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64
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Conducted by B. B. Wilson
BRITISH COPYRIGHT PROTECTION FOR AMERICANS.
TWO RECENT REMICK NUMBERS.
Privy Council Issues Orders to That Effect After Long Fight on Part of Americans—Music Trade
Affected—Similar Protection in the United States for British.
"Oh, What a Beautiful Baby" and "Come Over
to Dover," Two Songs of Widely Different
Character That Show Promise.
Music publishers, authors and composers of the
United States and also those representing British
houses, are greatly interested and pleased at the
announcement made last week to the effect that
the British Privy Council had passed an order un-
der which the citizens of the United States will
receive the protection of the British copyright
laws.
The order is the result of a light that has beeii
carried on by Lignon Tohann, counsel for the play-
wrights' association; Nathan Burkan, acting for in-
dividual American theatrical managers; Augustus
Thomas and others interested in the theater since
Ml 2.
In the music field the granting of the order is
particularly interesting in that it will not only
serve to put a stop to the pirating of American
music in Canada and England, but will enable
American song writers or publishers to collect such
royalties for mechanical reproduction of their
copyrighted works as are provided for under the
British law.
As the present copyright law of the United
States also provides for full reciprocity when an-
other nation grants protection to our citizens, the
order of the Privy Council will mean that British
publishers will be able to eo.llect royalties provided
by law for the mechanical reproduction of their
publications, the reciprocity to become effective
upon the issuance of a Presidential proclamation
to that effect which is being urged now and may
be expected at an early date.
The British order is reprospective and affords
Americans protection on all copyrighted works,
even if the copright was secured before the present
copyright law became effective. It is believed that
the President will be persuaded to make the same
provision to take in the period since the present
law went into effect in 1912, which would permit
of the collection of mechanical royalties on num-
bers that are proving big sellers at the present
time. The privilege to eo.llect even future me-
chanical royalties on numbers like "I Hear You
Calling Me" is not to be considered lightly.
One of the recent publications of Jerome H.
Remick & Co. that has already entered the popu-
larity class is "Oh! What a Beautiful Baby," by
A. Seymour Brown. Developed along the lines
of the former Remick success, "You Great Big
Beautiful Doll,'' the new number possesses vari-
ous points of originality that should cause it to
equal, if not exceed, the sales figures of that older
song. An unusual and brilliant title page, shown
herewith, is not the least attractive feature of the
eral
recent
cases
in
the
courts,
in
which
the
viola-
POPULAR SONQ WRITERS ORGANIZE.
tion of contracts by either publishers or song writ- new song.
"Come over to Dover," a song of the ballad
Stanley Murphy the Head of New Association
ers was charged, are largely responsible for the
type, by Stanley Murphy and George Botsford, is
Which Plans "To Add Dignity to the Pro-
new organization.
fession" and to Guard the Rights of Members
While the association is a most desirable thing another new Remick number that is rhowing con-
siderable promise. It is being used to a consider-
Anent Contracts and Royalty Payments.
for the song writers, in many respects it would
able
extent by vaudeville artist.- and is the sort of
appear that in the adjustment of royalty claims
With the organization last week of the Popular the members of the association and their coun- song that does not depend upon the s ison.
Song Writers' Association of America, with Stan- sel, Dennis F. O'Brien, have their work cut out
The South Texas Music Co., San Antonio, Tex.,
ley Murphy, responsible for a number of recent for them. The instances where the royalty checks
has opened a new branch store in Brownsville, Tex.
successes, as its head, and which is designed to received by song writers measure up to the amounts
protect the interests of those who make the songs the latter believe are due them are so few as to
and sometimes money for themselves and the pub- be worthy of special comment.
lishers, it would appear that the only branches of
The officers of the new association are Stanley
the music trade left to organize are the salesmen Murphy, president; George W. Meyer, secretary,
and the music printers. The first meeting of the and Theodore Morse, treasurer.
new association was held at Joel's, a popular ren-
dezvous for the profession, last week, and in a SUGGEST USE OFJWYALTY STAMPS.
very short time over forty of the local song writers American Publishers Might Have to Adopt ToiiiiY ATKINS
had enrolled.
Some Method of Check Upon Mechanical Re-
Among the announced objects of the new organi-
productions—Works Well in England.
zation is to add dignity to the profession of popular
In view of the numerous complaints regarding
song writing, to endeavor to see that both the
th: failure of certain music roll companies, and one
writers and publishers live up to the contracts
or two small manufacturers of talking machine
made between them,- and to try and settle the
records, to make royalty returns to the satisfaction
numerous disputes arising over the payment of
royalties that are constantly coming up. The sev- of the music publishers, there being frequent
charges of fraud in that particular, it has been sug-
gested that th? American music publishers, through
some central bureau adopt the stamp system of
checking up on royalties, that is in vogue in Eng-
land and which works out very well.
In Great Britain, every talking machine record
or music roll bearing copyrighted music must bear,
JACK JUDGE
when it is placed on the market, a stamp signifying
HARRY
WILLIAMS
''/off fn/d \(///'-ii/fjtt'tI )(fi
that the royalty has been paid to the copyright
owner. Th; stamps are to be obtained through
the P.oard of Trade and the absence of the stamp
CHAPPELL TW, LTD.
on the record or roll is prima facie evidence of the
fact that the payment of the due royalty has been
overlooked.
Under the conditions prevaMing in this country
it would probably be rather difficult to organize a
system among the publishers for supplying stamps
or other means for a direct check on mechanical
reproductions, but it is considered if any other sys-
tem would insure the publisher getting even a fair
percentage of the amount of royalty due him.
THE ORIGINAL
THE SOND THEY SIND
AS THEY M A P ALONG
ITS A
LONG. LONG
WAY TO
TIPPERAKY
McKINLEY'S TREMENDOUS HIT
WONDERFUL N l
A new work by Cesar Franck, entitled "Paris,"
and which has never yet been performed, will soon
be heard in Paris. It is written for soprano and
orchestra and will be interpreted by Mile. Chenal
and the combined Colonne and Lamoureux orches-
tras.
Widely Imitated
But
Never Equalled
For the United Stairs of
America
CHAPPELL & CO., Ltd.
41 East 34th Street, New York
For All Other Countries
B. FELDMAN & CO.
2 and 3 Arthur Street,
London, Eng.