Senator MALLORY. Do I understand you to say that that book trust is still in operation?
Now, I am connected with a library that spends $12,000 a year for books in a country town. Of this sum $5,000 is spent for English books. I am a representative of a city government which taxes itself to a certain extent to educate the people in its community, and I object seriously to paying $1,000 of that $12,000 to American publishers as a tax. That is my point.
Mr. CURRIER. What changes in this bill do you suggest?
Mr. CUTTER. I should suggest the entire elimination of that provision.
Mr. CUTTER. No; after the words "United States."
Mr. CURRIER. That was the suggestion I made some time ago--after the words "United States," in line 25.
Mr. CURRIER. Would that be satisfactory to the people whom you represent?
Mr. CUTTER. That would be satisfactory. I think it would be satisfactory to all librarians.
Mr. HINSHAW. This would allow you to import, however, but one book, whereas you have had the privilege of importing two?
Mr. CUTTER. One book, but we are perfectly satisfied with that. I think any library would be. A ruling of the Treasury Department has held that a branch library is a library itself, so that in the case of a large library wanting a book for each of several branches it would be possible to import more than one.
Mr. CURRIER. With that stricken out, the people you represent would not object to sections 26, 27, 28, and 29?
The other point I wish to make is on behalf of another interest. I wish to speak a word in behalf of an interest which is not represented here at all--two interests, in fact. The first is the firms that are in the business of importing books into this country and are not represented and have not been asked to be represented; have not been asked to come to these meetings. There are certain firms that are not in the publishing business that are in the business of importing books.
Mr. CURRIER. I think we ought to say right there, as you say they have not been asked, that the committee invites everybody.
Mr. CUTTER. Yes; I mean up to this time they have not been asked.
Mr. CURRIER. Those who were not represented at the conference, as well as those who were.
Mr. CUTTER. Whether they were asked here or not I do not know. Of course, this being a public hearing, they had a right to appear. But the point I want to make is this: That a great many of our libraries have to import books through these men, because they get a cheaper rate of importation through them than through some of the firms that are also publishers of books. This would prevent the importation of some of these books through those firms. It would practically ruin their English business, largely ruin it; and on behalf of a library that uses that method of importation largely, it seems to me that some provision might be made for other importers than those who are publishers of books.