851.4061 Motion Pictures/146: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Chargé in France (Armour)
299. Your recent telegrams on film agreement particularly 433, September 19, 6 p.m., last paragraph.
In telegram to Hays dated September 2040 Department stated that it would be glad to convey to French Government through appropriate channels such assurances in answer to French note of July 1141 as he might wish to give. Hays’ reply of same date gives text of agreement as signed40 and then reads as follows:
“This is a modified redraft of a compromise proposal suggested on September 4th by François-Poncet at the meeting attended by the Commercial Attaché and Harold Smith in François-Poncet’s office.
The suggestions of September 4th were carefully considered by the American industry and taken up with our State Department and our Embassy in Paris and after due thought we decided [sic] Mr. Smith on September 17th to consult with our Embassy as to method and then proceed to conclude matter with slight modifications of the September 4 suggestions. The above agreement meets our necessities and if it meets with your approval it is satisfactory to us for you to advise the minister that we are able to meet his wishes and that immediately upon the approval of the above accord by the Cinema Control [Page 1022] Commission and the competent ministry the American companies will start selling in France. Also that we are hopeful that in the conferences contemplated in the near future a permanent agreement may be reached which will be satisfactory to all parties. If you think any other assurance should be given by us or any different wording more appropriate you will be free to indicate to me and I will be pleased to accept any suggestions. The Department’s own information the accord is not of course an adequate conclusion as to the unfair present quota regulation but in view of all the circumstances and to advance the amity both in the film industry and generally we know it should be settled for the present as above set out and we will proceed immediately to sell upon the approval by the Cinema Control Commission and the minister [competent ministry]. We are hopeful that immediately thereafter the French will proceed with the study of the situation as suggested in the French note to this Government of July 11 and that the negotiations may be carried on in a friendly spirit and earnestly toward a final conclusion upon a fundamentally fair basis. To that end we will aid in every possible way. The organized industry appreciates thoroughly the cooperation of the Department in the whole matter.”
You may convey to appropriate authorities in response to Foreign Office note of July 11 Hays’ assurances as above set forth that immediately upon the approval of the agreement by the Cinema Control Commission and the competent ministry the American companies will start selling in France.
[Paraphrase.] Hays indicated, in oral discussion, that approval of “competent ministry” as specified in the last paragraph of the agreement would in his mind mean approval by the Under Secretary for Fine Arts. He expressed no concern, however, regarding the precise form which approval by the competent ministry should take. [End paraphrase.]