The Washington times., 1915-01-28
Making War Films An
Undertaking More
Dangerous Than
Making War.

Ono Of the things the war in Eu-
rope has done has been to call at
tention to the motion picture cam
era a. tho agency by WHICH the
actual scenes Of battle an~be in
deIbly and accurately recorded in
history. as we'll as tho means by
wnioh tho whole world might be
given q clear understanding Of the
conditions on the battieflelds and
some idea Of the horrors of war. In
thAs the camera may be q big agency
M bringing about the world peace
that is so earnestly sought by impor-
tant organizations and individuals.
While everyone has seen the re-
suits of the work of the camera and
marveled thereat. there are very few
people who have given thought to
the man who turned the crank Of the
camera which produced these pic
tures The war photographer occu-
pies q most unenViable position. He
s q sort of fifth wheel with an army,
ne Is not soldier. but he faces the
dangers and hardships Of the soldier
without the slightest chance of reap
Ing the soldiers rewards or glory.
he does not 60 into battle with the
same self-sacriflcial feelings OF the
soldier. His bravery is of an entire
X dlnerent sort. because he knows
inst the success of his work not only
Setends S,t on ~ getting the pictures.
sra during the operation and after
ward An excellent idea Of the CAM
e!aman's life In the field with the
huropean armies Is obtained from
an article In a recent issue Of the
'notoplay Magazine by Parke Far
: "A number of war photogra pliers
VINO 'have just returned from the
front have thrilling stories to tell,
not only Of the risks they have run.
put also Of the veritable endurance
tests they have had to undergo"
states Mr.. Farley,
war Photographer shares the
fate Of the army to which he han
pens to be attached. II ordered to
march he must march; IL halted in
the trenches, he must halt, and If,
IN the face Of fire. he wishes to get
pictures. he must expose himself
ooolly as a target; for he cannot get
var =. r,,Iat Isttures sa, lying down. Instead.
ne must set his camera up on its tri-
POD and grind ahead. oblivious Of
the Rain Of shells.
II was not q particularly enviable
position that Edwin F. Weigle, of
the Chicago Tribune. found himself
IN when he and Joseph Mediii Pat
terson. after covering the action
tween the retreating Belgian army
and the advancing Germans! Yet
Mr. Weigle clung to his camera and
stayed, taking motion pictures until
the Germans. as he says, were too
close for safety, although as q mat
ter OF fact they had been too close
for safety long before he decided to
and follow after the Belgians.
"Welgle was In Antwerp during
the bombardment Of that city by
the Germans. and the story Of his
night-long Imprisonment with three
others in the basement of a house
that was shelled above their heads.
as told in his booklet. my Expert
carries a thrill of terror even to one
safely removed by many thousand
miles from the scene Of danger.
Fortunately Weigle not only got
out alive. but brought his camera
with him! If there is one thought
that the war photographer has in
mind even beyond that Of personal
camera Even while he accepts
every hazard as regards personal
safety. the camera must also be
protected at all cost. Sometimes, as
in a severe rainstorm. the photog-
rapher WILL cheerfrlly expose him
self to the drenching elements
while he uses his coat as a shield
to protect his camera from the
weather.
''Some OF the war photographers
have been wounded and some of
the French moving picture men at
the front with the French forces,
1t Is said. have been killed. Yet
sAh n l..
enterprising scenario writer should
give us a hlm romance with the
war photographer as hero. Or.
falling that. the hlm hrms should
senA cut Q second man with each