851.4061 Motion Pictures/55: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the President of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, Inc. (Will H. Hays)

Embassy at Paris in reporting meeting of French and American film interests held May 1st mentions aggressive stand taken by certain American film men which led to an absence of the cordiality hitherto marking the negotiations and which is believed to be ill-calculated to aid the progress of further discussions. The Embassy notes furthermore that when asked to submit alternate proposal to take the place of the quota, the American representatives had nothing to bring forward which, as the Embassy suggested in its telegram of April 19, would not appear to strengthen the American position.

It is of course unnecessary to point out that the success of the present negotiations is largely dependent upon the cooperation to be preserved by representatives of the American industry and their support of the leader you have designated to represent them.

J. Reuben Clark, Jr.