Show YV NOH E REED SHORTAGE EXISTS When the sprang Ino in overnight o popularity a afew few years ago It was accounted for in In 1 some say ay or other by the tho war ar Then suddenly the millions of new new- saxophone ploy players rs were sera confronted by a serious shortage of oC reeds and again the war was held eld responsible Tho The reed In tha the saxophone IS just about oe as LS Important to the sax sax- saxophone saxophone sax saxophone I as ae the engine to the auto auto- automobile automobile mobile since It Is the tho sound pro pro pro- producing device Saxophone reeds are an r produced largely In Ln Fr Franco and the manufacturers of the United States mu must t depend on Prance France as a source of their reed supply A New Now York Im- Im Importer importer Im Importer porter of these Important accessorIes accessories ies lee Is authority for the follo follow plausible explanation for the ser ser- serious ser serious ious shortage of I leeds feeds ser ser-I It seems ms that the tho bulk bulls of the Fren saxophone Leeds alel use a I alelI grown In the large fields of reeds and rushes rushe In the farmlands of oC oCI I I Southern Prance franco Acres and acro acres of these thise fields arc are han harvested ested etch e fill hll and the reeds manufactured for shipment to the Unite United States Back In 1918 several divisions dl of colored French Colonial troops ar- ar ar arrived rh rived Id I'd from Africa for or replacement purposes and were ordered to I train In Southern Franco rance The reg reg- regular regular regular ular camps of this sr ere sero crow crowded ded and the general In I command commandeered ono one of the tho thoI largest reed fields for or the purpose I ot of quartering his troops Ho He know knew nothing of the alue of the acre area acres of or reeds blowing hlo Ing In Inthe Inthe Inthe the Mediterranean breezes es and or- or ordered ordered or ordered dered the fields 11 levelled lIe 1 for oc- oc occupancy occupancy oc occupancy The soldiers rs made quick work vork of mowing down n the miles s of potential sa saxophone harmonies and the reeds were TV ere all allowed 0 cd to rot roton roton roton on the ground as they la lay The loss of this supply of reeds proved pro to be bo such a handicap that the French reed manufacturers are even today way WilY behind In their I production for while the supplY was VIlS greatly diminished the tho for su saxophones continued to grow |