davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
u S. Aiding Camera Men
To Make Film History of War
Three Hundred Cinema
Workers Called for Signal
Corps-Picture Takers on
Battlefield Run Greater
Risks Than Fighting Men
By M. w. Mount

81 believe that moving pictures will
win the war;" said President Wilson
last week to the head Of the moving
picture industry Of the United States
That the President believes our his
tory, for future generations, will be
thrown upon the screen is proved by
the steps the government has taken
TO acquire and preserve records Of
contemporaneous events.
The United States government has
in its Bureau of Economics between
10000 and 100000 feet of film, and a
movement ia on foot TO establish q
public building in which government
owned reels will be stored in per-
retuity.
One of the first steps taken by the
government when it entered the world
war was to acquire and operate NOV
ing picture laboratory in Washington
and one in France. simultaneously the
President called for 500 cinema cam
cramen for the Signal Corps, which in
cludes aerial photographers, for ser.
vice with the army and navy abroad.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11

picting what this republic has done and
is doing for Russia and Russian immi
grants.
Everything Russian in this country
has been filmed in its most attractive
aspects, from the Russian Cathedral. In
Ninety-seventh Street. and Russian In
dustries in America, to the lighter hues
in the film of Russian amusement.
Uncle Sam and Miss Liberty are shown
blessing the Russion farmer. For some
months Russia has been witnessing the
bright status of its people in the new
world and the fraternal spirit borne
toward its chaotic republic. Al the
same time is being assembled in Rus
STA the great historical photo-play OF
vast nation in the making in the
cauldron of war.
In this work Washington is second
ed by the moving picture producers.
Everything the government wants, and
they can furnish, is donated by these
companies. In the case Of an indus
try it is customary for tho industry
pictured to pay for the film, and men
who make the films are elected hon
orary members of the Bureau of Eco
Monies, a privilege for which they pay
an annual fee. In this manner tao
United States makes a bid for export
trade and at the same time educates
the public mind in knowledge OF this
country's resources.
Not only do executive heads own all
films taken by and for them, but they
also have entire control OF all mo-
ton pictures taken near navy yards,
bridges, ammunition plants. fortihcs-
tions, marine pictures - without re-
spect to the three-mile limit--and any
pictures filmed of soldiers marching
in streets, and Of transports or mer-
chantmen leaving or entering port.
The picture taker finds conditions
different from those in the Spanish
American War, when men could go on
/ transports themselves and take photo
/ graphs. The less important pictures
Of the class under Executive control
are censored at Governors Island, but
everything else must go 10 Washington
for a wise.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
His Lens Makes
Him Special Target

Statistics show that cinematogra-
piers chances for life in war work are
no more chan one in six hundred.
Enemy soldiers spot him with powerful
glasses, and, because they fear his rec
ords, train their guns on him. The
appearance of his lens over trench
signals an order to fire" The cam
era man has learned that telephoto
lens for long distance work is not a
lifesaving device; he is better off in
the first line trench. where are other
activities to distract the attention Of
the enemy. For this reason, it is Gus
tomary to station at least three men on
a picture. There is then a chance that
one reel may be secured.
There returned TO this country re-
Gently the first battlefield cinematog-
rapher of me United States. He drew
fire in the French trench, where he was
at work with two others. His two
associates and thirty men to the right
of him crumpled in death; his camera
and himself were spattered with pieces
of shell and debris.
For battle scenes the cinematogra
pher uses q long focus lens. He swings
this on his camera, where the distance
is great, and takes scenes four anC
five miles away. This lens records dis
tances only, and a man running across
the near foreground will not appea
in the picture. The objection TO thi
Z lens in warfare IS that it sticks on
! like a gun and rCyides an eXcellen
target to the sharpshooters, while it:
advantage is in getting away from The
obscuring smoke of a battle.
1t was such long-distance lens, fol
instance, that photographed a notable
war drama when the cinematographei
worked five miles from the battle seen,
he was registering.
The government has not met with
hearty responses from cinematogra'
piers in its call for service. Few are
willing to accept the pay and rank Of
lieutenant and quartermaster sergeant
for this difficult and dangerous work.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Germans Lost
10000 in Mud

