851.4061 Motion Pictures/23: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Armour)
86. Department desires to make approximately simultaneous representations to European Governments which have or which contemplate restrictive film regulations, pointing out the importance which the United States Government attaches to the matter.
You are instructed, unless you perceive objection, to call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs at an early date to discuss the existing situation affecting the importation and distribution of American motion pictures and to leave with him a memorandum substantially as follows:
“I am instructed by my Government to bring to Your Excellency’s attention the concern with which the Government of the United States has observed legislative and administrative developments in foreign countries, as they affect the American motion picture industry.
Not only has the production of films become one of the leading industries of the United States, but, as the creator of a popular form of entertainment, it has gained the intimate personal interest of the American people. As a natural result any vicissitudes of this industry provoke general public notice and discussion, whereas similar incidents in other fields may attract comparatively limited public attention. For these reasons it is particularly regrettable that this industry should be the one to suffer from failure to observe the spirit of liberty in international commerce which animated all recent discussions on the abolition of export and import prohibitions.22
In response to the persistent and substantial demands for American pictures on the part of foreign exhibitors, an extensive foreign market for this American product has been created. The building up of this market has involved an investment of large proportions, which is jeopardized by certain governmental measures arbitrarily restricting the distribution of American films. Detrimental as these regulations are in themselves, to the extent that they are also subject to arbitrary and unpredictable change they introduce an element of commercial uncertainty and industrial instability to which American motion picture producers and distributors find it difficult or impossible to adjust themselves.
In advocating a regime of non-interference with the normal distribution of this product, my Government does not, of course, intend to question such measures as may be imposed by any country for the purpose of protecting, through censorship, the national traditions or the public morals. But the Government of the United States, which has adopted no restrictive regulations similar in any way to [Page 1007] those in force in certain foreign countries, believes sincerely that the interests of the motion picture industry of all countries are best promoted by the freest possible interchange of films, based solely on the quality of the product. It has indeed observed with sympathetic interest the increasing number of foreign films which have entered the United States in recent years on a free competitive basis. The American motion picture industry has always shown a willingness to collaborate in a most friendly way with representatives of the industry abroad for the unrestricted importation of films, and my Government would be reluctant to see the American motion picture industry compelled to abandon such collaboration as a result of further injury to its interests by the maintenance or extension of these restrictive regulations.
The Government of the United States hopes most earnestly, therefore, that appropriate steps may be taken to alleviate the serious injury to which American motion picture producers are subject by restrictive regulations which must eventually prove a hindrance to the international development of the motion picture industry. Owing to the prominent position occupied by this industry in the United States, not only through the extent of the investment, but the keen interest of the people, great importance is attached to this matter and it is hoped that the representations of my Government will meet with favorable consideration by Your Excellency’s Government.”23
Repeat to Berlin as Department’s 20, to Rome as 27, to Budapest as 3, to Vienna as 6, to Prague as 16, to Madrid as 10, indicating in the communication to Prague and Madrid that the following should be substituted for the first sentence of the last paragraph above: “The Government of the United States hopes most earnestly, therefore, that restrictive measures constituting a hindrance to the international development of the motion picture industry will be avoided.”24
- See ibid., vol. i, pp. 366 ff.↩
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The Department in telegram No. 107, April 11, 7 p.m. (851.4061 Motion Pictures/35) approved a suggestion made by the Chargé in France in telegram No. 138, April 10, 11 a.m. (851.4061 Motion Pictures/29), that the first sentence of the final paragraph of the proposed note be changed as follows:
“The Government of the United States hopes most earnestly, therefore, that appropriate steps may be taken to avoid serious injury to American motion picture producers through restrictive regulations which must eventually prove a hindrance to the international development of the motion picture industry.”
↩ - Following the presentation of the notes to the respective Foreign Offices by the missions concerned, no further action on the part of the Department was taken.↩