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  3. Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1938, The British Commonwealth, Europe, Near East, and Africa, Volume II
  4. Document 180

611.60F31/611b

The Secretary of State to the Czechoslovak Minister (Hurban)

Washington, March 7, 1938.

Sir: During the course of the negotiations which have resulted in the conclusion of the Trade Agreement signed today between the United States of America and the Czechoslovak Republic, there has been detailed discussion of the request of the Government of the United States for improved treatment by the Government of the Czechoslovak Republic of American motion picture films. You have requested on behalf of your Government that motion pictures form the subject of separate negotiations on the ground that, by their nature, motion pictures are different from other commodities of trade.

The Government of the United States has been unable to agree with the position of your Government that motion pictures should not properly be included in trade-agreement negotiations. It has, however, with considerable reluctance agreed to the proposal of your Government that the treatment of American motion pictures in Czechoslovakia be made the subject of a separate agreement between the two Governments. The assent of the Government of the United States to this proposal is predicated upon the understanding that the agreement thus envisaged will be concluded as soon as possible. It is further understood that, pending conclusion of an agreement with respect to motion pictures, the Government of the Czechoslovak Republic will not adopt any measure which would affect American motion pictures adversely in relation to the treatment which they are now accorded in Czechoslovakia.

I should be greatly obliged to have your confirmation of the correctness of this understanding.8

Accept [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:
Francis B. Sayre

[See Department of State Executive Agreement Series No. 147, or 53 Stat. 2293 for texts of: (1) Reciprocal Trade Agreement between the United States and Czechoslovakia, protocol, and notes, signed March 7, 1938; (2) protocol of amendment, signed April 15, 1938; and (3) proclamation issued by the President of the United States, March 23, 1939, terminating the arrangements.]

  1. No confirmation has been found in Department files.↩