“SEZ YOU”

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 172, 17 April 1937, Page 6 (Supplement)

“SEZ YOU”

Poet Denies Authorship A motion by Mr. Osbert Sitwell, the poet, for an injunction against News Periodicals, Ltd., of Inveresk House, Strand, W.C., the publishers of “Cavalcade,” came before Mr. Justice Clausen in the Chancery Division, London, recently. Mr. Sitwell alleged that an issue of “Cavalcade” contained a poem entitled “National Rat Week,” of which he was the author. He sought an injunction to restrain the defendants from continuing any breaches of copyright. Mr. John Foster, for Mr. Sitwell, stated that he had received an affidavit from the defendants in which they said they were prepared to circularise wholesalers that copies of “Cavalcade" in their hands which contained the poem should be returned. That would satisfy Mr. Sitwell, and he understood that the defendants would give an undertaking in that form. Mr. C. R. D. Riehmount, for the publishers, stated that his clients had sent a telegram to Mr. Sitwell asking him if he were the author of the poem, and the reply they got was, “Sez you!” Mr. Justice Clauson: I don’t understand what that means. (Laughter.) Mr. Foster said he did not wish to hurt the defendants’ feelings, but he was not sure that Mr. Sitwell would have been prepared to have his poem published in “Cavalcade” at any price. (Laughter.)