The Washington times., 1915-12-11
PHOTOPLAYS AND
PHOTOPLAYERS
Statistics to Enter
Photopldy Realm
as Rival for
ThrillerS
BY GARDNER MACK.

The motion picture has been called
upon to play many parts, but prob
, ably no one but Roger W. Babson,
the wcllknown statistician would
ever regard 1t as a medium for hu-
manizing statistics throughout the
country. That Is exactly what Rog-
er w. Babson has undertaken to do,
however. Statistics are great pets to
the experts who feed them--or feed
on them. They are the sum total
OF everything--and that should be
read figuratively as we'll as literally.
and clammy things that are to be
avoided--to be entered upon the rec
ord Of things that are without COM
ment. Most people feel that while
they might exist properly and COM
fortably in the Congressional Record
or the annual reports of the Census
Bureau or some other such exciting
and thrilling literature, there is no
place for them in the average hu-
man mind,
And now Mr.. Babson. rs the cham
pion of statistics, has uttered them
for the. great stake of public ap-
Pauline" Broncho Billy, Mary Pick
ford and the other motion picture
idols and ideals. And Nr. Babson
believes that he will be able to ma Ike
a great educational feature of his
statistics as the Paramount Company
will produce them in motion pictures.
Probably there Is nDthlng 40 unin-
teresting TO the average man as dry
Statistics" Mr.. Babson said. lie
cannot get very excited when he
reads OH the printed page that five
hundred and siXty-six million cans
OF beans are sold i'm the United
States and Canada: or that In New
Jersey there are 50.4 per cent more
mosquitoes to the square mile than
In any other state In the Union.
but by the free use OF illustrations I
ave been able to circulate my books
quite largely. and | am Informed by
public libraries that they are in con-
siderable demand.
Let us take the European war as
an example. There are few In this
county who are not deeply inter
ested In the question. and there ar"
few who. after thinking about the
matter. will deny that statistics are
absolutely necessary in "A study OF
the conditions which have brought
on the conflict. The problem IS to
present them In a way that will ct
tract and hold the attention and in
terest OF the great public.
This all can be shown by means
Of animated charts. cartoons and
trick photography In a way that the
average man win remember. The
causes that have brought on the
war az well as Its progress and its
inevitable results can be carried to
larger number OF people in a week
than would read OF them in years
In books or magazines.
For instance. tho question Is often
asked. what should be The a'titud"
of an American! The answer is
usually that lac should De neutral.
OF course. being neutral is a diff
cult thing. but it is well to re-
international affairs have caused
much trouble. Let Is see why it "
not only theoretically out practically
proper for the American TO be neu-
trail. Statistics will show this and
moving pictures will bring the les
son home very forcibly. The latter
Is what we want.
The high cost Of living is sore
problem. The prices Of almost all
commodities have. it rs true. in
creased, but statistics will show that
coping with the situation and the
first OF my films TO be release
through the Paramount Pictures
shows this.
Il first became deeply interested in
the motion picture, when on n visit
to South America ! encountered at
several points the Cameraman OF the
Paramount expedition. and 1t was
then that | conceived The idea Of
adapting statistics to the screen. In
Testigations proved to re the ad-
visibility OF allowing Paramount to
handle these pictures, and when Par
amount NewspictureS we're issued
place was found in them for me"
G., NJ