Part 18 (1/2)

Mr. CUTTER. I should suggest the entire elimination of that provision.

Mr. CURRIER. Of the entire paragraph?

Mr. CUTTER. No; after the words ”United States.”

Mr. CURRIER. That was the suggestion I made some time ago--after the words ”United States,” in line 25.

Mr. CHANEY. Yes; precisely.

Mr. CURRIER. Would that be satisfactory to the people whom you represent?

Mr. CUTTER. That would be satisfactory. I think it would be satisfactory to all librarians.

Mr. HINSHAW. This would allow you to import, however, but one book, whereas you have had the privilege of importing two?

Mr. CUTTER. One book, but we are perfectly satisfied with that. I think any library would be. A ruling of the Treasury Department has held that a branch library is a library itself, so that in the case of a large library wanting a book for each of several branches it would be possible to import more than one.

Mr. CURRIER. With that stricken out, the people you represent would not object to sections 26, 27, 28, and 29?

Mr. CUTTER. No; it does not affect them.

The other point I wish to make is on behalf of another interest. I wish to speak a word in behalf of an interest which is not represented here at all--two interests, in fact. The first is the firms that are in the business of importing books into this country and are not represented and have not been asked to be represented; have not been asked to come to these meetings. There are certain firms that are not in the publis.h.i.+ng business that are in the business of importing books.

Mr. CURRIER. I think we ought to say right there, as you say they have not been asked, that the committee invites everybody.

Mr. CUTTER. Yes; I mean up to this time they have not been asked.

Mr. CURRIER. Those who were not represented at the conference, as well as those who were.

Mr. CUTTER. Whether they were asked here or not I do not know. Of course, this being a public hearing, they had a right to appear. But the point I want to make is this: That a great many of our libraries have to import books through these men, because they get a cheaper rate of importation through them than through some of the firms that are also publishers of books. This would prevent the importation of some of these books through those firms. It would practically ruin their English business, largely ruin it; and on behalf of a library that uses that method of importation largely, it seems to me that some provision might be made for other importers than those who are publishers of books.

Those are the only arguments that I wish to present.

Mr. CHANEY. To what section of this bill do you now refer?

Mr. CUTTER. I am referring to the subsection of this same section on page 24--section 30.

Mr. CHANEY. Do you mean subsection E?

Mr. CUTTER. Yes.

Mr. CURRIER. No; the subdivision called ”First.”

Mr. CHANEY. Oh, I see.

Mr. CUTTER. I suggest this amendment to the clause reading, ”When imported, not more than one copy at one time, for use and not for sale, under permission given by the proprietor of the American copyright.”

I suggest leaving out the consent of the American copyright proprietor. That changes existing law only in these particulars: It allows the importation of only one copy instead of two copies, as the existing law does; it gives the importer who has established a business here based on legislation, and who is closely in touch--the firms that I speak of serve libraries and learned men mostly with expensive books and have practically no sale to the ordinary public--it would give them an opportunity, and it would give a scholar in this country who wants a book for a particular purpose for his own use and not for sale an opportunity to import it.