Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-11

play. He merely has 10 hear o taana
coming down the wind ana learn 10
whistle It, He only has 10 aee Q pie
tllre One cannot In Law replevtn .
whistled tune. The result has bosn
that composers have heard their Own
compositions played In foFsim cafes
and theatera and seen tho sheet Mtleic
sold by the thousands Of copies and
discovered 10 their dismAy that they are
absolutely stopped from obtaining any
royalties or from even selling the work
themselves. The American thus Ands
that his own work has been copyrighted
in 20 countries and II he tries 10 vend
IL in any Of them he himself. although
the originator, may be sued for IN
fringement by the very pirate VINO stole
his tune or idea.
That is the situation a. IL now exists.
But after next August IL will not be
possible even to obtain the secondhand
protection Of copyright in a foreign
member country. As the citizen OF
non-union country, his foreign rights
cannot be asserted through any chan
mel. He "a q complete oltcast with no
market but his own country. A pirate
who Il o citizen or subject OF any
member country may make fortune
out Of his work and legally protect 10
without 90 much as by-your-leave.
Legislation Urges.
DO writer's, artists, musicians, design
ere-all classes of creative artista-are
urging Congress to pass the bull ct this
session which will provide Tor mem
bership in the international CopyTtght
Union. Enactment Of the MEASURE not
only will prevent the lapse Of the pres
ent secondhand method Of foreign pro.
lection; 1t will vouchsafa Arst-hand
complete coverage for any Americans
who copyright their works with the
American Register Of Copyrights.
Publishers and manufacturers OF
gowns and hats and other business Hien
also are vitality interested. The publisher
who goes TO the expense OF bringing cut
book wants to be assured that ne VIII
have Q world market for II. He does
not want to see the profits from thou
sands Of copies 90 to pirates In other
countries. ~ts
There is q growing practice Of copy
Tighting designs for hats and gowns.
designer will, perhaps, hit upon come
new creation which will set Z style.
Some fresh and a1lur3ng line viii be
employed in the sweep Of 9 skirt 90 the
tilt Of q hat. 0arment and hat manu-
facturers have demands for such gowns
and hats by the tens Of Thousands. A.
manufacturer, starting out TO set HIS
machine to cut fabrics for manufacture,
wants TO know that he may have oxeiu-
sive right to sell this particular model.
Another provision Of the pending YES
tai bill would extend the life Of an orig
inal copyright. It would grant protec-
ton TO the creator Of the copyrighted
work during his lifetime ana vest the
right In his heirs or assigns for 30 years
after his death. Existing law grants an
original copyright for 40 years with q
right Of renewal for another 10 years or
Q total Of So years. Actuarial statistics
on the average life O. q copyright holder
show that this would he adding only
about 10 years to the present possible
term Of protection. ~
The Vestal bin now r. before the Rules
Committee Of the House Of Reprosenta-
lives and must Be reported out and
passed by both House and Senate IN two
months, before Congress expires by hni-
tation on March 4, II Americans are TO
have the fruits Of their own lAbcrs pro-
tected. The measure requires no ap-
preparation and there IL no cost Of ad-
ministration. But II would toresSsf the
foreign pirates who, without such pro-
lection, are able 70 reap vastly greater
wealth every year through theft of
American ideas than ever Can't. Kidd
captured on the Spanish Main.