Part 23 (1/2)

Mr. WALKER. That is very agreeable to me.

Mr. SOUSA. I sincerely trust, Mr. Chairman, that in Mr. Walker's discussion it will not be permitted to discuss the copyright of the past. We are not after that. We want a copyright of the future. If he will talk about things that will be for the benefit of the future, I think you should give him the time; but if he is going into a discussion of what was done a hundred or two hundred or three hundred years ago, we do not want it. [Laughter.] That is the past; we want the future.

Mr. CROMELIN. Mr. Chairman, I would like to give notice, as the representative of the Columbia Phonograph Company, representing large interests which are vitally affected by this bill; as the representative of a company which knew nothing of this proposed legislation before the publication took place on the 31st of May; as the representative of a company that was not invited to take part in the so-called conferences, notwithstanding the fact that its industry is so broad that it embraces the world, that I would like to be heard, and that it will probably take at least one hour or two hours to present this subject in all of its ramifications to your committee. It was my understanding that the committee would adjourn to-day at 12 or 1 o'clock, and in view of the fact that the opponents of this measure have had to come together quickly, and that they have had no time to organize, while on the other hand those who are proposing it have had conferences for more than one year, I propose, sir, that it would be meet and proper at this time to adjourn this conference until to-morrow morning, giving the opponents of the measure a chance to decide upon a plan of action for presenting this matter to your committee, and that we will come here to-morrow morning and present the various views of those who are interested.

I therefore suggest the advisability of a postponement until to-morrow morning or an adjournment.

The CHAIRMAN. Do I understand that all the opponents of the provisions of this law relative to talking-machine devices can be heard within one hour?

Mr. CROMELIN. No, sir. I speak on behalf of myself, for my own industry only. There are others----

The CHAIRMAN. How many desire a hearing?

Mr. CROMELIN. I believe that there are at least a half a dozen gentlemen who desire a hearing.

The CHAIRMAN. Does each want one hour?

Mr. CROMELIN. I do not know how long it will take them to present their views.

The CHAIRMAN. We established a rule at the beginning of the hearings yesterday limiting the statements to ten minutes each.

Mr. CROMELIN. I understood, Mr. Chairman, that that was in regard to the proponents of the measure. I did not understand that you intended to limit those persons whose interests are vitally affected by this measure to ten minutes to reply. I do not believe that is the intention of this committee; and I submit the question to the honorable chairman.

Mr. CHANEY. Mr. Chairman, it is entirely out of all reason to expect us to remember what these gentlemen will say. We will want a good deal of it in typewriting anyhow; and they can simply give a synopsis of an argument here as to what they want to do, and we must expect them to submit to the committee in writing for our use such matters as they seem to think important for our consideration when we are giving the bill consideration. They do not need so long a time to make a speech here. Let them prepare their matter and hand it in.

Mr. CROMELIN. Mr. Chairman, we hope to file briefs in addition to the oral statements.

Mr. CURRIER. As far as the House committee is concerned there is no expectation that there will be a report of this bill at this session of the Congress.

Mr. CROMELIN. Will the gentleman be good enough to state that positively on behalf of the committee, so that the interests that ought to be represented here to-day, and whose representatives must remain away, can be satisfied on that point?

Mr. CURRIER. I can state it most positively, as far as the House is concerned.

Mr. CROMELIN. I thank you very much.

The CHAIRMAN. And the same is true so far as the Senate is concerned.

Mr. CROMELIN. I thank you very much. We have endeavored to get that information from the Librarian, and he stated yesterday that it was highly improbable, but he could not state----

Mr. PUTNAM. Mr. Cromelin, if you will excuse me, I said that I had no right to give any such prophecy on the part of the committee; it was not within my control. You will do me the justice to say, Mr.

Cromelin, that I added that when the copyright office asked for this bill to be introduced it had no expectation itself of any possibility of its being reported at this session.

Mr. CROMELIN. Thank you very much for the information I have gotten from the Librarian and from the chairmen of the respective committees.

That a.s.sures us on the point, for the first time, that this bill will not be reported at this session of Congress.

(After a consultation between the members of the committees:)

The CHAIRMAN. The committee has decided that it will hear some representative of all these interests, if they shall so desire, not exceeding an hour, with the same permission to supply in writing such matter as they may desire, as was given to Mr. Walker. I might add that it seems to us that the representatives of these interests can state concisely in that time their objections to the bill as introduced in the Senate and House, leaving the details to be supplied in writing, as I have suggested. It does not seem necessary to us, unless it is desired by these representatives, to have each gentleman representing each manufactory make a speech to this committee. We think that it will be giving you all a fair opportunity to be heard to comply with the suggestion that has been made.