Music Trade Review

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IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC PUBLISHING
Conducted by Fred B. Diehl
International Copyright
Conference Held in Rome
Congressman Sol Bloom, Representing the United States, Work-
ing With Other Delegates to Develop Draft of Law
That Will Meet Approval of This Country
T
HE draft of uniform copyright law to be submitted for ratification to all the parliaments of
the world, with a special effort being made to develop an agreement that will win the
approval of the United States, which has heretofore refused to subscribe to the Interna-
tional Copyright Union is now being discussed in Rome, Italy, by representatives of the lead-
ing nations. The United States is represented at the Conference by Representative Sol Bloom,
of New York, a recognized authority on copyright.
The basic idea of copyright approved by all
Mr. Bloom made a motion, which the con-
the representatives of all the nations at the con-
ference, including the American delegates, is ference approved, to the effect that the principle
radically different from the one obtaining in the of automatic copyright should hot necessarily
United States now. It is founded on the prin- exclude formalities, but that registration of the
ciple of "automatic copyright." This means products of men's brains should exist only as
that as soon as an author, writer, musician or a convenient method of establishing priority.
In all nations accepting the conclusions of
any other brain worker sets down his thoughts
on paper they are automatically copyrighted the Rome conference, therefore, all authors,
without the necessity of further formalities. In musicians and other creators will be automatic-
America it is now necessary to complete certain ally protected by copyright from the moment
they have written their thoughts down.
formalities before a copyright can be obtained.
Each nation may continue to have a special
office where the work may be registered as an
aid to establishing priority, but the authors will
enjoy full protection even if they do not com-
ply with any such formalities. If any question
arises, priority in setting down the thoughts on
paper will always take precedence over priority
fl
in registering at a copyright office.
One point in dispute was on the question of
ADVANCED
"oral" copyright, designated to extend copy-
right protection to the spoken word. Mr. Bloom
won out in his objection to this move by de-
claring it was contrary to the American Con-
FOR THE
stitution which provides such protection only
for "writings and inventions."
Another main point made by Mr. Bloom is
Volumes 1 and 2
that whatever conclusions are reached in Rome
List Price, $1.50
should state clearly that they are not retroac-
REGULAR DEALERS' DISCOUNTS
tive. In other words, they should state ex-
plicitly that no claims can be made by authors
ROBBINS
CORPORATION
in respect of works which hitherto have been
considered public property in the United
799 Seventh Avenue .New York
States.
This provision, Mr. Bloom advocated in or-
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16
der to protect Americans, who make phono-
graph records, player-rolls and the like and
who would be hard hit if suddenly called upon
to pay royalties on works which have hitherto
been considered as public property but which
come within the scope of the proposed copy-
right law.
The conference has not yet given assurance
that it will accept this provision, but the Amer-
ican delegation trusts that it will be forthcom-
ing within a few days.
Broadcasting is the only remaining bone of
contention. Most of the European delegates
hold that broadcasting cannot be considered to
form a part of "performances for profit," and
therefore that no royalties are due to authors
when their works are broadcast.
Mr. Bloom has protested energetically against
this view, quoting the example of America,
where, he said, broadcasting companies willing-
ly paid authors for works included in their
programs.
He read a letter from the Radio Corp. of
America, which stated explicitly that the Radio
Corp. believed that authors should receive full
compensation for works broadcast.
As soon as all the delegates are agreed on
broadcasting, which is to be expected by the
end of this week, work of the conference will
be over. The resolutions approved here will
then be submitted to the Parliaments of all the'
nations for transformation into law.
"Fanette" Is Released
by Berlin Standard
Number is Characteristic Fox-Trot by Rube
Bloom, Composer of the Well Known "So-
liloquy"
The Irving Berlin Standard Music Corp., New
York, has just released a characteristic fox-trot,
entitled "Fanette," by Rube Bloom, composer
novelties. "Fanette' has a clever melody, as
have all of Mr. Bloom's pieces, and the pub-
lishers are confident that it will become one of
the outstanding instrumental hits of the year.
A special symphonic dance orchestration is
under preparation and will be ready for general
exploitation in a short time. This is one of a
series of dance tunes that will be published by
I he Irving Berlin Standard Music Corp.
The company has also taken over the exclu-
sive publishing rights for tenor banjo, piano,
mandolin and guitar of "Russian Rag," and
"Some of These Days," previously published by
Will Rossiter of Chicago. These numbers will
be arranged for tenor banjo by Roy Smeck and
will be added to the banjo catalog of the Irving
Berlin Standard Music Corp. The John Philip
Sousa marches for tenor banjo and piano will
be released early in June.