Music Trade Review

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Music Merchants Urged to Protest
OPA "Squeeze" by Pres. E. R. McDuff
HE "squeeze" on the retail mer- formation of a task committee was be presented . . . It has been re-
chant which is now proposed by authorized by the larger group to quested by this task committee
ask their
the Office of Price Administra- complete a study of absorption with- that all associations
tion is being vigorously protested by in 30 days. The committee is asked members to write Chester Bowles,
all types of retail merchants. The to make a statistical report on the c o OPA, sending a copy of their
method pursued in granting piano limits to which absorption may be letter to the association office, ex-
manufacturers higher ceiling prices carried and to study the effect of the pressing dissatisfaction with the
and then cutting the dealer's margin policy on the postwar effectiveness reconversion formulas ts they
affect retail stores.
from 89% to 58% is considered a of distribution.
" . . . I think it is highly neces-
In accordance with this E. R. Mc-
criterion of what will happen all
along the line of all types of musical Duff, president of the National Asso- stary that the retailers join in ex-
instruments, radio, radio - phono- ciation of Music Merchants, has sent pressing their belief that the re-
graphs, phonograph records, record out the following appeal to the mem- tail reconversion pricing formula
cabinets, piano benches and sheet bers of the Association as well as to is highly unfair to the retailer
music. At the meeting of 32 retail all retailers in the music business and their inability to operate
consultants which took place in Wash- urging them to tell OPA what effect their businesses thereunder."
ington recently with OPA officials this policy will have on their busi-
NAMM's Protest to OPA
the latter stated that they could not ness, to quote actual figures where
To point out to the OPA the fallacy
consider any plan that failed to pro- possible and to send a copy of the of its pricing edict for music merchants
expense ratio table has been pre-
vide for substantial absorption and letter to the headquarters of the Asso- an
pared by William A. Mills, executive
the question became one of how much ciation in Chicago. His letter is as secretary of the National Association
(Turn to page 16)
retailers can stand. Furthermore, follows:
when a request was made for 30 days
"This matter of absorption is
to present a detailed statement on going to be a very difficult one.
proper pricing policies OPA replied You have a tentative draft of
that it could not wait; that it had what the OPA proposed and
a commitment to produce reconver- from that you can readily see
sion formulas at once. However, the that it applies to phonograph rec-
ords, sheet music, record cabi-
nets, piano benches, radios, in
fact any commodity that a music
store handles; and I think the
treatment we are getting at the
present time on pianos is indica-
tive of what we are facing.
Such makes as
"The task force which has been
STEINWAY
assigned the job of replying to
MASON & HAMUN
the tentative plan and offering a
GULBRANSEN PIANOS
CHICKERING
more constructive plan to the
OF TOMORROW
KNABE, BALDWIN
OPA has designated a steering
of course will be
GULBRANSEN
committee and this committee is
"America's Smartest Piano Fashions 1 *
STORY & CLARK
authorized to obtain competent
and others.
counsel
and organizations will
Grands, Spinets, and
help
them
prepare the reply to 816 N. KEDZIE AVE., CHICAGO 51. III.
Uprights.
Correspondence, or
inspection invited.
T
THE UTMOST
IN QUALITY
USED PIANOS
eOLBRANSEN COMPANY
S. L. CURTIS, Inc.
240 West 55th Street
New York City 19.
S. L. Curtis, Largest and Oldest Used
Piano Dealer in the United States,
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, AUGUST, 1945
mim\u\,
PECK & CO.
Master piano craftsmen
for 103 years
HARDMAN AND
HARRINGTON GRANDS
AND CONSOLES
•
'MINIPIANOS'
33 West 57th Street
New York