The cinema and the public: a critical analysis of the origin, constitution, and control of the British Film Institute (1934)

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its good intentions) had all the " educational, scientific and social organisations " mentioned at the end of its report*, by its Chairman in his letter to The Times, f and in several important instances in Parliament** as having appointed representatives to serve on it or in some other way " accorded their support," really done so ? How far were they, in fact, responsible for its report ? Direct enquiry of forty of those mentioned at the end of the report* including some of the most influential, revealed that only seven of these forty were officially represented on the Commission, and that only two of them had approved its report. The Royal Society, for example, was one of the great public bodies specifically mentioned in Parliament as behind the Commission.! Two months after its report had been issued, the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society wrote : — " The Royal Society was not officially represented on the Commission on Educational and Cultural Films, and the report of the Commission has not been received." § The Clerk to the London County Council wrote, when the Report had been out nearly three months : — " The Council did not appoint representatives to serve on the Commission or to give evidence on its behalf. The report and the recommendations of the Commission have not been approved * Pp. 158-160. f May 7th, 1932. The Commission, he stated, " includes representatives of nearly all the principal educational and cultural agencies in the kingdom." ** E.g., by Mr. Law, M.P., on June 14th, 1932 (Parliamentary Debates — House of Commons — (Standing Committee B) — Col. 101.) J E.g., by Captain Loder, M.P., on June 29th, 1932. (Parliamentary Debates — House of Commons — Vol. 267, No. 122, Col. 1845.) § Letter dated July 26th, 1932. Page 16