The talking machine world (July-Dec 1922)

140 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD August is, 1922 BENNY DAVIS v THE^M*tTi^^=?^F SILVER ABNER At. WIT/HARK & SO/NS Publishers Wihmark Building /NEW YORK ^>uuuuinNHiiiiuiiuinuuiiKiui(aiiui»i HHm»M!ic;iuiinu;iiHtiw:im:iiKMtuH>>i:ii»'iia!icii.ai;:imtitinaiiMRc;mnimm!£ AN OLD PERIL IN A NEW GUISE 1 By Julius Klein, Director, Bureau of | Foreign and Domestic Commerce ^Datniiiiitntrniiiiiiiit utiuiiiiiijiniiiiiiiiitiuiitiiiiiiiniiiiiniiniijitiiiiiiiiiitiiiiitiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiuiiiiiiiiruiiaiinmiiiiiinti^ Well-authenticated confidential advices received by the Department of Commerce from various sources indicate the recurrence in a virulent form of an old evil, which has from time to time imperiled individual interests in the export trade, but now seems to be directed against certain exporting industries as a whole. The means employed are to tie up the American exporter in an agency agreement and to push competing goods of foreign make under the protection of the existing agency arrangement. Agency Agreements Should Be Examined This practice is not new, but apparently it has never been tried so extensively as at present, according to indications, for which reason it is deemed expedient to issue a word of caution to American exporters. It is absolutely essential, for the present prosperity and the future welfare of the American export trade, to exercise the most rigid scrutiny over the details of agency agreements which tie up the exporter in a certain territory. Is your agent bound by open or secret affiliations to interests other than American? Does the agency agreement permit him to paralyze the active promotion of your interests and to devote himself actively to the sale of competing goods? The danger outlined is not a mere bugaboo, but actually exists, and flagrant cases have been submitted to the Department of Commerce as evidence. The problem which the situation presents is exceedingly delicate and difficult. The solution — to entrust the agency of an American firm to a strictly American agency organization — is simple enough, but cannot be everywhere applied in practice because such organizations are comparatively few. But it is imperative to examine most closely the existing and the proposed agency arrangements with firms whose affiliations are not entirely American. It has been suggested that where an American firm cannot be found a native firm, free from any suspicion of foreign affiliations, should be entrusted with the agency, but even this expedient may not always answer. In many markets the distribution of imported goods has never been in native hands. Need for American Agencies The sad fact remains that in the task of distributing American goods abroad American traders had largely depended before the war upon European agencies and other foreign channels. Even until very recent days they had depended upon foreign-owned bottoms to carry them. It is the obvious and immediate task of American business to create throughout the world a network of American agencies, or at least agencies whose loyalty is not pre-empted by racial or commercial ties antagonistic to American interests. This is not a task to be accomplished in a day. But until it has been accomplished American export business will be greatly handicapped, dependent for its progress upon alien and frequently unwilling effort. The thing to be done at once is to examine the basis of all agreements with foreign agents and to analyze the affiliations of the agents. The Department of Commerce urges exporters tc take advantage of the full resources of American banks, credit institutions and Government agencies, particularly the Commercial Intelligence Service and the Commercial Laws Division of the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, in connection with inquiries as to the general scope of agency contracts. GOLDMAN SUMMER BAND CONCERTS PROOF THAT ADVERTISING PAYS Mississippi Columbia Dealer Tells of Successful Publicity Campaign Biloxi, Miss., August 8. — J. A. Abrams, Columbia dealer in this city, recently forwarded an interesting letter to the Daily Herald, advising this publication that remarkable results have been obtained from a newspaper campaign inaugurated by him several weeks ago. In this letter Mr. Abrams stated that during a period of three weeks he had used two full pages and six half-page advertisements in the Daily Herald, and as a result of this advertising had sold thirty-four Grafonolas ranging in price from $60 to $175. In addition to these sales over 200 inquiries had been received, many of which will undoubtedly be turned into sales in the near future. Another proof that advertising pays. MISS MARION I. BEACH ENGAGED The engagement of Miss Marion I. Beach, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. ■ Harry A. Beach, of Merchantville, N. J., to Clarence C. Larkin, of Ithaca, N. Y., has been announced. Mr. Beach is widely known in the trade as vice-president and general manager of the Unit Construction Co.. Philadelphia, Pa. MORE TRUTH THAN POETRY He who hitches his wagon to a star, And works to attain his goal Is bound to travel fast and far, And works to attain his goal, eeimeHex£Jwnday see Page 116 ^/ackjhyder -IjF Programs for Closing Half of Season Will Be of Exceeding Interest Judging from the increased attendance, the delightful concerts being given by the Goldman Band on The Green at Columbia University have been keenly appreciated this season. Mr. Goldman has been providing programs of exceeding interest which are rendered by a splendid organization of artists. After a week's vacation the Goldman Band will resume its concerts on August 21, but instead of three concerts a week, there will be nightly programs from Monday to Friday evenings each week up to September 8. In this period there will be festival concerts and a series of operatic and popular nights. The World extends its felicitations to Mr. Goldman on the great work he is doing for the advancement of music in New York City. His efforts merit the substantial backing of every lover of music. AMERICANS BARRED FROM FAIR Washington, D. C, August 3. — American musical instrument manufacturers will be barred from exhibiting at the coming Basle, Switzerland, trade fair, according to a recent announcement made by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce here. In a previous statement the bureau announced that American manufacturers would be given an opportunity of exhibiting at this fair, but information recently received indicates that only Swiss manufacturers will be allowed to participate. E. P. LITTLE A VISITOR TO NEW YORK Edward P. Little, who was recently elected president of the National Association of Sheet Music Dealers, and head of the music publisher's department of Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco, Cal., arrived in New York on Thursday of last week and made a ten days' stay in this city, following which he visited other large Eastern trade centers. A big exploitation campaign has been inaugurated by Sherman, Clay & Co. on the new novelty fox-trot, "The Sneak," and several other numbers from the catalog. Mr. Little seemed much pleased with the situation in the East. The Consolidated Music Stores, of Newark, N. J., have changed their name to the Cardinal Sales Co. PREDOMINATES jj 5Q* RECORD FIELD