Music Trade Review

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54
Musical Merchandise Section of The Music Trade Review
production are both necessary and comple-
mentary.
President Lomb then called to order the an-
nual meeting of the National Association of
Musical Instrument and Accessories Manufac-
turers in giving his annual report as follows.
The administrative year of this Association,
now drawing to a close, has not been replete
with spectacular developments. In this respect,
it has followed the course of our industry. The
Musical Merchandise industry, as we all know,
has passed through a difficult period. Such
periods of stress have frequently occurred in
other industries and wherever such industries
fill a basic need it is only a question of time
before recovery sets in. That the music indus-
try in general, and the musical merchandise
industry in particular, does fill such a basic
need of the human family is certain, for in the
final analysis it is music and nothing else that
this industry of ours supplies, and at its very
source, that is, at the musical instrument itself.
Other related industries, such as the radio indus-
try, are concerned chiefly with the transmission
of music and are dependent upon our instru-
ments for the production of the music which
they transmit.
One of the major developments in our field
has, therefore, been the recognition of this fact
by two of these related industries, the radio
industry and the moving picture industry. The
former has evidenced this by holding its annual
convention at the same time and in the same
city as the music industry and the latter by
its entrance into the sheet music and talking
moving picture field. As is generally the case,
a revolutionary change such as this has caused
some serious dislocations. Nevertheless, with
the vast amount of good music which is now
being poured out over the country, there can be
no doubt that the great interest in music so
created will restore equilibrium and that the
American people will become active players of
music and not merely more or less slothful
listeners.
To bring about this condition, namely that
everyone considers the playing of a musical
instrument as an essential and indispensable aid
to lasting happiness, is the great problem con-
fronting our industry today. Taking into ac-
count the very limited funds, comparatively
speaking, that have been available, the results
already accomplished have been truly remark-
able. The National Bureau for the Advance-
ment of Music cannot be too highly praised
in this regard, but before the music industry
can really come into its own, the members of
it must themselves find a way to bring conspic-
uously before the American people the fact that
the playing of a musical instrument is the one
road to permanent happiness and real culture.
A mighty step toward a realization of this
practical ideal was taken when the industry
adopted its new slogan, "The richest child is
poor without musical training." This Associa-
tion took an initiatory part in obtaining this
rallying cry of the whole industry and all
branches of the industry are strongely urged
to back up in every possible way the campaign
now under way to promulgate the Slogan
among all the people.
The distinctive and most valuable feature of
the Slogan lies in the fact that it emphasizes
the musical status of the child, for it is in
the musical development of the coming genera-
tion that the hope and future of the industry
lie.
Another activity of the Association to which
assiduous attention has been given, especially
by the committee of which Mr. G. F. Chapin
is Chairman, is the question of import duties
on certain Musical Instruments and Accesso-
ries. The tariff bill now before Congress em-
bodies to a large extent the recommendations
of the Committee and when passed will give the
corresponding branches of our industry a well-
merited degree of increased protection.
Correlated to the import matter, is the ques-
tion of entering the export markets with our
instruments. Owing to somewhat unsettled
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conditions at the moment, the final steps to
take aggressive action in this direction have not
been taken, but the groundwork has been laid
and it needs but the word of those especially
interested to set the already existing machinery
in motion. In particular, the Bureau of Foreign
and Domestic Commerce, of the United States
Department of Commerce stands ready to aid
us. Its experience with other industries, whose
products do not approach ours in their appeal
to vast masses of foreign nations, gives every
hope that this venture will, if properly sup-
ported, be crowned with success.
Other questions of equal importance have
engrossed the attention of the officers of the
Association, but they are scarcely of public
interest at this time. It may be said, however,
that these questions have to do with matters
which are vital to the interest of our branch
of the industry, not only at this time but in
the immediate future. Until these measures can
be brought to helpful fruition, then, we must
continue to have an abiding faith in the ulti-
mate outcome, for there cannot be the shadow
of a doubt that the products of our factories
occupy a distinct place in the category of human
wants and that their future is assured.
Alfred L. Smith followed with the annual
report of secretary, as well as treasurer.
There are now 28 members of the Associa-
tion. 1 regret to report that there were two
resignations during the year, two others are
pending and one member dropped for non-pay-
ment of dues.
Two meetings have been held during the year,
the first on October 5 in the offices of the
Music Industries Chamber of Commerce, with
seven in attendance, and the second at White
Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on March 22,
with an attendance of ten. This latter meeting
was one of the best the Association ever held.
The chief work of the Association during the
year has been that of promotion of fretted
instruments. This work has been done by the
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