Proclamation 2722—Copyright Extension: France

Whereas by the act of Congress approved September 25, 1941 (55 Stat. 732) the President is authorized, on the conditions prescribed in that act, to grant an extension of time for the fulfillment of the conditions and formalities prescribed by the copyright laws of the United States of America with respect to works first produced or published outside the United States of America and subject to copyright or to renewal of copyright under the laws of the United States of America, including works subject to ad interim copyright, by nationals of countries which accord substantially equal treatment to citizens of the United States of America; and

Whereas satisfactory official assurances have been received that under the law of France treatment substantially equal to that authorized by the aforesaid act of September 25, 1941 is accorded in France to citizens of the United States of America; and

Whereas the aforesaid official assurances are embodied in a note dated this day from the Ambassador of France at Washington to the Secretary of State of the United States of America; and

Whereas by virtue of a proclamation by the President of the United States of America dated April 9, 1910 (36 Stat. 2685) citizens of France are, and since July 1, 1909 have been, entitled to the benefits of the act of Congress approved March 4, 1909 (35 Stat. 1075) relating to copyright, other than the benefits of section 1(e) of that act; and

Whereas by virtue of a proclamation by the President of the United States of America dated May 24, 1918 (40 Stat. 1784), the citizens of France are, and since May 24, 1918 have been, entitled to the benefits of section 1(e) of the aforesaid act of March 4, 1909;

Now, Therefore, I, Harry S. Truman, President of the United States of America, under and by virtue of authority vested in me by the aforesaid act of September 25, 1941, do declare and proclaim:

That with respect to (1) works of citizens of France which were first produced or published outside the United States of America on or after September 3, 1939 and subject to copyright under the laws of the United States of America, and (2) works of citizens of France subject to renewal of copyright under the laws of the United States of America on or after September 3, 1939, there has existed for several years of the time since September 3, 1939 such disruption or suspension of facilities essential to compliance with the conditions and formalities prescribed with respect to such works by the copyright laws of the United States of America as to bring such works within the terms of the aforesaid act of September 25, 1941; and that accordingly the time within which compliance with such conditions and formalities may take place is hereby extended with respect to such works until the day on which the President of the United States of America shall, in accordance with that act, terminate or suspend the present declaration and proclamation.

It shall be understood that the term of copyright in any case is not and cannot be altered or affected by this proclamation, and that, as provided by the aforesaid act of September 25, 1941, no liability shall attach under the Copyright Act for lawful uses made or acts done prior to the effective date of this proclamation in connection with the above-described works, or in respect to the continuance for one year subsequent to such date of any business undertaking or enterprise lawfully undertaken prior to such date involving expenditure or contractual obligation in connection with the exploitation, production, reproduction, circulation, or performance of any such work.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and forty-seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred seventy-first.

HARRY S. TRUMAN

By the President:

DEAN ACHESON,

Acting Secretary of State.