The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1916-11-03

bard. Martin. a United States trooper,
is called to Mexico. where he is killed
by n OF Villas followers. Upon the
death of her hetrothed Marion becomes
a sister Of charity and Is sent to Mex.
leo to nurse wounded soldiers,
I'm the meantime" say the circular,
the followers Of Hucrta shoot down
the American flag. Mr.. Wilson organ,
ICES a fleet of battleshtps. which he
sends to Vera Cruz to demand that
Huerta apologize and salute the Amer
lean Tag. but with orders to the United
States marines to withhold fire.
Some time later Villa and his fol
lowers make a night attack on Column.
bus. n. NJ. Immediately follows the
Carrizal fight. Villa and his followers
make an attack on a convent and drag
the sisters into the brush. leaving them
to die. Marion. rather than meet such
a fate, kills herself.
The heads Of both the Protestant
and Catholic churches send petitions
to Wilson, whose ears are deafencd
to their entreaties, and he sleeps peace.
fully at his desk.
"Views of both Colonel Roosevelt
and Governor Hughes will be taken
in conjunction with this picture, but
cannot be described at this writing"
Denounced by Reid's Own Friends.
That film was prepared at a cost OF
$4,000 Its director. Hal Reid. years
e was sentenced to prison on a
charge of assault Oh a variety actress.
He served thirteen months in the Still.
water (Minn.) penitentiary. when he
was pardoned and eXonerated of the
charge. Some of Reid's friends, when
told of his new photoplay. expressed
themselves. in substance. as follows:
~ do not believe that | have ever
listened to anything that shows such
real rottenness in politics as this idea
Of tho Republican national committee"
"it is the most disgusting thing !
ever listened to-"
at constitutes a series of deliberate
and studieI insults to the nations chief
executives"
IL think it will go a long way to
ward beating Mr.. Wilson," said Reid
to a reporter for the World. First. !
show Villa peering through the bushes
Then there is subtitle reading. why
didn't President Wilson step the war
in Europe by putting an embargo Oh
all exports to all European countries
alike. except on foodStuffs"
Next | show Vera Cruz. a launch
filled with American sailors is seen ap
preaching the wharf. Then | show the
wharf and MeXicans, armed, standing
there. They fire on the boat. | show
the officer in the boat picking up the
American flag riddled with bulle,
holes.
And then l show the president
asleep at his desk. l show that all
president asleep. | show 1t after the
attack on Columbus. and after Carl.
zal, and after the nuns are attacked"
The motion pictures We're taken near
New York. Some were prepared at a
studio at Cliffside. N. ]. Some Of the
"Mexican' scenes We're photographed
at Sheepshead Bay. nea Coney Island.
Other pictures were taken at Rocka.
way %point-the Vera Cruz of the pic
ture.
"A Corker," Said Colby.
Everett Colby. as Chairman Will
'ox's representative. was present at
the photographing of a number Of the
scenes. He called the film "a cOrker.'
The day following the Worlds ex-
pose the film was privately screened
for George w. Perkins. Herbert Par
sons. James r. Reynolds, Candidate
Hughes confidential secretary, Chair
man WilIcox's private secretary and
other members of the Republican com.
mittee.
A pow-wow followed. A couple OF
days later an expurgated, denatured
and devitalized edition was thrown on
the screen for members of the Repub-
lican National Committee. They found
the "historic facts" sadly less interest.
ing than the advance notices promised.
They did not ever gaze on the picture
Of n pseudo President Wilson asleep
at his desk. while the toning down OF
the scene Of the attack on the Catholic
nuns had robbed it Of any value as a
thriller.
So the committeeman agreed that, for
Republicans. "Watchful Waiting" was
not a ~uceess. that tie defects could not
be overcome and that the proper place
for it was the shelf. So the "scene
closes" with Chairman Wilcox writing
letter to Hal Reid saying tho film
could not be used, but commencing
Reid for his zeal-the zeal paid fo'
with Republican money. which sought
to drag religion into tho campaign.