Amend section 18, clause (b) (p. 14, line 14), by adding, between the word "composition" and the word "any," the words "any talking-machine record;"
Amend section 23 by striking out from the clause marked "First" (p. 17, lines 18 to 20) the following: "or any device especially adapted to reproduce to the ear any copyrighted work."
Amend section 23 by inserting in the clause marked "Fourth" (p. 18, line 4), between the words "of" and "all," the following: "any device, contrivance, or appliance mentioned in section 1, clause (g) and".
Hoping that these proposed amendments will meet with the approval of the committee, I remain,
HORACE PETTIT, _For Victor Talking Machine Company_.
JOS. W. STERN & CO., MUSIC PUBLISHERS, _New York, June 5, 1906_.
Dr. D. P. LEWANDOWSKI, _Care of Raleigh Hotel, Washington, D.C._
MY DEAR DOCTOR: We herewith authorize you to represent us and speak in favor of the copyright bill at the meeting of the committee. Honorable Senator Kittredge, or any other honorable gentleman who will do anything to further the passage of this bill, will earn our everlasting gratitude and will be working for the advancement of an industry which has been sorely oppressed by piracy and injustice.
There is an excellent opportunity now to show fair play to a body of citizens who have been working at a disadvantage and fighting for years for their just rights and for proper and adequate protection from the Government.
_To the Committee of the Senate on Patents, Senator Alfred B. Kittredge, of South Dakota, Chairman._
GENTLEMEN: I appear before you this morning in the name and as the representative of the firm of Jos. W. Stern & Co., music publishers, of New York, and in their behalf I wish to state that the bill on copyrights S. 6330, to amend and consolidate the acts representing copyrights, which is before you this morning, is of the highest importance, for the protection of the authors and composers and music publishers, to protect their copyrights.
The old law is very vague and unsatisfactory. The proposed new law would help music publishers and composers very much.
There has been a great deal of piracy going on and their best "hits" have been copied and pirated.
The new law makes such piracy a criminal offense, punishable by fine or a year imprisonment. If passed, as we hereby most humbly pray that it should be so, it will punish the pirates, because the fine alone can not stop their unjust deeds, and they laugh and pay their fine, but a year of imprisonment will certainly change all for the best. The said pirate would not risk a year of prison at all times.