811.4061 Musa Dagh/28
The Secretary of State to the President of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America (Hays)
My Dear Mr. Hays: With reference to my letter of November 19, 1934,34 and to subsequent communications addressed to Colonel Herron,35 concerning the proposed production of “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh” by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corporation, I wish to bring to your attention a Note which has just been received from the Turkish Ambassador.
The opinion is expressed in the Note that the production of the film would not promote the existing friendly feeling between the peoples of Turkey and the United States. In view of this fact I feel that it is [Page 1055] my duty to bring the matter again before you and to solicit such assistance as you may be able to render in disposing of a question which appears to be assuming very large proportions in the minds of the officials at Ankara. Anything that you can do to meet this problem will be greatly appreciated by the Department. A copy of the Ambassador’s Note is enclosed.36
I am informing the Turkish Ambassador that his Note is being brought to your attention and that I shall communicate with him again upon hearing from you.
Sincerely yours,
Chief, Division of Near Eastern Affairs