Page:Copyright, Its History And Its Law (1912).djvu/188

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156
COPYRIGHT

in 1909, and this decision under the old law is applicable to the new code.

Exception of
foreign origi-
nal texts
The exception of "the original text of a book of foreign origin in a language or languages other than English," — drafted by the author of the present volume, introduced at the instance of the American (Authors) Copyright League, as the McCall bill with the assent of the representatives of the typographical unions responsible for the manufacturing provision, — was included to assure a real reciprocity in copyright with continental and other non-English nations. The exception is repeated toward the close of the section in the somewhat wider phrase "books of foreign origin in a language or languages other than English," which omits restriction to "the original text"; but it is probable that the second phrasing would be construed in conformity with the first, as the evident intention of the law.

Exception of
foreign illus-
trative sub-
jects
The exception from lithographs and photo-engravings of subjects which "are located in a foreign country and illustrate a scientific work or reproduce a work of art" is intended to permit the importation, either separately or for book use, of direct reproductions made abroad of scenes or objects which otherwise could be reproduced in this country only indirectly and at second-hand; the confusing and probably careless use of the word "and" might seem to exclude from the exemption a lithograph or photoengraving of a natural scene, illustrating a work of travel, but the courts might here feel justified in taking the more liberal view.

Affidavit
requirements
To the manufacturing provision of the previous law has been added a new affidavit requirement (sec. 16) as follows:

"That in the case of the book the copies so deposited shall be accompanied by an affidavit, under