840.4061 Motion Pictures/33

Memorandum of Telephone Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Long)

Mr. Hays4 called from California to say that he had received a letter we sent him several days ago containing Kirk’s report5 of the barring of American films from Germany and occupied areas. He said that it now applied to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the 20th Century-Fox. It was not now applicable to Paramount but he thought it probably would be. Prior to the receipt of our communication he had asked Burt New to discuss with the Department the possibility of the American Government taking steps in retaliation. Germany, he said, was still sending films to the United States and they were exhibited in certain theaters in New York and Milwaukee. He said they were not in very great volume but they are enough to keep up the distribution of the German picture industry and were worthwhile from the point of view of Germany and were somewhat remunerative. He saw no reason why something should not be done in retaliation and asked whether we would consider it. He did not want to make a request that it be done until the matter had been informally explored and the Department had come to its own conclusions. He said that he would answer the letter and would accept the invitation in it to communicate his views on the subject matter but that he would not do it immediately and would deliberately consult the presidents of all the moving picture industries in order that he might have a careful and comprehensive report to make of their opinions.

B[reckinridge] L[ong]
  1. Will Hays, president of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc.
  2. Telegram No. 3654, August 20, 6 p.m., from the Chargé in Germany (Kirk) was enclosed, in paraphrase, in letter to Mr. Hays of August 22; neither printed.