840.4061 Motion Pictures/82: Telegram
The Chargé in Germany ( Morris ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:46 p.m.]
4864. Embassy’s despatch 2070, March 12, 1940.6 The Embassy has learned that the Reich film authorities of the Propaganda Ministry since the receipt of the Embassy’s note sent in compliance with the Department’s telegram No. 2998 of November 13, 3 p.m., has notified Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film agency to turn over to them all Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer negative and positive prints in spite of the fact that the Foreign Office has previously been informed that such prints are the property of Loew’s Incorporated. I suggest that the Embassy be instructed to forward a note to the Foreign Office referring to the instructions to the Reich Film Chamber contained in its note transmitted with the Embassy’s despatch under reference which would appear to be disregarded by the threatened seizure of the films and concluding as follows.
“The Embassy is confident that the Ministry will cause immediate steps to be taken to have its instructions to the competent German authorities to take careful note of the property rights in question given due effect with a view to having the negative and positive prints in question remain unmolested in the control of their American owner or its agent.”
Early instructions are requested since it is unlikely that the German manager will be in any position effectively to deter the film authorities of the Propaganda Ministry from their proposed action in entire disregard of American property rights.
- Not printed.↩