This would be in the public domain if Mickey Mouse hadn’t bought enough politicians to get copyright extended.
Goofy scam...
Yep. A clear cut case of CAE.
C ongressionally
A ssisted
E xtortion
In Article I, Section 6, Congress is authorized to:
“To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”
Somehow, I don’t think the Founders envisioned century-old works, whose authors are long dead, being covered.
Bingo. Copyright terms are ridiculous these days.