The Washington herald., 1920-08-15
New York City
Feist Tin Pan Alley King.
BY o. o. Mcintyre.

New York, Aug. lf.-Ine popular
music publishing industry is an in
teresting economic example of the
tail wagging the dog. Although it
is usually regarded as the smallest
part of the music industry, the sales
of phonograph records, music rolls
and even pianos and Photographs
depend on the increasing demand
for popular music created by the
song writers and their publishers.
! The most picturesque character in
Tin Pan Alley - the sobriquet for
that district in the Forties that
turns out the nations popular dit
| ties-is Leo Feist, the head of the
largest music publishing house in
the world. A gentle. kindly little
man with an unusually winning smile
who. dominates his business by the
genuine affection he displays to-
ward his employees.
Feist had to fight his way to the
top, but no one was bruised in the
battle. His consideration for the
other fellow has made him beloved
even by his competitors.
His organization is more than
twice as big as any competitors
He publishes about 100000 sheets
of music every year. Opened up and
set end to end, these sheets would
come pretty nearly plastering the
/ face of the earth. He revolution
lied the music publishing business.
When he started it was a sensa-
tion for any song to reach 500, 900
sales. Leo Feist thinks. nothing of
1000, 900 seller. And he is out
after the 100000 record.
| The music publishing business
used to be watched. The business
was run by haphazard methods.
Feist fought to make the business
clean. No song writer fears now
that royalties will be camoufla ged
! by any reputable house.
His right-hand man is Edgar F.
! Bitner, dynamo in human form,
who works at top speed, but like a
| football coach, cheering his organi-
zation on. His patron saint is Feist,
and Feist lives quietly at his beau
| tiful estates at Mount Vernon max
ing suggestions here and there-but
keeping in the backGround-know
ing that his faith in his organiza-
tiOn is not misplaced.
| 1t IS difficult after meeting Feist
to realize that this kindly, sweet
soul is a man of big business. He
seem so far removed from the
whirr of the business world-and
lishment that he does not know
about. Even the scrubwomen. toll
Ing after the days work is over,
know that they can depend upon he
ing treated fairly.
They are all Feist's empIoyes-
from the least to the greatest-and
under no circumstances would he
have any one mistreated. He
drltted into the music publishing
business by accident. When he was
Il he wrote a song that was sung
at Tony Pastors. That gave him
the idea.
Mr.. An Sells Fish
The first name In the New York
directory just published is Aaron Aa.
Mr.. Aa is a Syrian and sells fish.
Writing Play for warfeId.
The great desire of every play
wright has been attained by Gene
Buck, lyric writer, who came to
New York from Detroit only a few
years ago. Mr.. Buck is writing a
play for David Warfeld which viii
! be produced by Belasco next year
Mr. Bucks writing for the stage
has hitherto been confined largely
10 the dashing off of lyrics and sug-
gestinG ideas for ziegfelds FolIies
and midnight entertainments.
Mr. BUCK, so runs the legend. an
preached Mr.. WarfieId with the
nucleus of play, and the star was
| so taken with it that he forthwith
rushed Mr.. Buck to Mr.. Belasco.
"hefe that astute manager
promptly gave the playwright a
contract and instructed him to pro-
ceed with the play.
The writing of play for Mr.. War
! field has long been the ambition Of
more than one successful nIav-
| wright, for Mr.. Warfield possesses
the golden touch and the reward Of
| the fortunate author would be enor-
nous. Max MARGIN, something more
| than year ago, came the closest 70
haVlng play accepted in this uuar-
| Ter. His play, When the Flag Goes
ny was described at length in these
columns at the time. 1t was 70 All
lntents and purposes an ideal vehicle
Tor Mr.. Wartield, but it was a niece
with war angle, and with the sign
ing of the armistice Mr.. warfeId
went right on acting his old favor
ties.
1t is estimated that a new pIav
Will make the playw right from $50
0VV to 100000 a year indefinitely.
Gulick shaves on Beard.
1t took Powell Gulick, chief OK
ecutive of a news photo syndicate
| hfteen years to cultivate his fanione
reddish Van Dyke beard-and every
body on Park row gasped the other
day when GuliCk reached his offices
on William street clean shaven.
Back of it all is the influence Of
| temperament-the temperament tbat
was exhibited by Miss Elizabeth
Pauline GuliCk, the S-year-oId prod
Icy who has been entertaining chill
dren all over the country for tha
past year as narrator of kiddie
stories.
Recently Miss GuIick was engaged
10 appear with Maclyn ArbuckIe in
the comedy Daddy Dumplins. bv
- ndIT hCCulCneon and Earl
Carroll. On her arrival at CarroII's
office she found six other kiddies
who will play with her in the Dro-
duction. Never having mixed in
theatriCals before. what impressed
the child most was the fact that ali
the men in Carrolls office were
clean shaven.
She telephoned her father and
said that she wasn't coming hnrnn o.