The Bals Musette and Copyright

A number of bals musette owners have waged war against copyright.
These dance halls, where people dance to the sound of the accordion accompanied by a few musical instruments, are held in working-class neighborhoods. Popular works from the repertoire of the Society of Authors, Composers, and Music Publishers are performed there.
Finding the fees charged to authorize these performances too high, the owners of these dance halls refused to sign subscription agreements with the Society and, despite the prohibitions put to them, they continued to perform privately owned works.
Summoned before the Commercial Court of the Seine for payment of the fees, they attempted to have the court tax these fees, asking it to order them to pay only minimal amounts to protest the exaggerated amounts demanded of them. The Court did not want to take this route after pleadings by Mr E. Vidal-Naquet for the Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers, and Mr Edoux for the dances, it ordered the latter to pay damages including the entire amount claimed as copyright.