The secret Of the transformation i5
that much If Flanders was made by
Harvesting the sea within dlkes. Ana
when the 2ea was harnesscd II was
tarncsged for instant use. In the Ger.
,oans' frat rush for Dunkirk in 1914
Che Belgians loosed the good green
sea water on them at Nieuport, and
.,hcn the November high tides sent the
ennds flowing through Dizmude, Biz
"eSooto and Boesinghe they backed the
Cer,osne away 70 Ypres, leaving l20,-
onn dead and whole batteries Of ortil-
g Wv 20 sink in the mud and water.
'si kksmember that Flanders is NJ FIAT as
a. AZ Furness IL is seven feet be-
=, = ~ TO-, ,es level, and its highest eleya.
. ,Gw sre mere shoulders, which would
,'o I. "nnoticed except in such a Fat
IIf ~, Prom the famous bathing
n ,saJ Of Newport. Middelkerke'
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
How Ooze cells
Under the Shirt

7, moments time, we got up out
Of the nine inches OF mud we had
0opped into. and ran slipping and slid
i,., our shoes throwing out great
cIunns of mud behind us, to the near
90 coycr Pumped down back Of a
litter Of wrcckagc, ! could see MN
em;ling and his lips moving. but al
tLouch we sat elbow TO elbow, could
bo,r NOT a word Of what he was say
mo tried 20 smile back 10 him and
sa1d something or other; what 1t was
I have forgotten, but remember that
49,. ,,oico rounded in my own ears IKE
H. faraway squeak Of a mouse.
sho,ed ms hands into my pockets so
La NIL not know how they were
t -, and looked down at myself.
From face TO face ! was a pi"''e'
Of mud. A. .of, oozo
foaIS "a Il creeps into your Skin
,Irn,ob vour clothing? How u
toncber through at the knees hrst
And tbcn M the stomach with that
coid clineine shiver? And then
Elm cii,abs .un Your chest7 And whenever,
vou accidentally press the soaked
clothing against your SKIN, ss'u' Wv
gooscfesh ripping all over you -.
II all comes back 20 me nov 90
write this. II seems 10 me ny 49,
TYPEWRITER is soaked with IT, - sgs'i 70
90 me the very page on when ms -
nrintcd must rcck and chill win inc
sour Mud Of Flanders. ,,...,.u
Copyright. 1917. ~ LdTsfn
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Pictures May Be
Great Help to Enemy

The government argues that while
the cinema camera can be used TO ad-
vantage in furthering the country's in
terests, It could also prove a detriment.
This is especially true Of aero pict-
vres taken over large cities, where
an enemy might, seeing the picture
once, memorize its every feature.
The government knows the value OF
cinematographi work. IL has carried
on an active recruiting, Liberty bond
and food conservation campaign
through moving pictures, aad encour.
aged Red Cross work in the same man
ner.
Following methods developed by the
German government early On the war,
this country has not, where IL could
be avoided, allowed a photographer to
know for whom he was working. One
noted group Of war cinemstogrsphers
had no suspicion as TO who THEN en-
ployer was until several weeks Of work
demonstrated to them that police es-
cort and absence OF all red tape and
official distractions attended their
work, and that other cinema men were
denied all Of their privileges around
government operations.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11

with little white bursts behind it like
a steamers wake.
Most Of them, however, are eating and
sleeping and playing gramophones in
the dugouts; for out here the dead lie
above ground and the living lie under
ground. Here, possibly. one will find a
soldier who has carefully concealed his
rum ration all day against his after
noon tea-and-rum, and now chunk Of
mud has fallen from the dugout roof
into the cup that is poised TO his lips;
it's enough 70 give any one a jaundiced
view of life. But your British
Tommy doesn't grumble about the Mud
Of Flanders When he wants TO grum-
Bile, he grumbles about the jam. Do you
remember Bairnsfather's Eternal Cues
ton" cartoon, "When are they going
to make il strawb'ry?"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Expert Workers
Hard to Find

The government is asking for hun
dreds Of photographers, but few Of the
most competent men have responded.
Most camera men do not like to sacrifice
30 per cent OF their salaries, buy their
own uniforms and support themselves
while on duty. Some experts have been
secured and sent to Ruyia.'
Only single, unattached men, under
thirty-one years Of age, are taken for
this service, and an especial effort is
being made to secure men who are ex-
pert news photographers. The gov
eminent does not want to use in this
way any of the men now in its employ
in the different departments, such as
the bureaus of Research, Economics,
Agriculture, Zoology, 0mithology and
the Smithsonian Institution. They bid
for men who are expert at perilous and
adventurous work.
Executives have for some time had
their own photographers, but they have
hitherto had their films developed by
private corporations.
Il is said that in the laboratories in
Washington and in France films are de-
veloped, assembled, censored in the pro-
jecting room, and positives made, and
that the government purposes owing
a central bureau whence these films
will be distributed to exchanges
throughout the country. and a moder-
ate charge made for the use of them.
Income derived from this source. it is
said, will be used to defrsy part Of the
expenses Of manufacture. That Presi-
dent Wilson takes keen interest in
the moving picture propaganda and
historical records now being instituted
is shown from the fact that he is CIV
ing time to consultation with heads Of
moving picture corporations.
The first active picture propaganda
of the United States has been in Rus
STA, where for some time pictures have
been shown ali over that country. de-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
French Knock Props
From Specialism

