Evening star., 1928-04-01
BY HENRY ALBERT PHILLIPS.

tildl klNCS EuEOpt u lIOLll
against the domination by and the un
limited importation of American films
How seriously this concerns American
commerce may be judged from the fact
that the manufacture of films and allied
interests have developed into our fifth
tnduStry-repreSentin in round figures
an investment Tin America only) ot
81 .75o, 600 900 and employing approx
mately $4,000 people
Five of the greatest American produc-
ing companies are interested in chains
OF theaterS. The Famous-LaSky-Para =
Mount is interested in about zoo the
aterS: the Metro -Goldwyn- Mayer, 400
kheaterS: the William Fox. $50: the Uni
versal. 800, and the First National has
another large group. In all there are
20 500 motion picture theaterS--includ-
ing all the minor show placeS-in the
United States The weekly attendance
exceeds 100 600 600. Fifty or more fea-
ture pictures are exhibited every year
In each theater.
The outcome of the international
"novie" battle will directly concern the
100000 weekly movie" fans, in that
the American producers are agreed in
their statement that they will no longer
be able TO produce feature pictures
ut profit at least-if they are deprived
cent of the income of feature pictures is
derived from foreign sales.
Z. s. Production Rises Rapidly.
American film production has rapidly
risen until ii is producing 50 per cent
Of all the films made in the world. Mo-
ton pictures have become universal
commodity-supply the $4,000 picture
theaters outside of America. and FORM
ing a huge item of world trade.
American ingenuity in producing un:-
versally acceptable motion pictures,
combined with Yankee business enter
prise in marketing them. has swamped
the world market with the American
made article The question rose: How
long is the rest of the world going tn
sit by and let the American monopolize
a source of wealth that should-and
readily can-become the common asset
Of all nations.
The cry rose from foreign producers
that the market in their own country
was glutted with American Aims to tn:
exclusion Of the homemade product, ana
that their efforts to establish themselves
m a profitable native industry were be-
ing stined by this foreign monopoly
They contended that the first and log
ical step was the protection OF home
industry. and to accomplish this fhe'
have set about TO restrict foreign COM
petition by the adoDtion of quota ;ys-
TENS. varying In different countries
So a trade battle Of films has begun
on European soil that may / ave far-
reaching and Devastating effects on one
Of our great and lucradye industries.
Germany, one OF our most t0rin.oanie
competitors. was the first large country
20 adopt the quota rule. allowing one
foreign film for each native production,
and she has been the first to modify 7.
The new law Of January /. 1928. SIMPLY
provides that until June. 1929. the gov
ernment win issue ESQ foreign import
licenses. How manv home productions
viii b. made lis left TO the producers
themselves. During 1925 the Germans
put out 2o2 feature films End in .927
about $50. az cost Of $li 100000.
Britain Seen a. Strong Rival
Great Britain Is our other strong COM
tive January 1. 1928. establishes a Brit
ish quota system regulating he prcpor-
ton Of foreign films admissible into the
Emitted Kingdom During the fiscal year
ending March 81. 1929. film exhibitors
must rent at least 7lz per cent OF Brit
Ism pictures This proportion viii rise
annually until 1886, when IT must reach
20 per cent
During 1927 more than 30 per cent
OF the feature films shown in Great
Britain were American. 4 IS estimated
that rentals paid for films imported
from the United States amounted 10 at
least $50 900 900 for hat year.
TIhas hothouse method of fostering the
frail industry in Great Britain has al
ready led 70 q tremeEdoias boom In
motion picture enterpri5es. There are
not enough film plants In Engian3 sum-
cient TO take care of more than frac-
tson Of the actual reduction OF their
growing quota. More than dozen Dew
motion picture Companies have sprung
into existence like mushrooms, snd there
are mergers Of British. French ond
American companies. But 1t vii not
be easy 70 evade the Official stamp Of
being British made" British film
must have been made by British SUBJ
Jet or by q company registered IN The
British Empire, the Tps JoTlty Gf the d.
TectoFs ~ which are British. The au-
fhOg " the :. mario must be British
and rs per cent Of the wages and sal
aries mus. go 70 British subjects.
Ratio Adopted In France.
Ia France the cinema commission has
Just agreed upon ratio which u VIZ
America viii receive licenses 70 send
four films 70 France for each French
maoyle" purchased by lis. This IL re-
gar6ed "a by far the most Deyege Of
E2sopes quotas.
This new restrictive measure on the
part ot France = neither hasty nor i'm
pgis1ye II follows several years Of con-
t.nlo4g agitation IN favor 0f the de-
yelopnaent and protection VI the nome
fiam industry, once the World leader.
when has never recovered from the
devastating effect 0f .he World War
Numerous plans have .seen pfop1s d
only " he re1eeEed - anw0rkable, 1t
is worthy " noge tnat there IN deter
mined opposition from some quarters
~ the quota system noW being cODSld~ .
efeG, 7Thf chief oD,e1toFz have been
French exhibitors The ciTeEna fTgant-
zaaiosa of exhibitors IN Paris. Tor fhaF1 =
ylf, has gone ~ far as ~ threaten IN
close ft1eir tDeatefs Ia protest against
the zGoDtlon " the quota. They insist
tgat FsTlsaaD audiences prefer the ay-
eraGe American picture ~ the usual
FRENCH picture and that psst expert
eIacE has shown the attendance falling
on when ths program Ess made up
wtsoily OF largely Of French pictures,
American Films Take Lead.
Last yesr out u total Il 5si feature
plcturee shown IN Ffsncs, 5e6 BeTe
American and ~ French Prom lLese
figures IL VIII be seen thst 20 per cent
u ali films shown iD France are kneri-
can and ~ per cent Trench ID PEI
cent u the remainder were German
and per cent British
The quota ratios already established
81 the other important countries Oi
Europe are without doubt aimed "
protect home industries, 3lt II 40 hap.
pens ulat Ia this particular field there
Is little oF no industry ~ protect Ths
existing quota Ia Italy IL ten i0FeigI
films W each native 0flF. IN 40 aase 4
Tie whsle of the fems.n'ng Dcfceptag'
American finlE since - least ten COIN