Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson with Congressmen from California and Others

DEPARTMENT OF STATE Miss Asbjornson - S Memorandum of Conversation 1007 DATE: April 15, 1949 SUBJECT: British Pilm Quota < minor ARGNIVES SERVICE* RECORDE NATIONAL AND PARTICIPANTS: ur. King Mr. NoKinnon - from California are MeDonough Nr. Acheson Mr. Webb COPIES TO: Nr. day a EUR U IMP E CP ITP London Embassy 1-1493 Mr. King as Chairman of the California Congressional group atated that he and hia colleaguos had arranged to see the Secrotary at the instruction of the group they reprosented. Thay wished to bring to hia attention their concorn ovor the Britiah film restrictions because of the very detrimental effects being folt by the motion pieture industry. They were not so concorned about the big pro- ducars who could fight thoir oun battles but over thoso thousands of wago earnora and tochnicians who ware being thrown out of work as a rosult of the loas of forsign markets. This was bedoming a serious problon for California. The Congressmen ware also concorned in the broader aspects of tho British restrictions which they folt unfeir and discriminatory against the U.S. industry. in this con- nection Mr. King obperved that sone of the aroh opponents of the Trade Agrosment program might have made capital use of the Britimh quota limitation in fighting renewal of the Act. The Congreamsen also recognized that the motion ploture industry was en important vehielo for diasemination of information about the Amorican way of life. They wera interested in learning what the Department had done and hoped it would nake evory offort to achieve relazation of the British postrictions. Ur. Acheson