Show protection OF playwrights dramatist in the interests of bill in Con erets washington may 9 bronson howard the president of the american dramatic club charles bernard J T clarke david belasco end II arrison grey fiske and other persons interested in the drama aro actively at work in the interest of bills now pending in congress for the protection of playwrights and theatrical managers alio object sought by the congressional bills is the extension of the jurisdiction of ted states circuit courts as to provide that when an injunction is granted by a united states circuit judee restraining the production of any dramatic or operatic organization the injunction shall operate on all other circuits of the uni ed 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 ir howard declared the evil of pirating plays has crown in defiance of the copyright laws to such an extent that writers and managers who pay large prices tot the writing of plays for the past ten years biava given up copyrighting them the business of pirating be said bad about as the result 01 transferring theatrical business from local stock companies to traveling companies jt was a business that defied the laws of the united states and had grown to bubli an extent as to command the attention of con gresa it was aa aisted by some of the publishing houses which offered to gell printed copies of the plays mr howard pointed out that injunctions to restrain the productions of clays by piratical companies com pinies accomplished nothing foras soon aa an injunction was issued the party on whom it was obtained would move out of the jurisdiction of alio court each preliminary injunction cost about the business interests involved in this pirating lie declared were enormous and the lezie lation sought to bo obtained was necessary to protect them mr howard read numerous letters from theater managers and play wrighta saying it was impossible to secure any protection under existing laws mr howard received assurances that the bill lie advocated would be reported to the senate favorably without amendment |