The Washington times., 1914-08-28
THE BEST
Photopldy Department in
WASHINGTON
films to ShoU Work
Of Experts in the
Agricultural
Bureaus.

Another branch of the United
States Government has gone into the
moving picture business, The De-
partment of Agriculture is about to
establish a laboratory for making
and printing pictures Not only will
they make a number of moving pic
'Gres, but the p'c 'ctures will be eX-
Hibited under Government auspices
and distributed free throughout the
country.
There has long been an opportunity
for the USE of motion pictures in
this branch of Government work.
The Navy Department and the Pub
lic Health Bureau have utilized them
70 a limited extent. and are prepar-
ing to utilize them even more fully.
The Department OF Agriculture has
had several films made in the past,
but no regularly organized effort to
put the work of the department into
pictures before the public has ever
before been attempted. Despite the
criticism that has been made in Con-
gress. the publicity work which. has
been a feature OF the Government
bureaus for the past five or six years
has given the people better idea
of what the Government is dong,
and has secured stronger support for
the various forms of Federal ac-
tiVity tan anything any OF these
bureaus has done
The Department of Agriculture
might have done most of its work
n the heart of Africa, and kept the
-esults there for all the good 1t would
have done the general public had
not we'll organized publicity cam
paign been carried on to acqua!nt
The people with what was being ac-
complished. The introduction OF new
forms OF grain and fruits, the wide
spread information as to soil values,
etc could never have been accom-
1lished except for the publicity fea-
,lres.
Now it is proposed to do this work
wen more completely by giving
actual demonstrations. through mo-
ION pictures of the things the de-
artment wishes to bring parucu-
4rly before the public. The navy
4as gained an immense benefit from
ne moving pictures that were made
f the bluejackets and the ships in
yarious sections of the world The
eCruiting service has been helped,
nd it is understood that a more
0mpleIS pFOSIdil VI piINui SS iiN~
zen adopted by the department.
he Public Health Department has
repaired and exhibited some hlns
nd is preparing for exhibition many
more. The experts of this depart
-1ent state that the results that have
been accomplished through the pc
-ures have been remarkable. Even
the most enthusiastic advocate OF
the film was astonished at what was
that niCrIlTe OF
n actual thing accomplished is
much more impressive way OF orlnS-
ing that thing before the people than
a written statement regarding IL.
Demonstration of what is and what
is not a healthful home ana no"
one that is not can be made heaIln-
fIIl- all by means of pictures made
oF actual homes. brings more cIearIE
10 the average mind the dangers and
disabilities Of di~eases and the ease
With which they can be aNoldeu
han reams of literature on the suo-
That is why the Department oil
A Agriculture has arranged Tor ulost
extensive picture campaign. ne
~lms to be made will be eXhlplleu aI
.oIleges. universities. and State agrl-
cultural experiment stations IN aGui- .r
ION 10 many rural centers. ne
work is under the charge of the di-
vision of publications. 1t is piaaned
n distribute reels of the films Tree
s0r exhibition in regular movie the-
s-ers. The most recent motion pic
-.ires taken were those of the forest
Eervice in the Far West. Rangers
we're taken in action. Indians on
-cservations were filmed. and pic
'I-csuue mountain and woodland
lows Were secured.
Photos also have been taken OF the
strawberry industry in warren
-orInty. KY. showing the berries
rom the patch to the palate" An
tier film shows how Congressional
free seeds" are distributed The
airy industry. picturing cooperative
ow testing In Vermont is th@ subject
# another i.Oco-foot film. Prepara-
lions OF DaDer from the log to the
eheet is the subject of another
Nlm. made al Madison. Wis. One or
the feature films OF Uncle Sam is
Seeing Washington film Of 1000
rnet. taken when bows Of various
~0rn Clubs were here last fall. Pic
'u-es OF the great variety Of arl-
-cals at the National Zoo have also
-ce- taken The green" operators
ad some trouble there a lion object
~ to the clicking of the camera.
n HiIe an ostrich tried 10 kick out its
'ruS
The showing Of films Of this sort
1oes not mean the Government on
'erE a competition with the regular
ranches NJ the industry On the
-0ntrary. II is presenting a set Of
EDUCATIONAL films TO the exhibitors
rec Of charge which cannot fail
= increase the value OF the programs
the houses that get them. All
'hings being considered th.. pr0dur-
- inn Of these Government films will
"neft most OF tho people who arc
Interested In motion DiCturos as
veil re the Government ttsel"
g NJ