AN OLD, OLD STORY

Dominion, 14 August 1919, Page 5

AN OLD, OLD STORY

WRAPPED UP IN A PEACE TREATY CLAUSE COPYRIGHT IN WINES (By Francis Downmau, in the London "Observer.") On reading the economic clauses in tho tenth section of the Peace Terms, Count Brockdorif-Kantssaii found that M. ClemiMiceau's "settling of accounts" was not confined to grand affairs, such as AlsaceLorraine and Poland. He found, for example, these- words: "Germany undertakes to protect the 1 ratio of the Allies against unfair competition, and in particular to suppress the use of false markings and indications of origin, and, on condition of reciprocity, to respect the laws and judicial decisions of Allied and Associated States in respect of regional appellations of iv ines and spirits." This clause is the latest and thorast chapter in an old and long history. Nearly forty years ago the Uerno Convention, which established international copyright, dispersed without finishing its iob. Books, istatues, etchings, symphonies, are not tho whole of art. A bin tot well-grown, well-made, well-bot-tled, well-kept Mcdoc is as truly a work of art as a Meredith novel; but, while novelists and poets obtained protection for the fruits of their brain-toil, there was no redress for tho vignerons wliose genius and perseverance had made the wines of certain regions covstablo above the rest. Mr. Kipling could obtain an injunction; but St. Julieii or Bcauno or (/'iiablis could not.

To redress this grievance, another conr&ntion assembled in Madrid, where England. France, and the United States affixed their signatures on tho side of honest trading. Germany, however, backed out. Her wine industry, she said, was so small that she could not work up any interest in tho matter. Germany's neighbours, under her economic pressure, took up the same attitude. It is truo that Gau'tenisila. came in on o\:r side; but I am sure thnt Guatemalan readers of "The Observer" will not reeent my saying that the adhesion ot their Inch-spirited little State was not decisive. With so few signatories, of course, tho convention remained a dead letter. When Franc* loyally tried to enforce it on tho counterfeiters of wine within her own borders she failed. At Cette, on the Gulf of Lyons, for example, there havo been for generations some obliging firms who will sell you almost any wine you want. In their well-equipped laboratories, old Madeira, Amontillado, Marsala, and Port aro manufactured at lowest prices with promptitude and dispatch. Tho French Government raised its hand against Cette; but the patriots of tho enterprising town immediately retorted that they could easily settle in AJsace and pay their taxes to Germany's business Government. From Alsace, they said, their.Madeira could be shipped to the world's markets almost as easily as from Cette, with no superfine moralist,\o make u fuss. Ten years later—l think it was in M-the friends of virtue mado one last efTort. They met again, this timo in Washington; but still tho Wilhelmstrasse stood out.

"Hambi'o," Meanwhile the guileless German was doing mighty well 'it the game, which, like tQirt Heathen Chinee, ho "did not understand." Withiu the mysterious precinct? of the free porl of Ilain'bu rg tho fiibricntiou of vino moved on as steadily a; tlio stars in their- courses. In the English hade, this staff was bought and so'.d as "Hambro"; but in too many saloon bars and wineshops it appeared as Finest Old Tiuniy Port. Costing little more than a shilling a bottle, it was retailed at half-a-crown and upwards. Tlio stoppage of this Irado is on? of tho reasons for tha present unexampled dearnese of genuine porl.

Not satisfied with their overseas market, tho German wine-forgiu* littered their base currency even in tha leather-land-itself, .in Berlin, and in smaller German towns I have often seen shop window? filled with .n.Keoed Chateau Jl'ar(ftiux, Chateau Hattt Brion, and other famous growths, f OT retail solo at prices much lower than the wholesale Bordeaux tiuobi.timis for the same vintages. When the Berliner? bought these bargains their perception of the fraud was smothered ill) in a muddle-headed satisfaction at the trick played on France.. In Frankfort you weire offered "Scotch" whisky, labelled with tartans, as tih>? young American salesman said, "of all the newest clans.". The di<=tiV;priep of brandy (bvnnnfcwein) were shamelessly, lettered "Cosnac-Fabriknn, ,, and their fire-water wao soJd as Cognac everywhere. As far sham Tokay, even fifth-rate shops were rare'iy out of stock, nnd I have bought in a German village a lilllo bottle with "In Vinn Yerilns" on tho label. And now, after .nil the ingenuity and industry wliioli Germany has lavished upon it, thifi prettv business is to lie shut down. Stiiii, while it lasted, Germany did well out of it: and it certainly trained German Tieopl'e in the use'of thr c e "errcitz," or mtatituto foods and drinks, which enabled them to prolong the war. Help Alsace, Not that the now order of things can come in without raising problems for the AHifs. Over and above her utterly fraudulent traffic in concoctions, Germany did a rattier more respectable, busin«ra in "extended" wines. The quantity of wine pressed in the Rhino and Mosdlo and Nairn and Sanr valleys is very email, and the Germans extended these, famous growths (except tho very finest of them) with tho abundant vintages of Alsace. Sparkling Hock had never seen Hockheim, nnd Sparlti'jinjf 'Moselle did not grow . between Coblenz and Trier. These fnssy Jlnids iv?re mostly made from Alsatian winn; and the German element in them was nraptically confined to an infusion of elder-llowors, beloved of Hans Sachs, which jiavo the stuff what was called a nuw.-nlPl flavour. Now that Alsace is restored to France, the Alsatians, who easily obtained good prices for their wines from the usurper, may hr> brought into harsh competition with the wroliiic Midi and even with Algiers. Englishmen phould keep an eye on Alsaco and encourage her; fw l»r K'onde, blithe wines art net less whnlrsome than pleasant, and they aro so light in alcohol thai every lover of true bmpM-o.ncn should hail them as friends and helpars.