An Act to incorporate the National Music Council.
PL 84-873 (H.R.8110), enacted 08/01/1956

794 
PUBLIC LAW 87a-AUG. 1, 1956 
[70 STAT. 
Public Law 873 
CHAPTER 824 
, ,n=. 
AN ACT 
August 1, 1956 
[H. R. 8110] 
IJIQ incorporate the National Music Council. 
Be it enojcted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
National Music United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following 
"incoiporation. 
persons: Stanley Adams, New York, New York; Irl Allison, Austin, 
Texas; Leon Barzin, New York, New York; Marion Bauer, New York, 
New York; Edwine Behre, New York, New York; Thomas H. Belviso, 
Pelham Manor, New York; Robert Russell Bennett, New York, New 
York; Duane Branigan, Champaign, Illinois; Howard C. Bronson, 
Hague, Virginia; John Brownlee, New York, New York; L. Perkins 
Bull, Glencoe, Illinois; Earl Campbell, Washington, District of Co-
lumbia; Leon Carson, New York, New York; Robert A. Choate, 
Boston, Massachusetts; James Francis Cooke, Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania; Paul Creston, Yonkers, New York; Kathleen Davison, Des 
Moines, Iowa; Norman Dello Joio, New York, New York; Vera 
Wardner Dougan, Beloit, Wisconsin; Walter G. Douglas, New York, 
New York; Deane Edwards, Rye, New York; S. Lewis Elmer, New 
York, New York; Herman Finkelstein, New York, New York; Charles 
Warren Fox, Rochester, New York; Arthur Flagler Fultz, Boston, 
Massachusetts; 
Percy Walter Gatz, White Plains, New York; Karl Geiringer, Bos-
ton, Massachusetts; Ira Gershwin, Beverly Hills, California; Ray 
Green, New York, New York; Vernon Hammond, Philadelphia, Penn-
sylvania ; Howard Hanson, Rochester, New York; Otto A. Harbach, 
New York, New York; Ernest E. Harris, New York, New York; 
Arthur A. Hauser, Berwyn, Pennsylvania; Carl Haverlin, New York, 
New York; Patrick Hayes, Washington, District of Columbia; Frank 
W. Hill, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Mark M. Horblit, Boston, Massachusetts; 
Edwin Hughes, New York, New York; Edna Wallace Johnston, Win-
ter Park, Florida; Archie N. Jones, Austin, Texas; S. Turner Jones, 
Baldwin, New York; Arthur Judson, New York, New York; Harrison 
Keller, Boston, Massachusetts; Ruth Kemper, New York, New York; 
Raymond Kendall, Los Angeles, California; Richard Korn, New York, 
New York; Olga Koussevitzky, Lenox, Massachusetts; Otto Luening, 
New York, New York; Mae MacKenzie, Pittsburgh, Pennsj^lvania; 
Joseph E. Maddy, Ann Arbor, Michigan j Donald F. Malin, Boston, 
Massachusetts; Marie Marti, Detroit, Michigan; Jane R. Mayer, New 
York, New York; Charles Mayer, New York, New York; Peter Men-
nin. New York, New York; Ada Holding Miller, Providence, Rhode 
Island; Howard Mitchell, Washington, District of Columbia; Dmitri 
Mitropoulos, New York, New York; Douglas Moore, New York, 
New York; Harold C. Morris, New York, New York; Carol Morse, 
New York, New York; Walter W. Naumburg, New York, New York; 
Herman Neuman, New^ York, New York, Geoffrey O'Hara, Pawling, 
New York; Ralph Sylvester Peer, New York, New^ York; Gustave 
Reese, New York, New York; Claire R. Reis, New York, New York; 
Cornelia B. Rogers, New York, New York; Willard Rhodes, New 
York, New York; James Sample, Erie, Pennsylvania; William A. 
Schroeder, New York, New York; Elie Siegmeister, Great Neck, New 
York; Izler Soloman, Peekskill, New York; Sigmund Spaeth, New 
York, New York; 
Harold Spivacke, Washington, District of Columbia; Marshall 
Stearns, New York, New York; William Richard Steinway, New 
York, New York; Paul Swarm, Decatur, Illinois; Bernard U. Taylor, 
New York, New York; Anthony Ralph Teta, New Haven, Connecti-
cut ; Charles A. Wall, New York, New York; Sidney William Watten-
70 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 873-AUG. 1, 1956 
795 
berg, New York, New York; Eleanor Hale Wilson, Seattle Wash-
ington; Philip Wyman, Cincinnati, Ohio; and their associates and 
successors, are hereby created a body corporate by the name of 
National Music Council (hereinafter referred to as the "Corpora-
tion") and by such name shall be known and have perpetual succes-
sion and the powers and limitations contained in this Act. 
