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Story of the Year,
ii
steps for securing that legislation after consultation with the different interests of the Trade.
2. That the same Committee be authorised to continue* negotiations with the importers of American films to arrive at a mutual voluntary arrangement for the release of British films in America.
3. That the same Committee be instructed to formulate a voluntary effort within the Trade for ascertaining the results of (1) and (2).
Much discussion took place throughout the country for months, but eventually it was decided to carry out a plebiscite on the subject, and on July 7 it was announced that by a majority of 1,704 to 198 the members of the C.E.A. (of whom 71 per cent, voted) agreed to the necessity of Government measures prohibiting Blind Booking.
It was in February that the F.B.I, published its suggested measure, the salient points of which were :
A registration authority was to be instituted, and it was to be illegal to show any film which had not been registered.
No picture was to be registered unless the person presenting it for registration had acquired the right, and intended to rent for public exhibition a certain quota of British films.
The prescribed quota was to be 12J per cent, and to rise to 37| per cent, of British as compared to foreign pictures for renters and exhibitors, with the sliding scale for the exhibitor operating at a date three months after that for the renter.
This scheme was promptly objected to by the C.E.A. General Council, and further "round table" conferences were arranged. The feeling was expressed that the Trade was big enough to find its own solution of its troubles. This belief, unfortunately, was not justified by after events.
The Trade's Fruitless Effort
S. Rowson put in much hard work in the position of a convenor to an informal sub-committee, but the only practical outcome of the many sincere efforts that were made was the acceptance of an understanding that no legislation would be asked for until after a year's voluntary effort had shown the Trade's inability to solve the problem.
Meanwhile the official interest of the Board of Trade was frequently in evidence. The informal committee was approached by Sir Philip Cunliffe -Lister quite early in its deliberations, and the Trade leaders afterwards gave testimony to the keen appreciation of the facts of the case and its possible developments that was shown.