New-York tribune., 1902-08-15
LITERARY PIRACY N RUSSIA.

JERoME X. JEROME ENTERS BITTER COMPLAIN l.
From The London Times.
The Germans have provero' ket MN ,+inya itT
hurt crv OUT In the interests OF inter .! nc. e
copyright I would that some Enghsh H-, mtt =
more Importance than myself were equ@iS "
sufferer bv reason of the incomprehenSlple u!e
inclination OF the Russian Government 10 ~ -
form TO the Berne Convention. Falhns mo- :
potent voice, l venture to raise my ~ ~o"n o.
plaint against the inhospitable treatment 80 -
sfo ,,oe+es ont to the literary guests she herse4L
invites to visit her. For reasons the JustIIcdo "a
ton Of which it is not for me 10 atIei!Ip
Russian public wooed by the a admirable IRA ,
+iors of my friend Nine. Jarintzon, colnfneIlCSu
some wears ago to take an interest," IN my , WI n
Free as the literary temperament Is pP supPo'e f
70 he Of vanity, I confess TO some iee4tlS Va
rride at the honor thus accorded me VI ia IhS
gra tifcation has been considerably raaTreu' nov
sIeT l7z- nv powerlessness 10 prevent the issue
of unauthorized translations, which, SO am
assured by my Russian friends, are at the oeSl
garbled and incorr and at the worst more oi
less original connections, OF me ] IlleLies % bT+
merits OF which l am entirely lnhocent, ouC
which nevertheless. are sold Labelled win my
name A batch of these brochures, claiming 70
be translatons from nay WORKS was sem ~ -
me 2 while ago They bear titles more or less
attractive I quote one or two as specimens
Women Have Loved, Iona, Etnel, ana l.
Strange Experiences of a Night Ny feellngs
as a respectable British author can be mag
ined. Here and there passage occurs Whcn
resembles something Of which / may nave I3 pegn
guilty; TO brand me as responsible for the WhoIe
is son ewhat unfair. Now hear that what pur-
ports to be a translation Of my play, MISS
Hobbs" has lately been produced IN MOSCOW.
The only translation l have authorized is that
made by Nine. Jarintzoff and played IN St-
Petersburg by Nine. Saveena. No book OF the
play has been published in any language; TINS
Moscow version can only be a concocton
founded on memory.
1 have no remedy. I must rest passive,
knowing myself TO be nisrepresented. Pub4lsh-
ers are discouraged from issuing authorized
translations knowing they will have to COM
pete with pirated versions cheaply put together
The translator is not secured any pTacucai
reward for his Ia Dor. But the story IS an oIu
one We have gone through the argument be-
fore America. a country not controlled by SEN
timent has discovered that justice TO the for
Surely the case has only to be presented clearly
for the Russian Government to adopt the pro
tective policy that all nations possessed them
selves of literary wealth have found good. 30
far as the pecuniary side of the question is con-
cerned, II is certain Russia. exporting much
more than she imports, would reap the advan-
tage. Even as regards the future, so far as the
eve Of man can reach. the proba bities are the
advantage would remain with her Her mines
Of literature are in the prospecting, and promise
q rich output.
But fees and royalties are not the only things
to be considered in this matter. Appreciation of
itself is to every artist a palpable asset. To
guage is distinctly pleasant TO the English
prophet, who rarely, in these days OF Scotch re-
viewing, receives the local credit he feels in
stinctively to be his due But in place of
pleasure at the knowledge Of himself as trans
latable quantity added discomfort can only be
that authors portion who, TO domestic misunder
must submit to the injustice Of mis-
abroad
If an author be worth transating at all, he
ought to be given the right to make certain that
he is translated correctly. This can only be
done by giving him and his translator legal pro-
lection. Russia has shown herself capable of
taking leading place in the world of art and
letters. If only as preliminary TO securing
justice to herself, she should surely show justice
to the stranger