SEC. 2. A majority of the persons named in the first section of this stitutk>n*'and'b^-
Act, or their successors, are hereby authorized to meet to complete the ^a^s. 
organization of the Corporation by the adoption of a constitution and 
bylaws, by the election of officers, and by doing all things necessary to 
carry into effect the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 3. The objects and purposes of the Corporation shall be— 
Purposes. 
(1) to provide the member organizations with a forum for 
the free discussion of problems affecting national musical life in 
this country; 
(2) to speak with one voice for music whenever an authorita-
tive expression of opinion is desirable; 
(3) to provide for the interchange of information between the 
various member organizations; 
(4) to encourage the coordination of efforts of the member 
organizations, thereby avoiding duplication or conflict; 
(5) to organize exploratory surveys or fact-finding commis-
sions whenever the Corporation shall deem them necessary for the 
solution of important problems; and 
(6) to encourage the development and appreciation of the art 
of music and to foster the highest ethical standards in the musical 
professions and industries. 
SEC. 4. The Corporation shall have power— 
Powers. 
(1) to sue and be sued, complam and defend in any court of 
competent jurisdiction; 
(2) to adopt, use, and alter a corporate seal; 
(3) to choose such officers, managers, agents, and employees 
as the business of the Corporation may require; 
(4) to adopt ahd alter a constitution and bylaws, not inconsist-
ent with the laws of the United States or any State in which the 
Corporation is to operate, for the management of its property and 
the regulation of its affairs; 
(5) to contract and be contracted with; 
(6) to take and hold by lease, gift, purchase, grant, devise, or 
bequest any property, real or personal, necessary for attaining 
the objects or accomplishing the purposes of the Corporation, 
subject to applicable provisions of law of any State (A) govern-
ing the amount or kind of real and personal property which may 
be held by, or (B) otherwise limiting or controlling the owner-
ship of real and personal property by a corporation operating in 
such State; 
(7) to transfer and convey real or personal property; 
(8) to borrow money for the purposes of the Corporation, issue 
bonds therefor, and secure the same by mortgage, subject to all 
applicable provisions of Federal or State law; 
(9) to use the corporate funds to give prizes, awards, loans, 
scholarships, and grants to deserving composers, conductors, and 
others for the purposes set forth in section 3, and for such other 
purpose as may be determined to be proper by the board of 
directors; 
(10) to publish a bulletin, magazine, and other publications; 
and 
(11) to do any and all acts and things necessary and proper 
to carry out the objects and purposes of the Corporation. 
796 
PUBLIC LAW 873-AUG. 1, 1956 
[70 S T A T . 
Conduct o f a c • 
tlvlties. 
E l i g i b i l i t y for 
membership. 
Executive Com-
mittee. 
Officera. 
Income a n d as-
sets. 
Loans. 
Political contri-
butions. 
LiabUity of Cor-
poration. 
Stock; dividends. 
Books a n d rec-
ords. 
Annual audits. 
SEC. 5. The activities of the Corporation may be conducted through-
out the various States, Territories, and possessions of the United 
States. The Corporation shall maintain at all times in the District 
of Columbia a designated agent authorized to accept service of process 
for the Corporation, such designation to be filed in the office of the 
clerk of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. 
Notice to or service upon such agent, or mailed to the business address 
of such agent, shall be deemed sufficient notice of service upon the 
Corporation. 
The principal office of the Corporation shall be estab-
lished at such place as the board of directors deems appropriate. 
SEC. 6. Eligibility for membership in the Corporation and the 
rights and privileges of members, shall, except as provided in this Act, 
be determined according to the constitution and by-laws of the Corpo-
ration. 
In the conduct of the official business of the Corporation each 
member shall have one vote. 
SEC. 7. The Corporation shall be governed by a board of directors, 
which may be known and referred to as an Executive Committee, com-
posed of not less than ten persons who shall be representative of mem-
bers of the Corporation or such other persons as shall be selected by 
the members of the Corporation, and such persons shall be elected by 
the members of the Corporation annually or at such other regular 
intervals as may be specified in the by-laws of the Corporation. 
SEC. 8. The officers of the Corporation shall consist of a chairman 
of the board, a president, one or more vice presidents, a secretary, a 
treasurer, and such assistant officers as the board of directors shall 
designate. The officers shall perform such duties and have such 
powers as the by-laws and the board of directors may from time to time 
prescribe. 
