Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
REVIEW
VOL. LXXVIII. No. 2 I Pnblished Every Saturday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Ave., New York, N.Y. June 14, 1924
8ln
«g. ( £ o ft l r > £°J: eilts
National Sheet Music Dealers' Ass'n
Eleventh Annual Convention of That Organization Opened at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, on Monday, June
9, With Large Attendance—E. Grant Ege Elected President at Final Session, Paul A. Schmitt,
Vice-President, and T. J. Donlan, Secretary-Treasurer
LITTLE over a decade ago a handful of
the leading progressive and enterprising
sheet music dealers of the country de-
cided to form an association of sheet music
dealers. This small group, headed by the late
R. W. Heffelfinger, dreamed of an association
of national scope which would not only place
the retailing of sheet music business on a
higher plane but would act as an intermediary
A
Edward P. Little
for all dealers with publishers. On Monday of
this week this organization met for its eleventh
annual convention. It carries the imposing and
appropriate name—the National Association of
Sheet Music Dealers. Oyer ten years of hard,
and, at times, indefatigable work has brought
about the gathering together in one organiza-
tion of a body of retail sheet music dealers of
both the United States and Canada, and carrying
on correspondence and close relations with
numerous allied bodies in this country and many
foreign cities.
Ten years of co-operation and almost una-
nimity of opinion have made possible a better
understanding between publishers and dealers,
a better type of merchandising, the elimination
of many evils, fair discounts and a general
healthy situation that is reflected in both the
retail establishments of the country and in the
publishing organizations which they serve. The
high point of this Association's career, the al-
most unattainable object, has been the almost
universal marking of the retail sales price on
all sheet music and books.
Encouraged
through the recommendation of the Federal
Trade Commission, with a few exceptions, it
has been concurred in by most publishers and
dealers.
After the usual roll call, which showed that a
large membership was present, Edward P. Little,
head of the sheet music department of Sher-
man, Clay & Co. and president of the Associa-
tion, made the annual address. He said:
"I take pleasure in welcoming you at this time
to our Eleventh Annual Convention, which I
believe will prove to be the most important
convention we have yet held.
"The future looks most promising for all of
us, although at this time there is more or less
uncertainty over the recent "net" no discount
ruling of the Federal Trade Commission. This
situation is being handled by most publishers in
a manner that will enable the dealers to make
an honorable profit, although there are still cer-
tain publishers who apparently do not under-'
stand the needs of the retail dealer and are
more or less uncertain what to do. We earnestly
request all publishers to consider carefully the
welfare of their dealers and I hope that before
we leave this meeting that they will know defi-
nitely just what we want.
"In our deliberations I trust we will in turn
also show due consideration for the publishers'
problems and prove to them our desire to co-
operate in every possible way.
"In speaking of our Association work the past
year, I want to say that whatever credit is due
the officers should be given to our most efficient
secretary, Thos. Donian, who has labored faith-
fully and unceasingly in our behalf. Frankly, I
have been unable to give him much help, and
recommend that when you elect your next presi-
dent that you choose a man much nearer to the
center of activities than I am. We have at
every meeting promised faithfully that we would
co-operate with our officers to the fullest ex-
tent and I am not at this time going to take
any of you to task for lack of co-operation, for
some of our directors and members have given
up a great deal of time and spent much money
journeying back and forth from New York to
help solve the problems that have confronted
us, but in closing I cannot help but quote from
Kipling, that which you have often heard before:
'It ain't the individuals,
Nor the army as a whole,
But the everlastin' teamwork
Of every bloomin' soul.' "
Thomas J. Donlan, the secretary and treasurer,
then read a very pointed and timely paper on
tlie accomplishments of the body during the
past year; the object still to be achieved, and
the most healthy developments and progress of
the past few months. It follows:
"Mr. President: Thanks for your kind ap-
proval of the secretary's work.
"Our president understates the case when he
Thomas J. Donlan
says he had not given much help. Although far
away, he has been always accessible at short
tiotice by wire and he has never failed to
respond. Our directors have given a great deal
of help, and in some instances they have given
valuable time and gone to considerable expense
in behalf o*f the Assocation, paying all their own
expenses to the trade practice submittal of
October 2 before Federal Trade Commissioner
Van Fleet, to the executive committee meeting
of November 27 and to the meeting of the joint
publishers' and dealers' committee meeting of
March 20.
"Most of the work of the past year has been
recorded in General Letters Nos. 1 and 2. The
retail dealers will be interested in the resolution
adopted by the National Association of Music
Merchants last Wednesday at the request of
M.r. Philpitt, in which that organization of 1,200
members concurs in the resolution of the music
publishers and the ruling of the Federal Trade
(Continued on page 5)