The talking machine world (Jan-June 1928)

Hie Talking Machine World, New York, April, 1928 34c one dealer against another, does not simplify the matter at all. Manufacturers of the better type have long ago taken a firm stand against direct discounts of any kind, in some cases going so far as to exclude their own employes of any privileges of the sort to close by that means any possible leak. Wholesalers, too, have in most cases put up the bars against any discount to other than legitimate dealers, and there is a case on record of one wholesaler who interpreted his own rules so rigidly that he refused a discount to his brother-in-law. There are dealers, too, who hold to the belief that the list price is fair, that they and not the customer should make the price and refuse to be bullied or cajoled into granting an allowance. The difficulty is, however, that there are just enough of the other type in each division of the field to make the problem rather a serious one. Unfortunately, neither the retail phonograph nor the radio trades are so well organized nationally that united action can be taken against this evident evil, but there are live organizations that do exist in various sections of the country that can do much to check the discount practice if an honest attempt is made. When the retailer learns of a manufacturer, a wholesaler, or a competing dealer who actually sells merchandise to the public at a discount, let the matter be reported and made public. When the facts are known it will not be difficult to bring to bear sufficient pressure to discourage the activities of the first two factors along that line, and it is often possible to make the dealer himself see the error of his ways. When a business gets on a basis where a fair and legitimate quoted price is regarded simply as bait, and in the light of an "asking price," things are in a bad way. The wholesaler or manufacturer who grants a friendly discount is simply taking that much substance away from the dealer upon whom he depends for his distribution and his ultimate profit. The dealer who grants a discount is making a present of just that much cash to a stranger. Even if the practice carried on regularly increases his business 100 per cent, that increase is not only profitless, but often represents an overhead cost. By long odds, such business is better left to the other fellow. Equitable Copyright Legislation JUST at the present time the question of copyright, particularly as it affects the miechanical reproduction of music and the royalties to be paid for the privilege, holds an important position on the legislative stage in Washington. Early in the month a hearing was held before the Patent Committee of the House of Representatives with a view to developing a measure that should prove satisfactory to the authors, composers and publishers, and also to the makers of records and music rolls, but the hearing resulted chiefly in charges of sharp dealing and broken agreements. As the matter now stands, the committee, failing in the effort to have the interested parties present suggestions acceptable to both sides, has decided to draft a compromise measure, which will also probably lead to prolonged argument, for the copyright owners demand greater leeway in making royalty contracts for the use of their works, ostensibly for the purpose of securing returns greater than those offered by the two-cent-per-copy clause in the present law, and the record makers hold that open bargain WARNING TO THE TRADE PERSONS who claim to be agents of The Talking Machine World are visiting dealers in various sections of the country soliciting subscriptions and collecting money for same. These individuals are frauds. The Talking Machine World has no subscription agents, and dealers are warned against thieves of this type. Dealers in Texas are especially warned against the so-called "Publishers Circulation Bureau," a fraudulent concern, which has been soliciting subscriptions in that State. ing might lead to a monopoly, and that any increase in royalties will simply be a burden upon the record-buying public. The rumblings of copyright law adjustment have been heard, lo, these many years, and even the most optimistic, bearing in mlind the troubles realized in the drafting of the present law, cannot see a satisfactory solution of the problem for some months to come at least. Certainty both factors are standing by their guns and keeping close watch on every move. $20,000,000 for Concerts and Opera GEORGE ENGELS, who manages a number of great artists and musical organizations, has estimated that citizens of the United States spend something in excess of $20,000,000 each year to hear concerts and operas, and in that particular give to music support in excess of that offered by any European country. It must be understood, of course, that this $20,000,000 does not represent in any sense America's entire annual expenditure for music, but simply covers the cost of attending the operas and the concerts. Symphony orchestra audiences have increased probably more than any other group, declared Mr. Engels, and the thirteen major symphony orchestras receive approximately $6,000,000 a year from the public as their portion. The New York and Chicago opera companies come next with $3,500,000 of the public's money annually, and the remainder goes to individual artists, Summer concert orchestras and minor opera companies. For those who regard musical progress solely in terms of sales of musical instruments and parts, it is interesting to consider that this great interest in operas and concerts is being reflected directly on business through the steadily increasing sales of the better classes of records. The manufacturers have contributed in no small measure to this movement through the issuance of special record sets, but aside from the surprisingly heavy sales of these sets the demand for records of the opera and those by noted concert stars continues to increase at a most gratifying rate. This demand is not in any sense supplanting the call for the popular numbers, but rather supplementing that call which means that it represents additional business for progressive retail dealers. B The best electrically recorded disc on the market, at the price. Our samples are our best salesmen. R A post card request will bring you E E BELL RECORDS C O R L Let us assist you in merchandising these records and from our long experience increase your selling L THE BELL RECORD CORPORATION 38 CLINTON STREET NEWARK, N. J. D S