Evening star., 1946-09-28
Letters to The Star
Says Authors Authority Scheme
Is Not Communist Inspired

SayS AutnOrS Authority Scneme
Is Not Communist Inspired
To the Editor of The Star:
Last week in your columns, Dorothy
Thompson attacked the American Au-
thors' Authority now being organized in
Hollywood. She strongly implied that the
new organization is Communist in ORR
gin and aim, that 1t would exercise the
same power over writers that Mr.. Petril-
would, or could, control ideas in Amer
lea and suppress freedom of thought.
Miss Thompson says further that
writer's for years have fought the out
right sale of their works and copyrights
and that they should retain their copy
rights themselves, whereas this new
move would be to turn copyrights over to
a monopolistic authority.
Authors Authority nor do I have any
first-hand personal knowledge of it, but
my suspicion that Miss Thompsons ar
gument distorts the picture is reinforced
by a letter recently received from
friend who is one of the most successful
of Hollywood writer's man of integrity
who always has disliked the American
Communists and who, himself, is politi-
cally middle Of the road
In the interest of shedding more light
on this very vital argument, let me quote
from his letter regarding the AAA: 1T is
about as Communist as the left leg of a
duck. James Cain is the handspring of
the organization; the thing was his idea,
more or less. Cain isn't even a liberal.
"The AAA is the biggest idea that has
come into writing since international
copyrights. It's purpose is to prevent the
outright sale Of any right. A right such
as film rights or radio rights may be Ii
censed, but never sold. The author thus
never loses ultimate control of his work
In the case of picture, he grants say
seven or 10 year license, after which
time the control reverts to him. If his
work is to be made again as a picture,
he sells 1t again; should say licenses it.
In the case of book, again he licenses
publisher to put it out. At the end of
given period control reverts to the au-
thor. For example: If picture company
licenses your story, then fails to make a
picture Of it, the work isn't gone for
ever from the possibility of films. 1t
comes back to you in period of years.
You don't know how many thousands of
stories have been retired by the studios
from any possibility d being made.
'The American Authors Authority
copyrights your work as trustee. 1t isn't
irrevocable. You have the right to with
draw and have the copyright assigned to
you, but as copyright holder the Author
ity has the power to enforce the rules.
"The film studios took one glance at the
possibility of the Authority and almost
tainted. Licensing was bad enough, but
they realized that the possibilities NAV
even lead some day to demand for
share In the profits. They put their COL
umnist stooges (the writer of the letter
does not mean Miss thompson to work
Immediately. The thing was damned as
Communist and as an attempt to con-
troll American thought.
ut would be impossible for the Au-
thority to control the contents of works
any more than for the Dramatists' Guild
. to control the content of plays 1t isn't
even selling agency. 1t is concerned
with no single work and has no power to
concern itself with single work. The
Authority is concerned purely with the
functions of copyrights to the end of
benefiting all writer's through organized
defense of their original rights"
trust this brief quotation Is sufficient
to suggest at least that there is more to
the argument than the views of Miss
Thompson. ERIC SEVAREID.