William O. Douglas

“ An assignee of renewal rights inter vivos cannot of course protect himself from such an unjust result by obtaining an assignment from the author's executor, who acquires his status as such only upon the author's death. ”

“ Petitioner also concedes-and we see no rational escape from that conclusion-that where the author dies intestate prior to the renewal period leaving no widow, widower, or children, the next of kin obtain the renewal copyright free of any claim founded upon an assignment made by the author in his lifetime. ”

“ Examples could be multiplied. We have said enough, however, to indicate that there is symmetry and logic in the design of § 24. Whether it works at times an injustice is a matter for the Congress, not for us. ”

“ M. Witmark & Sons, 318 U.S. 643, 63 S.Ct. 773, was decided, 'can we be unmindful of the fact that authors have themselves devised means of safeguarding their interests.' Id., 318 U.S. at page 657, 63 S.Ct. ”

“ Each of them executed a like assignment of his renewal expectancy and delivered it to petitioner. These assignments were recorded in the copyright office. Before the expiration of the original copyright, Black died, leaving no widow or child. His will contained no specific bequest concerning the renewal copyright. His residuary estate was left to his nephews and nieces. One of the brothers qualified as executor of the will and renewed the copyright for a further term of 28 years. The probate court decreed distribution of the renewal copyright to the residuary legatees. ”