851.4061 Motion Pictures/51
The Chargé in France (Armour) to the
Secretary of State
Paris, April 19, 1929.
[Received April
29.]
No. 9487
Sir: With reference to the Department’s
telegraphic instructions Nos. 86 of March 28 and 107 of April 11,28 and to my
telegram No. 161 of this date, I have the honor to transmit herewith, in
copy and translation, a note from the Foreign Office, dated April 18 and
received this morning, in reply to our representations concerning
restrictive film regulations.
I have [etc.]
[Page 1009]
[Enclosure—Translation]
The French Minister for Foreign Affairs
(Briand)
to the American Chargé (Armour)
Mr. Chargé d’Affaires: By a letter under
date of the 12th of this month you were good enough to set forth the
opinion and attitude of the Government of the United States
concerning the situation which the American films have encountered
by virtue of administrative measures which have had to be taken in
certain countries for the protection of their national
cinematographic production.
You may be assured that the representations of the American
Government and the question which inspired them have commanded, on
the part of the French Government, all the attention which they
merit. The various aspects of the question will be seriously
studied; and the care which the Undersecretary of State for Fine
Arts has already taken to inquire of the Commercial Attaché of your
Embassy as to the point of view and the desiderata of the American
producers themselves, testifies clearly to the conscientiousness and
fairness with which this study will be undertaken.
However, I feel that I should not leave you in ignorance of the fact
that in contesting at the present time the very principle of the
regime established in France, as in other European countries, for
the indispensable protection of so important a branch of industrial
and intellectual activity, the American Government is raising a
grave problem and a real difficulty; and there will be all the more
need of the mutual, sincere and considerate respect of the important
interests which are concerned in this affair, in order to arrive at
the definitive agreement which has become highly desirable.
Please accept [etc.]
