Show I DRAMATIC PIRATES Evil Has Grovrn in Defiance of All Al-l Laws Washington May Branson How of the V American ard the president Amer can rat club Charles Bernard J T Clarke David Bela6co ami Harrison Har-rison Gray FIske and other persons interested In the drama are actively at work in the interest of all bills now 1 pending in Congress for the protection of i playwrights and theatrical managers The object sought > by the congressional billsis the extension of the jurisdiction circuit courts so as of the United States ciruit curt a to provide that when an Injunction is i granted by a United States circuit judge restraining the production of any dramatic or operatic organization the injunction shall operate on all other circuits of the United States unless set aside after proper notice and hearing The bills are before the Senate and House committee on patents In a statement made to the Senate committee today Mr Howard declared de-clared the evil of pirating plays has grown in defiance of the copyright laws to sUch > n extent that writers and managers who pay large prices for the writing of plays for the past ten years have given lip copyrighting them The business of pirating he said ha come about a a result of transferring theatrical business from local stock companies traveling com panies I was a business that defied the laws of the United States and had grown to such an extent as to command com-mand the attention o Congress I was assisted by some of the publishing houses which offered to V sell printed V V copies O the pflysV Mr Howardj pointed out that injunctions in-junctions to V restrain he productions of plays by pir tcl comipames aceom pUshed nothing for as soon a an injunction in-junction was issued the party on whom it was obtained would move out of the jurisdiction of the court Each preliminary prelimi-nary injunction cost about 250 The nar business Interests involved In this pirating pi-rating he declared were enormous and the legislation sought to be obtained was necessary t protect them Mr Howard r a numerous letters from theatre managers and playwrights saying say-ing it was Impossible to secure any protection pro-tection under existing laws Mr Howard receIVe assurances that the bill he advocated would be reported to the Senate favorably without amendment amend-ment V |