On this point French experience is
well worth studying. French expert
ence has knocked away all the props
and embellishments from the routine Of
specialism. There are boards of ex-
aminers who are experts in the differ
ent branches of medicine, not special
lists, and they do their work at the
centres de triage," which are clinics
where the recruit, the soldier invalided
for tuberculosis and the soldier la
belled tuberculous pass under iinal re
view. DR.. Emile Sergent, the head OF
one Of these centres de trlage,' de
scrbes its work in the Paris Medical
He took, as an example, 600 men who
had been rejected as cases of suspected
tuberculosis. among these eighty
nine were pronounced healthy at once,
as all the evidence showed that they
were free from all infection Of this
sort; eighty-three were, on the other
hand. inveterate cases of consumption,
carriers of the active disease and con-
seauently dangerous: 428 belonged
neither TO the first nor the second OF
these classes; they were suspects; that
is TO saw. men who, not having bacilli
in the sputum, presented some OF the
clinical or X-ray signs which raised the
suspicion of tuberculosis"
The last were found not to be w
berculous, and were restored to the
effective forces.
And even in the case of the re
formes," the men invalided for tuber-
culosis, it was found that there were
flaws and weaknesses in the medical eX-
animation, which made it evident that
many were merely examples of dys-
pepsia, trench cold, weakness and
emaciation. Dyspeptics are frequently
mistaken for instances of consumption;
and, indeed, there is in the dyspeptic a
sallow wasting which we often find IN
tuberculosis The specialist, If he
takes the meaning of this sign too seri-
ously, comes usually to call it con-
sumption. There is in tuberculosis and
dyspepsia a literal spell which has led
to innumerable errors. The actual
loss of man power in France from this
cause has been so great that the heads
of the medical staff have come together
to take measures against it. Professor
Lereboulet, who presided, says that
the measures are still insufficient.
More hospitals and beds are needed !;
more supervision of the "reformes."
The disease is spreading and the peril
is grave.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Germans Determine
Proportion Of Fitness

In Germany an inquiry has just been
made to determine the fitness of men
in whom there are these X-ray signs of
tuberculosis or in whom the disease
previously existed. The results are
now published in the official journal,
Tuberculosis" which is devoted en-
tirely to Investigations Of this nature.
A batch Of 1925 ex-sanatorium pa
tients were selected for examination
and trial. II is TO be noted that these
are the best cases for thepurpose, since
all displayed the only real proof OF
tuberculosis, and that is the tubercle
bacilli in the sputum. Of these l,225,
62l were rejected as unfit for any place
in the army or navy; % were accepted,
but discharged later; "a were accepted
after a course of treatment, and OBJ
were enlisted and are serving at the
front, where they have done good WORK
for year. In these cases the disease
is said to be cured or arrested or 70
exist in some harmless and latent phase.
British medical officers apparently
arc not vet clear III lutlI otltN0AOh v.
rejection of the tuberculous suspect.
The Army Council Instructions Of 1916
state that every recruit must be asked;
~ whether he has been in sana-
torium; and (2) Whether he has been
notified to any health authority as
tuberculous. One writer speaks OF the
permanent cure Of tuberculosis as a
delusion. lie seems TO forget the
established facts of X-ray exploration
Of the cured cases.
According TO some examiners, every
old consumptive should be rejected.
Looking over the registery of 1000
OF these enlistments," says one writer,
~ find that practically all have re-
turned with breakdowns." On the other
hand, authorities like the british
Journal Of tuberculosis" and the
Lancet" regard this problem in two
ways, which may be represented by
the following statements. According to
the Lancet il is evident that camp
and trench life has not been productive
of more breakdowns than would have
occurred in civilian employment.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Austrians Suffer
Most From Disease

