New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-13
Convention of American
Association Begins at
Hotel AStOr.
PRICE CUTTING SAID
TO BE ON DECLINE
Wholesome Books Better than the
Suggestive Ones for
Steady Sale.

The American Booksellers Association
began its fourteenth annual convention
at tho Hotel Aston yesterday. There
were several hundred retailers. whole
salers and publishers for the opening
speech, written by Walter I. Butler, pres
ldent Of the association. and read by v
VI. Schenck, vice-president. who took the
chair In the absence OF the president.
This report dealt chiefly with the lons
pending litigation over the matter OF
price cutting by booksellers. and the pres
ident's opinion. with which ;he secre-
tary. w. 8. Lewis agreed. was theat price
cutting is on the decline and that our
ing the last year the net price idea mas
been well established.
The retailers who gave an opinion on
what the backbone Of their trade L.
agreed without exception that they de-
penn on the most wholesome books in the
publishers output for the larger part OF
their income and that the startling sug-
gestivc and shady products are put
.hv items, not OF such Importance 70
them as they are generally thought TO De
The purpose Of the convention was SAID
TO unite the efforts Of the booksel'-
ers In persuading the public that books
are articles quite as essential to the gen.
eral welfare as are shoes. hats or gro
ceries
In speaking of The Prose and Poetry
of Bookselling' Seeley Conover. OF Am
sterdam, y. Y, said that as an old-timer
I'm the book business he had found that
the inside track to success depended on
making good customers. even when IL
must be done through an acquaintance
with the customers children.
He was followed by John T. Witsh' OF
Brentano's. who said in discussion OF
Display as a Factor In Selling Books
Take care that the material gathered
for a window display Is not OF so strlK-
ing or interesting a character that II
will obstruct the true purpose OF the dis
play, which is to call attention to the
things you have TO sell.
During the afternoon session Miss viola
Dalrymple. who wrote the $1,000 prize
book. Diana OF the Green Van" was
asked whether she liked booksellers. she
agreed that she did. and that she hac
sympathy for them also. because although
II Is easy to write bad book. II mus
be mighty hard to sell 1t.
Miss Georgiana Hall, OF Wanamakers
Philadelphia. said in a speech on Book
selling as a Profession for Women" that
with exceptions. the women retailers wer'
not as OF as we'll educated class Of
they should be, and that it would be wei
to interest a greater number OF coileg
graduates In the profession.
The afternoon session was temporary!
adjourned when the Belvidere room OF thu
Astor, I'm which the meeting was held
was suddenly filled with dense fog. Mos
OF the members rose and started In rusi
for the door, but were finally Gained by
cries OF sit down! It's not fire. L
developed that the radiators had beer
recently removed from the room, and tina
the steam had been turned on through
the open pipes.
The programme for to-days session n
$50 a. m. includes Creating Demand
by Robert W. station: Developing the
Market for Books by Richard b. q
Gardner. and "A Booksellers Paradise.
by w. II. Arnold In the afternoon there
will be an executive session open only u
members. In the evening the conventior
will hold theatre party.