The talking machine world (July-Dec 1924)

100 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD August 15, 1924 Western Music Trades Association Formed Convention in San Francisco Results in Formation of Permanent Association — E. A. Geissler President — Many Instructive Addresses San Francisco, Cal., July 26. — The formation of a permanent organization to be known as the Western Music Trades Association was the outcome of the first convention of the Western music trades at the Hotel St. Francis here Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, July 22, 23 and 24. More than 200 representatives of the music trades, representing every branch of the industry, were present at the opening session and the three days of the convention were crowded to the utmost with constructive addresses relating to important phases of the industry, as well as routine business incidental to the formation of the new Association. First Officers of New Association The following members of the trade, named by the nominating committee, were unanimously elected as the first officers and directors of the new Association: President, E. A. Geissler, vice-president, Geo. J. Birkel Co., Los Angeles, Cal.; first vice-president, Ed. Kelly, Hopper-Kelly Co., Seattle, Wash.; second vice-president, A. D. Lamotte, Thearle Music Co., San Diego, Cal.; secretary, A. G. Farquharson, secretary, Music Trades Association of Southern California, Los Angeles, Cal.; treasurer, E. P. Tucker, vice-president, Wiley B. Allen Co., Los Angeles, Cal. Directors — Frank Anrys, vice-president and general manager, Wiley B. Allen Co., San Francisco, Cal; John W. Boothe, Barker Bros., Los Angeles, Cal; Geo. Q. Chase, president, Kohler & Chase, San Francisco, Cal.; Philip T. Clay, president, Sherman, Clay & Co., San Francisco, Cal.; J. J. Daynes, Daynes-Beebe Co., Salt Lake City, Utah; Geo. Fisher, Fisher Music Co., Tucson, Ariz.; Chas. Corbin, Bush & Lane, Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash.; Emil Simons, Simons Piano Co., Spokane, Wash., and Ed. H. Uhl, president, Southern California Music Co., Los Angeles, Cal. P. T. Clay Opens Sessions The convention was opened by Philip T. Clay, of Sherman, Clay & Co., who delivered the address of welcome. He pointed out the results that had been obtained from the meetings of the National Association where the topics of discussion must necessarily be broad in scope and he proposed that the Western Music Trades Convention confine its discussions to subjects of specific interest to those present. E. A. Geissler, vice-president of the Birkel Co., of Los Angeles, and the next speaker, spoke upon the work which is being accomplished by local associations and the need for a further development of these organizations. B. P. Sibley, the next speaker, instead of reading his prepared paper, gave to the convention some of the many favorable answers received to queries regarding the value of the Association work which the late George R. Hughes had sent out to leading trade associations of the country. E. H. Uhl, head of the Southern California Music Co. and chairman of the luncheon on California Day, the official designation of the first day of the meeting, who sat upon the plat form with President Clay, asked all present, without local associations in their cities or towns, to rise. Approximately a dozen of those in attendance did, all pledging themselves to organize such bodies upon their return home. Permanent Organization Mr. Clay, then asked if the convention desired to effect a permanent organization and the session so signified by a unanimous vote. Alex McDonald Speaks at Luncheon The leading speaker at the mid-day luncheon was Alex. McDonald, of Sohmer & Co., representing the National Association of Music Merchants, whose topic was "Associations, Both National and Sectional." Tuesday's Afternoon Session The first speaker at the afternoon session was E. P. Eckstein, vice-president of the Piatt Music Co., of Los Angeles, whose topic was "Overhead in the Retail Music Store." The question of credits, collections and terms was handled by C. E. Longfellow, credit manager of the Birkel Co., Los Angeles, and J. J. Grimsey, of the Walter S. Gray Co. The subject of trade-ins was handled by C. E. Gorham, of the American Piano Co.; J. E. Robbins, of the Hockett-Cowan Co., and George Q. Chase, president of Kohler & Chase. The addresses of all three aroused keen interest. The last speaker of the session was J. P. Fitzgerald, of the Fitzgerald Music Co., Los Angeles, who discussed the business ethics of the retail trade. Wednesday Session Devoted to Radio Great interest was manifested in the papers and discussions on radio at the Wednesday morning session. Arthur H. Halloran was the first speaker, his topic being "What Radio Means to the Music Business." He predicted that sales of complete and fully patented sets would offer increasing opportunities for business to the music dealers who had such departments, since radio, in bringing music to the masses, would lead them to buy other musical instruments as well. He pointed out the necessity of the music dealer having salesmen capable of selling radio intelligently and of restraining their sales talks within limits since over-selling radio has already brought great injury to the trade. A. J. Kendrick, sales manager of the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., who was the next speaker, stated that so long as the dealer is in the music business he can not ignore radio. He urged that it be sold as a musical instrument for which no exaggerated long distance claims of reception should be made by the salesman. J. W. Boothe, of Barker Bros., Los Angeles, described his early success in equipping talking machines with radio. He urged the dealers, however, to stick close to their standard methods of doing business and to be hard-boiled regarding replacements of tubes and batteries. He pointed out that the music dealer in order to merchandise radio properly needs at least a 40 per cent discount from list. A. H. Mayer, of Mayberg & Co., whose topic was "Radio Service," devoted most of his address to the necessity of educating customers on how to use the radio receiving set properly. C. H. Mansfield, of the Fitzgerald Music Co., whose topic was "Radio Sales," deprecated the tendency to base them upon so-called long distance since the proper way to sell radio is as a musical instrument and not as a long-distance machine. He read his firm's contract in which it agrees to rectify defects in the receiver but neither to replace tubes or batteries. A great many questions from interested dealers prolonged the session and made them almost forget the mid-day luncheon, at which W. H. Graham, of Seattle, chairman of the Pacific Northwest Day, as the second day of the convention was officially designated, presided. The speaker at the luncheon was Richard M. Neustedt, managing director of the San Francisco Retail Merchants' Association, whose topic was "Turning Over Your Profits as Well as Your Goods." A fine musical program was also given. Wednesday Afternoon Session The first speaker of the afternoon session on the second day of the convention was E. P. Kelly, of the Kelly-Hopper Co., who spoke on commissions. He advocated that commissions for salesmen be graduated and regretted that they are still paid to people outside the regular sales force, declaring that music houses pay commissions to teachers but are really ashamed of it. H. T. Nolder, Pacific Coast manager of the Starr Piano Co., spoke on turnover, stating that the modern department store emphasizes this as one of its most important business factors and asking the music merchants to place as much emphasis upon it as do those business organizations. E. H. Uhl spoke upon the same topic with specific application to conditions in the Far West. Advertising Discussed Shirley Walker, of Sherman, Clay & Co., in speaking upon advertising, declared that the day has gone by when a dealer questions the advisability of this selling method and that the only question which remains is how to make publicity the most effective in creating sales. George H. Barnes, of the Barnes Music Co., spoke upon the same topic. Interest on Sales E. Palmer Tucker, of the Wiley B. Allen Co., went deeply into the question of interest on time sales, pointing out to the convention that the average music dealer had more money tied up in lease paper than he had in merchandise and suggested methods by which this might bring a profit. The same subject was discussed by F. L. Grannis, of the Southern California Music Co. Talking machine record sales was the topic of Herman Black, of the Piatt Music Co., and Irving Westphal, of the Southern California Music Co. Closing Session on Thursday The third and last day of the Western Music Trades Convention bristled with so many high spots that it was difficult to find a paper or a happening not worth recording in full. The most important event of the day was the formation of the permanent association and election of officers of the association. 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