Evening star., 1936-03-05
COHAN'S REPARTEE
ENLWENS PROBE
Playwright Tells House
Group Legislative Needs
of Authors.
RY FRANCES LIDE.

George M. Cohan. veteran play
wright, actor and song writer, who
came to washington because he heard
members of the American Society OF
Composers, Authors and Publishers
were being called "racketeers, gave
the House Patents Committee the
benefit of some good repartee today.
Whimsically replying to questions
on the proposed changes in the copy
right act, Cohan aroused the commit
tee and spectators to roars of laughter.
Two things brought him before the
hearings, he said: The 2-cent fee on
photograph records for composers
and authors, which, he said, was
''never fair" and "the fact that we've
been called racketeers."
business in Question.
Chairman Sirovich, reviewing yes
terday's testimony, which showed that
A. S. c. A. P. members received only
s2,68o, ,406.40 from radio last year,
asked Cohan if he thought that
amount Just.
What do you Think" Cohan re-
torted.
Sirovich continued his review Of
similar statistics and inquired. rs that
too little?"
Cohan again replied. What do you
Think"
When the exchange was repeated
again Cohan paused. What I want
to find out is this" he questioned.
'Are you for us or against us?"
Asked how he happened to write
"Over There" the famous war song,
Cohan said: 1T was bugle call. If I
hadn't written it on Thursday some
body else would have written it on
Friday"
Representative DAILY inquired If
Cohan was the author of always
Leave Them Laughing When You Say
Goodbye"
rs that a hint?" Cohan smiled.
Reminded that he personally, did
not need the financial protection of
A. S. C. A. P, Cohan objected.
I'D like to include myself" Cohan
said. My bank roll wouldn't embar-
rass any one but myself
UNIFORMED on Bills.
He said he hadn't read the Duffy
bill and the DAILY bill, but he knew
bill DAILY and Bill Duffy" Con-
Tossing ignorance of the Sirovich
legislation on copyright amendments,
he said he understood the society was
all for 1t.
80 far as I'm concerned" he said
''the Duffy bill is out of the window 2"
In connection with patriotic songs
he has written for various celebra-
tions, he referred to himself as mot
q poet laureate but a handy man to
have around"
He stoutly defended the society for
its business methods, praised it for its
humanitarian work, and supported
it In its insistence on the $3.50 in
fringement penalty clause.
Long Fight Waged.
He was in Washington when the
1909 bill was drawn, he declared, and
had waged long fight for composers.
Until the A. S. c. A. P. was formed,
IlS SdlQ, IlS uOcSll IellltlIlUtI csel
receiving dollar in royalties.
Sirovich, preparing to pay him a
tribute, wanted to know the name of
his play, now in New York.
Il didn't come down here to be a
press agent" Cohan demurred. Later,
however, he said it was Dear Old
Darling"
"You are the dear old darling to
haany of u.s." Sirovich concluded.
E. G. Mills, general manager of the
A. S. c. A. p, continued his testimony
from yesterday, calling the $3.50 in
fringement clause 'big stick" used
by A. S. c. A. p to protect its men,
bers.
He said he didn't understand why
hotel men and theater managers, who
charged "all the traffic would bear"
objected to composers and writer's do
ing the same.
Haven't you charged all the traffic
would bear?" a committee member
inquired.
Yes" Mills replied. I've done the
best I could, but think I've done a
lousy job"