International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1932)

953 the matter has a wider interest, and we therefore deem it opportune to quote the passage in question. " The matter, moreover, goes beyond our own frontiers and takes on a world interest. You point out to me that France is the only country which up to now has deemed it necessary to consider imposing an obligation for the exclusive use of noninflammable film, and it is due to this that our manufacturers have shown little interest in producing a film of this type in commercial quantity and quality. You also point out to me the advisability of our representatives in the League of Nations attempting to induce the League to decree the obligatory use of non-inflammable film supports throughout the world. " I must remind you that my predecessors have anticipated your wishes. If you will refer to the letter which M. Sarraut addressed you on November 3, 1928, you will find that after alluding to the work done abroad in favour of the use of non-inflammable film support, especially in the United States and Germany, where this type of film is obligatory for documentary educational and scholastic films, the clear intention of the government to bring the question before the League of Nations and have it examined by the Bureau International de Travail is revealed. You were requested to furnish to this office a complete, well illustrated and documented statement on the condition of the French industry of non-inflammable and incombustible film, on its advantages and disadvantages as compared with celluloid film, of the duration of such film, on the analytic composition of the emanations and poisonous qualities of the combustible gases. This was the result of an inquiry decided on by the Syndical Chamber on July 10, 1928. " This material was never produced, and was again requested on February 1, 1929, following the fire at Berne. I have not yet received it. " In any case, the government continued its action on more than one occasion with the League of Nations, and in April 1929, following a new communication from the technical counsellor of the French delegation, reporting a series of fires which had taken place the year before in cinema halls where celluloid film was used, the Committee for the Protection of Infancy attached to the League of Nations repeated its recommendations for the use of non-inflammable and incombustible film, which recommendations were also approved of by the B. I. T. of Geneva and the I. I. E. C. of Rome. " You should take due account of the fact that in the case in question the League of Nations could not do more than make its recommendations, leaving it to the individual governments represented in it to promote the necessary legislation towards the end desired in as complete a form as possible. " I will also remind you that, although the United States do not belong to the League of Nations, they have also considered the problem, because in addition to the acetate which they produce themselves they import a certain quantity from France for film-making. " Moreover, the introduction of the talking film has completely modified the export conditions of film production. Apart from certain specialized halls, where films are given in their original languages, it is necessary to make positives of films in the language of the country into which they are imported. The obligatory use of non-inflammable or incombustible film would give a notable advantage to French producing firms for foreign negatives, while the export of French acetate film would enjoy fresh facilities which might afford appreciable advantages These remarks of the French minister of the Interior show through the work carried out by the government of France with the League of Nations the international character of the problem, illustrated by one single national instance. The Rome Institute only wishes to re