SEC. 9. (a) No part of the income or assets of the Corporation shall 
inure to any member, officer, or director, or be distributable to any 
such person except upon dissolution and final liquidation of the 
Corporation as provided in section 15 of this Act. 
(b) The Corporation shall not make loans to its officers, directors, 
or employees. Any director who votes for or assents to the making of 
a loan to any officer, director, or employee of the Corporation, and any 
officer who participates in the making of such a loan shall be jointly 
and severally liable to the Corporation for the amount of such loan 
until the repayment thereof. 
SEC. 10. The Corporation and its members, officers, and directors 
as such, shall not contribute to or otherwise support or assist any 
political party or candidate for elective public office. 
SEC. 11. The Corporation shall be liable for the acts of its officers 
and agents when acting within the scope of their authority. 
SEC. 12. The Corporation shall have no power to issue any shares 
of stock or to declare or pay any dividends, or to engage in business for 
pecuniary profit. 
SEC. 13. The Corporation shall keep correct and complete books 
and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings 
of its members, the board of directors, and committees having any 
authority under the board of directors; and it shall also keep a record 
of the names and addresses of its members entitled to vote. All books 
and records of the Corporation may be inspected by any member, or by 
his agent or attorney, at any reasonable time. 
SEC. 14. (a) The financial transactions shall be audited annually by 
an independent certified public accountant in accordance with the prin-
ciples and procedures applicable to commercial corporate transactions. 
The audit shall be conducted at the place or places where the accounts 
of the Corporation are normally kept. 
All books, accounts, financial 
records, reports, files, and all other papers, things, or property belong-
70 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 874-AUG. 1, 1956 
797 
ing to or in use by the Corporation and necessary to facilitate the audit 
shall be made available to the person or persons conducting the audit; 
and full facilities for verifying transactions with the balances or secu-
rities held by depositors, fiscal agents, and custodians shall be afforded 
to such person or persons. 
(b) A report of such audit shall be made by the Corporation to the 
Congress not later than May 15 of each year. The report shall set 
forth the scope of the audit and shall include a verification by the 
person or persons conducting the audit of statements of (1) assets and 
liabilities, (2) capital and surplus or deficit, (3) surplus or deficit 
analysis, (4) income and expense, and (5) sources and application of 
funds. 
Such reports shall not be printed as public documents. 
SEC. 15. Upon final dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation and 
after the discharge or satisfaction of all outstanding obligations and 
liabilities, the remaining assets of the Corporation shall be used by 
the board of directors for the purposes stated in section 3 above or be 
be transferred to some recognized educational foundation. 
SEC. 16. The Corporation shall have the sole and exclusive right to 
use the name of National Music Council as representing such Corpora-
tion and such seals, emblems, and badges as the Corporation may 
lawfully adopt. 
SEC. IT. A S a condition precedent to the exercise of any power or 
privilege granted to the Corporation under this Act, the Corporation 
shall file in the office of the Secretary of State, or in the office of another 
appropriate officer, in each State and in each Territory or possession 
of the United States in which the Corporation is doing business, the 
name and post office address of an authorized agent in such State, 
Territory, or possession upon whom legal process or demand against 
the Corporation may be served. 
SEC. 18. The Corporation may acquire the assets of National Music 
Council, Incorporated, a corporation organized under the laws of the 
State of New York, upon discharging or satisfactorily providing for 
the payment and discharge of all the liabilities of such corporation, 
and upon complying with all laws of the State of New York applicable 
thereto. 
SEC, 19. The provisions of this Act shall take effect on the filing in 
the office of the Clerk of the United States District Court in and for 
the Southern District of New York of affidavits signed by five of the 
incorporators named in the first section of this Act to the effect that 
National Music Council, Incorporated, referred to in section 18 of this 
Act, has been dissolved in accordance with the laws of the State of 
New York, but only if such affidavits are filed within three years after 
the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 20. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is hereby 
expressly reserved. 
Approved August 1, 1956. 
L i q u i datiori of 
Corporation. 
Name; seals. 
Filing of names 
and addresses. 
A s s e t s of Na-
tional Music Coun-
cil, Inc., acquisi-
tion. 
Effective date. 
R e s e r vatlon of 
rights. 
Public Law 874 
CHAPTER 825 
A
M ACT 
^ 
, , ,_„ 
August 1, 1956 
To amend chapter 3 of title 18, United States Code, relating to animals, birds, 
[H. R. 11636] 
and fish. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That chapter 3 of codilamendmentf! 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding the following sec- 
^2 stat. 686. 
tion: