We decided that Dayton needed a popular Civic Lecture Course and we planned to capitalize on the idea by selling the course tickets to the citizens. The esti

mated expense of a course of six lectures was well over $3,000 and, of course, the possibility of failure to receive that amount from the sale of tickets thru our efforts alone was evident. To make it a real civic affair, we needed outside help. We sold the idea to one of our good friends, well-known for his interest in all that means the ultimate advancement of the city.

He sent a personal letter to about thirty prominent citizens, asking them to underwrite the venture for not more than one hundred dollars in the event of a complete financial failure. Personal calls followed the letters and resulted in sixteen pledges for $100. This meant that if we sold $1400 worth of tickets we would not be in danger of a great personal loss and, if the fates were kind and we sold more than $3000 worth, we would certainly be congratulated by the sixteen sponsors of the affair for having saved them $100 each.

The Memorial Hall, with a seating capacity of 2600 was rented for $50 per night, and tickets for the entire course of six lectures were printed. Prices for adults, $3; students, $1.50; reserved seats for the season $1.00 additional. Permission was granted by the Superintendent of the Schools to present the idea to the three high schools and the result was the sale of $1500 worth of tickets to the faculties and student bodies.

The lectures decided upon were all popular and four were illustrated with motion pictures or slides. Every ticket was bought and paid for at our shop and the entire course was practically paid for before the first lecture. I was given free rein by the sponsors and was made manager and treasurer of the course, which became "The World Celebrity Series-Dayton's Popular Civic Lecture Course."

Letterheads were printed, showing the names of the sponsors, also where the tickets might be purchased and we sent a

letter to every civic and social organization, as well as every school and church in town, advising them that it was their civic duty to patronize the lecture course.

The Manager and Treasurer presented the first lecturer-Richard Halliburtonto an audience of more than 2000.

After this the course became a "glorious adventure." Maurice Hindus came, 'lectured and was sent on his way, rejoicing we hope. Colonel Thompson of Yucatan came next and was pleased with his reception. Captain John Noel of Mount Everest fame will not soon forget his stay in Dayton, nor will Dayton ever forgot his wonderful pictures. Lowell Thomas, with the others, can truthfully say—“Veni, Vidi, Vici." (And, moreover, he's coming back next year.)

The manager, by this time, had grown quite bold and brought Count Felix Von Luckner to town, himself. The Count filled the hall and captured many Dayton hearts. The manager's biggest "kick' was administered by Frank Henry, salesmanager of Doubleday, Doran and Co., Inc., who, in a series of letters, naively adIvised him that Lowell Thomas and Felix Von Luckner were coming to Dayton on February 8th and 10th respectively, and wouldn't we please try to sell some of "The Sea Devil."

John Erskine is coming April 16th and the hall will be filled. The tickets are sold, so we know this, and speak with becoming modesty. "The World Celebrity Series" has something over $1000 in the bank, and the sponsors are strong for a continuance of the course.

Naturally, many mistakes were madebut it has been great fun-many new friends have been made, and we feel sure that the entire program has been the cause of a considerable amount of business that we would not have experienced otherwise. We have received newspaper publicity that could not be bought at any price. We had no advertising on the programs, excepting notation of the fact that a certain book store sold the tickets-also books.

We like the plan-it seems to work-we know that we worked.

I'

I appears that the bookselling business of Philadelphia takes its course steadily westward, even tho it be only a few yards at a time. Rittenhouse Square is now the cultured center of a large proportion of our bookshops, by which both the ancient square and the new shops gain grace and charm. The latest removal is that of Horace F. Townsend, tho he has moved no further than next door, to 123 S. 21st St. There was, it seems, a fire, which did no great damage to the books but Inanaged to devastate the store itself, whereupon operations were transferred to temporary quarters on the second floor of the adjoining building. These proved so satisfactory that they were made permanently temporary, and since the Townsend shop deals largely in special editions and rare books the customers offer no protest to the second floor location.

A visit to the Locust Street Book Shop unearths new suggestions for an aggressive sales and educational campaign. Miss Hoopes is busy preparing a special exhibit of books concerning the negro and by the negro, for display during Negro Achievement Week, conducted from April 15 to April 22 by the Germantown Y.W.C.A. The shop is also active in work with the Philadelphia schools. It appears that students in private schools frequently bring requests for books for "Credit Reading" which represent some ancient preference of their teacher but which are now out of print. The Locust Street Book Shop has therefore addressed letters to all private schools offering to cooperate by supplying book lists, together with brief descriptions and information concerning editions, prices and authors, for the use of English classes.

An arresting display in the window of George W. Jacobs consists of a copy of Helen Keller's "My Religion" in braille, backed up by a broadside of the regular

edition. Miss Keller is an avowed Swedenborgian, and since Philadelphia is somewhat a headquarters for Swedenborgianism the display has considerable point, which is emphasized by the fact that stores on Chestnut Street are at present displaying exhibitions of the handicraft of the blind. The store loses no opportunity for a tie-up Iwith local events. The recent Flower Show brought forth a splendid showing of garden books, and the fact that George Arliss is playing here in "The Merchant of Venice" accounts for the display of photographs and copies of "Up the Years from Bloomsbury."

Campion, Horn and Co., were just moving into their new home at 1905 Walnut St. when the reporter called, and had no time for gossip. Despite present confusion the store is a handsome one, and long rows of splendid bindings were already in place to announce the chief interest of the company.

Before leaving Rittenhouse Square we may recall that the home of Mr. James B. Lippincott at 1712 Spruce St. was the scene on March 23 of a distinguished reception to Horace Howard Furness, Jr., in celebration of the publication of "Coriolanus," 20th volume in the new Variorum Edition of Shakespeare. Authors, actors, dramatists and critics attended to do honor to the distinguished scholar and the admirable scholarship represented by his work and that of his father, which has now been continued for over forty years.

The newspapers told us early in March that Charles Sessler had scored another triumph among the early manuscripts, and we now discover the details. Mr. Sessler has bought, and sold again,-one of the four known manuscripts in Goldsmith's handwriting, the translation of Vida's "Game of Chess," consisting of 679 lines in 34 pages, bound in green morocco. The

purchase price for this little volume was announced as $28,000. The Sessler store is distinguished not only by its handsome display of books, but by a regular exhibition of etchings. These are changed about every two weeks, the present display being the work of Henry Rushburry. At the moment there is in preparation an exhibition of the work of Salvatore Pinto, a Philadelphian, whose work is published by Charles Sessler. The artist is a young man and a recent arrival, but this work is highly regarded by critics who consider him the logical successor to Pennell.

The book department of Strawbridge and Clothier, on Market St., is on the second floor, and is somewhat obscured by millinery, lingerie and such, but it is a charming store with genuine artistry and discretion in its book display. At the rear is a pleasant library and lounge, with all conceivable comforts for literary loafing, even to dictionaries, encyclopedias and a globe for ready reference. This store also knows the value of the tie-up with current events. The broadcasting debut of Trader Horn and the fact that Lord Dunsany is giving public lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, each occasioned a special display. Another good feature is a table devoted to those books which are reviewed in the weekly book pages of the Philadelphia newspapers. A detail of good merchandising is shown in the standing offer to give a book special wrapping and a decorative box and ribbon for gift purposes, for an additional charge of ten cents. Sample packages are displayed, and it is said that the idea has perceptibly increased the gift book business.

J. B. Lippincott Company have just issued a new book on "Thomas Hardy and His Philosophy," by Patrick Braybrooke. An important publication for April is "Human Migration and the Future," an authoritative piece of research by J. W. Gregory of the University of Glasgow. Dr. J. F. Montague's book, "Troubles We Don't Talk About," continues in good demand, partly, no doubt, by virtue of its well-calculated title and partly thru the painful importance of its subject.

Walter Yust, literary critic for the Public Ledger, has added a new feature to his many contributions to the book

education of the neighborhood. He now broadcasts regularly every week over Station WLIT, with gossip of new books, authors and literary history. Mr. Yust

is also in wide demand as a lecturer to literary clubs, which is no more than natural in view of the spice and originality of his daily column in the Ledger.

Down on South 18th Street we find the Quill Bookshop a quiet port in the storm of traffic, giving the effect of a step into one's own library. Books displayed, comfortable chairs to sit in; knick-knacks and odds and ends, all make for a most relaxing as well as tempting interior. They are still wondering at the Quill Shop who was covetous enough to steal the attractive little board sign that hung out over the sidewalk. Finder please return; no questions asked.

Dhal Gopal Mukerji was a recent visitor, his offer of a short talk to customers going without takers because of the short notice given. His reply to "Mother India" seems to be ranking with the latter in Philadelphia popularity. The Quill finds that a window display of travel books, especially concerning France, Spain, Italy and northern African countries, has good effect in this, the season of our discontent with domestic scenes. A nearby shop is the Chippendale, which manages quite well with space not more than twenty by twenty in the Chestnut Street Arcade, displaying a few dozen very late titles in the midst of a plethora of attractive gift articles and "trinkets."

The Aldine Bookshop has completed its move to the first floor of the new Warwick Hotel on South Seventeenth Street, and finds its new circulating library linking well with its proximity to the hotel lobby. Many a "convention widow" has blessed the handy books, says W. C. Brown, co-proprietor. The other addition to Aldine's attractions is a specialty on modern first editions, from Stevenson down, including as its primus inter pares a complete set of firsts from James Stephens, among them an autographed "Insurrection." Philadelphia authors are. also prominently featured. These include Emory R. Johnson, with his "Interpretations" (Appleton) and John T. McIntyre with "Stained Sails" (Stokes). Both men are regular customers at the shop.

THE Publishers' Weekly

The American BOOK TRADE JOURNAL

Founded by F. Leypoldt

EDITORS

R. R. BowKER F. G. MELCHER 62 W. 45th St., New York City

Subscription, Zones 1-5 $5; Zones 6-8 $5.50; Foreign $6 15 cents a copy

April 7, 1928

HOLD every man a debtor to his profession, from the which, as men of course do seek to receive countenance and profit, so ought they of duty to endeavor themselves, by way of amends, to be a help and ornament thereunto. -BACON.

Pan-American Union Conference

HE Pan-American Union conference at Havana took important action in respect to the international protection of literary and artistic property as embodied in the convention, the text of which was published last week in this periodical. This convention is a modification and extension of that adopted at the fourth Pan American Union conference held at Buenos Aires in 1910, printed in Copyright Office Bulletin number 14 or in Bowker's "Copyright Its History and Its Law," pages 649-652, which was ratified by the United States in 1914 and by twelve other countries out of the twenty signatories.

The Havana convention is signed by twenty-one powers, the additional country being Bolivia.

The convention extends copyright protection to cinemas, mechanical music "as well as the arts applied to any human activity whatever" and is thus comprehensive of the several fields of divisible copyright.

There is one feature which is interesting, novel and desirable, that in Article 13 which protects the moral right of an author, even if he has sold all his copyrights. This is intended to prevent distortion of his work on production or performance and thus injustice to him as a thinker and

writer. This specific assertion of a fundamental right might well be included in all copyright legislation.

The convention of 1910, while requiring "the acknowledgment of the copyright obtained in one state in conformity with its laws," an indefinite requirement, dispensed with formalities otherwise than as follows: "provided always there shall appear in the work a statement that indicates the reservation of the property right." The convention of 1928 modifies this by adding "the name of the person in whose favor the registration is registered. Likewise the country of origin, the country in which the first publication was made, those in which simultaneous publications were made, as well as the year of the first publication, must be indicated." This proviso, if effective, is certainly a step backward instead of forward, and it might have the serious result of preventing protection in other countries were this detailed notice omitted in the country of origin or first publication.

The standard term for coypright is made. life and fifty years thereafter, which is the proposal embodied in the copyright code pending before our Congress. It is safeguarded, however, by a proviso that in case of lesser term in any country of the Union that term shall hold in such country -a wise precaution, tho it is to be hoped that the longer term may more and more be adopted.

The convention provides, as did the previous convention, that it shall be effective as between any countries which ratify it, without requiring sanction by all the countries of the Union.