Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 3.djvu/544

 2832 The Acting Secretary of State to the FrenchAmbassador 55 Stat. 732. 17U.S.C.§8. 61 Stat., Pt. 1,p. 652. Extension of time for fulfillment of for- malities, etc. 55 Stat. 732. 17U.S.C. 8. 61Stat., Pt. 1, p. 652. DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHINGTON March 27 1947 EXCELLENCY: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's note of today's date in which you refer to the Act of Congress ap- proved September 25, 1941 which authorizes the President to extend by proclamation the time for compliance with 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 under the laws of the United States of America when the authors, copyright owners, or proprietors of such works are or may have been temporarily unable to comply with those conditions and formalities because of the disruption or suspension of the facilities essential to such compliance. You state that by reason of conditions arising out of World War II authors, copyright owners, and proprietors who are citizens of France have lacked during several years of the time since the outbreak of the war between France and Germany on September 3, 1939 the facilities essential to compliance with and to the fulfillment of the conditions and formalities established by the laws of the United States of America relating to copyright. You express the desire of the Government of the French Republic that, in accordance with the procedure provided in the Act of Sep- tember 25,1941, the time for fulfilling the conditions and formalities of the copyright laws of the United States of America be extended for the benefit of citizens of France whose works are eligible to copy- right in the United States of America. You invite attention to the very favorable legislation in France which was kept in force during the war and point out that, as a con- sequence, American authors have suffered no prejudiceto their rights in France because of the war. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OTHER THAN TREATIES [61 STAT. that the extension of time provided by the proclamation of the Presi- dent of the United States will be for a period of at least one year from the date of its coming into force and, should the occasion arise, liable to extension by agreement between the two Governments. Please accept, Mr. Secretary of State, the assurance of my very high consideration. H BONNET His Excellency DEAN ACHESON, Acting Secretary of State, Washington, D.C.

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