the out-
standing accomplishments during the past year.
These included the freeing of musical instru-
ments from the provisions of the jewelry tax,
the securing from the Treasury Department of a
definite ruling exempting phonographs with
gold-plated hardware from tax under the present
law, and other good work in the matter of
national legislation. The credit work of the
Chamber, and particularly the excellent accom-
plishments of the National Bureau for the
Advancement of Music, including the successful
putting over of the National Music Week plan,
were set forth and enlarged upon by Mr. Law-
rence.
Both in the protective and the promotional
fields the Chamber has rendered good service
and stood upon its record before the trade, de-
clared Mr. Lawrence, who maintained the
greatest handicap under which the organization
works was the indifference of many of its mem-
bers who are inclined to take too much for
granted and rest secure in the thought that
somebody else is doing the work in which they
themselves should have a part.
Music for the luncheon was provided by the
Gibson Orchestra, an organization of mandolin-
ists and guitarists, under the direction of Wil-
liam Place, Jr., of Hartford, Conn., and pre-
sented by the courtesy of Gibson, Inc.
General Manager Smith Summarizes the
Year's Work of the Chamber of Commerce
Highest
Quality
at retail, has constituted not only a source of
great annoyance, but a serious financial drain
upon the industry. It has also added 5 per cent
to the retail selling price of band instruments
and to that extent it has created serious sales
resistance. The Chamber presented an exhaus-
tive brief at a hearing before the House Ways
and Means Committee and followed up the mat-
ter energetically with individual members of the
committee. As a result the committee recom-
mended specifically the exemption of musical in-
struments from the jewelry tax and this was
approved by the House. The Senate Finance
Committee, without any hearing, eliminated the
exemption from the bill. The Chamber im-
mediately started in motion the machinery which
has been designed for just such an emergency
and was successful in getting the exemption in-
(Continued on page 7)
Highest
Quality