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COPYRIGHT

Seizure

Return of importations

Rules against un- lawful im- portation

importation by this Act which are brought into the United States from any foreign country (except in the mails) shall be seized and forfeited by like pro- ceedings as those provided by law for the seizure and condemnation of property imported into the United States in violation of the customs revenue laws. Such articles when forfeited shall be destroyed in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury or the court, as the case may be, shall direct; Provided, how- ever, That all copies of authorized editions of copy- right books imported in the mails or otherwise in vio- lation of the provisions of this Act may be exported and returned to the country of export whenever it is shown to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury, in a written application, that such impor- tation does not involve willful negligence or fraud.

" (Sec. 33.) That the Secretary of the Treasury and the Postmaster-General are hereby empowered and required to make and enforce such joint rules and regulations as shall prevent the importation into the United States in the mails of articles prohibited im- portation by this Act, and may require notice to be given to the Treasury Department or Post-Office Department, as the case may be, by copyright pro- prietors or injured parties, of the actual or con- templated importation of articles prohibited impor- tation by this Act, and which infringe the rights of such copyright proprietors or injured parties."

Customs regulations as to importation of copy- right articles and joint customs and postal regulations as to such importation through the mails, were issued under the law of 1909 under date of July 17, 191 1, and are given in the appendix. As the copyright law forbids importation of copyright books not manu- factured in this country, even with consent of the copyright proprietor, the customs regulations pro-