Evening star., 1947-05-06
ecrefAngIo-U. 5. Plan
10 Re establish Reich
Film Industry St Barred
By Robert S. Alien
Nerik Amssiesn Nsw.pepsr AlIiare

North Amssiecn NeWsp0pss Alliunes
A high congressional official
today received evidence disclos-I
ing q secret plan by British and
United States occupation au-1
thorities to re- establish the Ger
man Aim industry without
delay.
Under the plan, studio and other
facilities would be turned back TO-
the Germans for the production Of
movies to be sold by them both In
Europe and abroad. The only con-
troll to be exercised by military gov.
ernment would be political CEN
sorship."
Two unusual features Of the plan.s
Of particular interest to congress
sional authorities, were "a = pro-
vision that all funds derived from
the sale of German movies abroad.
be used for the purchase Of supplies
and equipment for the industry In
stead Of being applied for the pur-
chase of food and other needs for
Germany, and CD that appropriate
old German films be reissued to-
"maximize export proceeds"
/ There was no indication what
kind and type Of movies are con-
ltemplated under the classification
appropriate old German films."
Evidence in Two Documents.
The evidence In the hands Of the
congressional official consists of two
documents. One bears the I'M
prinatur Of the United States Once
|of Military Government for Ger
many, Economics Division, and con-
sists Of q report Of q series Of con-
ferences on the German film indus
try held by United States and Brit
ish occupation officials In the last
several months.
The other document Is o report
lof conference between Eric Pom
mer, an American member of the
joint film policy working party and
other members Of that body. Pom
mer is a former German refugee who
was once q high official Of the Ger
ma UFA Film Co.
The United States participants In
the conferences which worked out
the, plan to re-establish an inde-
pendent German movie industry
were Maj. Gen. william II. Draper,
jr., economies adviser to Gen. Clay;
Mai. Gen. Robert A. Mcclure, di-
rector of information; 1t. Nils Nil
son, film control officer; Eric Clark,
William A. Ulman and Robert e.
Vining.
The principal British representa-
tives were Sir Cecil Weir, H. r.
Moulton, r. H. Durbin and G. c..
Farrow.
The first document also discloses
that the conferees agreed to set up
In joint Aim production control board
to be made up of Pommer as chair
man, 1t. Nilsson, Mr.. Durbin and
George Dessauer. Also that studio
and other facilities In the British
and United States zones would be
pooled.
Under the subtitle availability of
export credits" the document con-
tains this statement: I'm recog-
milton of the continuing need to
import materials for the reconstruc-
ton of the German Aim industry, 1t
was agreed that the proceeds from
exports of films be available pri-
marily for the import of raw stock
and other commodities essential for
the production of motion pictures
in germany, i.e., that such proceeds
should not be taken as credits for
imports of other necessary goods
until the needs OF the film industry
in Germany have been met"
The document also contains these
declarations, Cd ito control film
production only through censorship
and licensing standards approved
by military government" and ca
ito insure that the ownership Of
the film industry be transferred to
private persons SO that 1t remains
free of government domination"
Pommer's Stand Reported.
The report on Pommer's remarks
quote him as follows:
After all, I am. German born and
bred, and I am only over here be-
cause of sentimental reasons. :"
Pommer wants to see the German
film industry back in its former posi-
ton. Here are 10000. 900 people of
the highest culture and attainment
located in the very heart of Ger
many. AS Germany goes in the next
10 years, so will go all of Europe.
81 only get in really good licks
at night when all the important men
of the German business come to my
house and we talk business. Not