Harrison's Reports (1948)

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8 HARRISON'S REPORTS January 10, 1948 PICTURES MUST NOT BE CUT OFF FROM FOREIGN LANDS The ban on shipment of American pictures to Denmark, which had been in effect since last October because the Danish Government and the American film companies could not agree on a remittance plan, came to an end this week when that country agreed to permit the American companies to remit part of their earnings to their home offices in New York. Eric Johnston, head of the producers' association, announced that, in addition to Denmark, agreements regarding remittances were concluded also with Norway and Sweden, and while he did not give any details about the terms of the agreements he described them "as the best possible deal under the present difficult economic conditions." He added that the agreements were concluded without one of the three countries resorting to a tax. The producers are to be congratulated for opening up the way for a continuous flow of American pictures to the Scandinavian countries. No doubt the agreements provide for a certain percentage of the American film earnings to be frozen in the respective countries, but in these days, when most foreign nations are doing their utmost to save American dollars so that they may be able to buy the necessities of life, the least that can be done by the motion picture industry, which has taken many a dollar from these countries, is to case up their burden. In the case of Great Britain, there is some excuse in the producer action of cutting off all picture shipments to that country because a principle is involved — the imposition of a confiscatory tax. The American producers, in recognition of Great Britain's dollar shortage, are willing to agree that a given percentage of their earnings should remain in Great Britain until such a time as the country recovers financially, but they cannot agree to the imposition of even a small tax lest a precedent be established and other countries follow suit. It is to be hoped that the producers will find an early solution to their problems abroad so that a continuous flow of pictures will go to every nation. At a time when the Soviet Union is stopping at nothing short of actual hostilities in order to gain complete domination of Europe and Asia, the world must not be deprived of the civilizing influence of the American pictures, for they sell democracy subtly: when the people in foreign countries see through the medium of American pictures how we fare in the United States, they cannot help but be left with the feeling that a form of government that makes it possible for its people to fare so well cannot, despite the ravings and rantings of the Communists, be a bad government. Between the American pictures and the letters sent from the United States by relatives, added to the latest demonstration by the American people by their donations of food to the Friendship train, sent to France, Italy and Austria, as well as to the work our government is doing in Greece, we ought to be able to beat Communism decisively, particularly since Communism offers nothing but words, whereas we offer wholesome and inviting food, as well as positive proof that our form of government gives every one the right to live as free men. Let the American pictures continue going abroad at any cost! ALLIED ADDS ANOTHER LINK TO ITS CHAIN With more than one hundred independent exhibitors from the Kansas City exchange territory in attendance at a convention held in that city several weeks ago, a new independent exhibitor organization, known as Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Ka nsas and Missouri, came into being and voted to affiliate with Allied States Association. Thus Allied has added another link to its evergrowing chain of truly independent exhibitor units. O. F. Sullivan, of Wichita, Kansas, was elected president; Larry Larson, of Webb City, Mo., vicepresident; and V. R. Stamm, of Kansas City, Mo., secretary-treasurer. Mr. Sullivan and his co-organizers, who saw the need for a truly independent exhibitor unit in the Kansas-Missouri territory, and did something about it, deserve great credit for a job well done. Harrison's Reports feels sure that the independent exhibitors in that territory will give their new leaders whole-hearted cooperation in carrying on their work, which will be, after all, for their benefit. Nothing can be gained by organizations that are neither fish nor fowl. And if the speed and vigor with which Allied of Kansas and Missouri was formed is an indication of its desire to strike back at the abuses that plague the independents, it should prove to be one of Allied's most progressive units. SCREEN WRITERS" GUILD, INC. 1655 No. Cherokee Avenue Hollywood 28, California January 2, 1948 Mr. P. S. Harrison, Editor Harrison's Reports 1 270 Avenue of the Americas New York 20, N. Y. Dear Mr. Harrison : In calling hasty the Screen Writers' Guild's action concerning the writers cited for contempt of Congress, Harrison's Reports was a trifle hasty. The Screen Writers' Guild will not (as your issue of the 27th of December suggests) take part in the contempt trials, believing as we do that these cases concern the writers as individuals rather than as members of the Guild. The Guild is, however, strongly opposed to the blacklisting of writers for opinions or activities that are not in violation of existing laws. Thus, when the dismissed (or suspended) writers sue the studios on charges of breach of contract, the Guild will enter the cases as amicus curiae. Sincerely, (signed) Arthur Sheekman, Secretary CHECK YOUR FILES FOR MISSING COPIES Check your file of Harrison's Reports and, if you find the copy of any issue missing, write to this office and it will be supplied to you free of charge. Perhaps, during the Christmas holiday rush, you either misplaced or failed to receive the copy of one of the issues. A sufficient number of copies of many back issues is kept in stock for just such a purpose.