International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

— 228 fided only to the most serious of firms. The Committee expressed its satisfaction that several National representatives declared that good results had been obtained with films in their various countries and that the German National Committees is willing to send the film, " Tanzerinnen fur SlidAmerika gesucht " to any other national Committee interested provided that incidental expenses are paid by that Committee. The examining Committee expresses no opinion on whether the above named film overcomes the difficulties of such international films or not but a defense of the film was by the German National Committee and the favourable opinion of Dr. Weiss of Berlin was quoted. In forwarding the Committees report to the interested authorities, the International Bureau has added certain observations on the opinions contained in the report. It points out that propaganda films of this kind which are not made with the cooperation of National Committees cannot be considered as representative and therefore the effectiveness of such film propaganda generally can only be judged from those films which have been made with the help of National Committees. Such films have been made only in Germany and Poland and the opinion of the German and Polish National Committees is summed up in the three following points : (1) The effectiveness of such film propaganda cannot be ignored. (2) Although there is danger the application of definite rules is possible and is effective in removing that danger. (3) Those films actually shown have proved useful. It will be seen therefore that the opinion of these well informed and experienced National Committees is distinctly favourable to the films. Opposition to the films came from Holland and the general opinion of the Dutch National Committee was supported by that of Belgium. The views of these two Na tional Committees were founded on two beliefs : that the depiction of traffic in women on the screen is likely not to deter girls from accepting doubtful engagements abroad, etc., but simply to give a general sexual stimulus which would probably have eveil rather than good results ; that commercial producers, having financial motives in their work will naturally present the warning facts in so sensational a manner that their value as warnings will be entirely lost. There was a general opinion that propaganda films dealing with the traffic should not be put into international circulation without the specific approval of each National Committee concerned. The National Committee of Great Britain declares that it cannot approve of any film dealing with the traffic, that it considers such films as positively dangerous and on no account to be encouraged. It is thus obvious that the widest difference of opinion on this matter exists in the various National Committees but two facts seem to stand out : The production of films dealing with the traffic should be a National matter and that the opinion of certain National Committees (Great Britain, for instance) would make it extremely difficult for any film however succesful in some countries to obtain official approbation in all countries. That opinions favourable to propaganda films of this type come from those National Committees who have actually cooperated in the production of such films and are therefore in a position to know more of the facts of the matter at any rate within their own countries than those National Committees who express opinions based upon observations of a different nature. Presumably the purpose of a traffic propaganda film is to help in the suppression of the traffic. Germany and Poland claim to have made successful films of this kind, Great Britain, Belgium and Holland claim that this is not possible. Logically Germany and Poland seem to have more positive