Department of State,
Washington
,
April 15,
1901
.
No. 345.]
[Inclosure.]
The Librarian of
Congress to the Secretary of
State
.
[Extracts.]
The
Library of Congress, Washington,
The Librarian’s Office
,
April 9,
1901
.
Sir: On April 5 I received from the
Assistant Secretary a communication inclosing copies of memoranda
from the legation to Japan, “No. 545, March 12, 1901, etc.” The
Assistant Secretary requested an expression of my “views on the
subject.”
The probable advantage to the American author and publisher of a
copyright convention with Japan, could such a convention be secured,
fully justifies the efforts of the legation in its behalf. The need
of protection for the American author and publisher has become more
obvious, I am informed, from the [Page 974] fact that certain American text-books introduced
at considerable cost into Japan, have been there reprinted in
facsimile. The reprints being offered at a much lower price than the
American editions, have, in certain instances, driven these out of
the market. These facts were, I believe, set before the State
Department in a communication from the American Publishers’
Copyright League in October last.
The arguments for such an arrangement appear to be substantially such
as the legation has set forth in its representations to the Japanese
Government: in particular the precedents already established. There
is as little likelihood of the piracy of Japanese texts in Great
Britain, France, or Germany as there is in the United States, yet
Japan has placed itself in reciprocity with those countries by
accepting the obligations of the convention of Berne.
In view of the business interests involved, as well as in the
furtherance of international ethics in matters of literary property,
it is earnestly to be hoped that the legation will succeed in its
efforts to secure a modification of the position of the Japanese
Government which will admit of the application of the law of 1891 to
our relations with Japan.
Very respectfully,
Herbert Putnam,
Librarian of Congress.