Professor Schlesinger, Of Vienna,
holds a different view. IL is absurd, he
says, to believe that there is any form
Of tuberculosis which has not been
known before the war or which the
war has produced. However, the state
ment of Professor Won Jaksch will
doubtless be accepted by medical men.
He gives. figures showing that tuber-
culosis was the cause of death in the
army Of l4s per cent in 1915, of 1916
per cent in 1916 and Of 3O.73 per cent
in 1917.
In most cases, according TO Profess
sor Sorgo, the infection was not due TO
army life, for the tuberculin test
showed that 90 per cent had the dis
ease before they enlisted. Infection, II
Is clear. occurred before military ser
vice. Men are not unsuited to serve
unless they have fever. This is the
test Of the tuberculous unfit. But in
our own army man may be reported
on by his surgeon as generally ineiii-
cient aud lose his commission without
having shown any sign Of disease that
would demand medical action.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
South of Anas
Trenches Are Dry

Further south in the Arras region,
still in the British area, No Mans Lane
lifts TO the rolling chalk downs OF
northeastern France. Here, the dry
hard battlefelds are strewn with all
the battlefield litter-dried bodies OF
dead men. broken machine guns, cart
ridge clips and cases, empty cigarette
boYes. bent helmets, broken wlre'
papers and empty bottles and crucliiNes'
arms and equipment and shell rag
ments for here, on the hard surfaces
40 per cent Of the percussion sheAs
sYpiode: in the mud only 80 per cent
evnlode, the rest burying themselves
for artillerymen 10 dig up and caIcI-
late the positions Of the batteries which
ebouldn't suggest the Mud OF + IAN
ders as q Sunday morning suDJecJ, 80,
II were merely a matter OF moHeH1 .
meaning. But the truth IS that no
single detail Of the entire topoHraPAy
Of this Continent Of Kilkenny GAYS mas .
since Cgsar's campaign agaihS1 w
Norini in 81 B. c. begged more armies
than this same mud. 81, q
In s34 A. y. the Germans SANK ln ~
and were glad to get back 20 tnt
Scbeldt. In iii Robert il Of WesIS
TIanders. fighting the English, dro~ned
in II. In 1916 the civil war started Dy
"Blsck Meg's" son John came TO a so ig
~ "Caroc called on accOunt-OI -muo
Cornromise in IL. In 1916 the Battie
~ Crecy was fought in IT,. In l4Io
A0incourt was an English victory pc
cause the heavily arm ored french Sam
In il. And there were the campaign
Of william III, 1891 70 1875 OF MaIl-
Wade cumberland and Hgonier, lI4ZZ
20 I7Is; OF the Duke Of York, 1923 and
1894 and OF Wellington, lsl5-ali
fought in Flanders and its Mud. For
the World'g Greatest Mud Puddle - nc
Oldest and most familiar Of all the
pyitisb army'g campaigning grounds.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
France Supplies
Most of Our Cameras

France supplies most of the cameras
used by our executives, for the reason
that the United States has not kept
pace with France in the development
and improvement Of the cinema camera.
Government regulations with respect
to war films possess some elasticity
Permits are issued to certain private
corporations which cooperate Loyalty
with Washington. In such instances
films, in duplicate. both negative and
positive, are submitted to the govern
ment for censorship. One film will be
returned TO the owner, with directions
for any alterations deemed necessary,
and the duplicate remains in the keep
ing of the nations heads at Washing
ton.
Nor are movie films the only pictures
passed upon by the censors; still piet-
ures must also go through the same
hands and be submitted in triplicste.
What the future holds for US is pre-
saged by the mooted question of estab-
fishing public vaults in each large city
for the preservation Of government; and
other historic films, the government. to
present films of national historic events
TO the cities interested.
The first step in this movement has
been an offer to the city Of New YORK
OF building, 20 cost 100000, in which
10 preserve the reels OF United states
life. history and personages Tor all
time.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
Many Improved
By Soldier Life

Many officers have noted the extra
ordinary development that has taken
place in many hat-chested, weedy-look X,
ing men as the result Of few months
military training. The physique Of re.
cruits that appeared likely subjects Of
consumption improved out OF all prev
ious knowledge.
The rule which is supposed by the
ordinary physician to regulate the en-
li.tment Of soldiers In an army is
this: That men who have been under
treatment in a sanatorium, or who have
been labelled tuberculous at some
clinic, must not be taken into the army.
A serious trial is awaiting our own
medical examiners in the task OF sort
ing out the men with latent tubercu'
losis. It is admitted that the differen.
tiation Of latent tuberculosis is one OF
the most difficult things in medicine.
Then there is the man with genuine,
active tuberculosis. By the irony OF
fate, no often turns up at camp. hec-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
lNlluNHulzlNlHllzzlllZzNl

Mariakerke, Ostend and Blankenberghe
once gaudy resorts, now dult-heaps
amid the dunes-back almost 20 Ipres,
Flanders is to-day swamp, which swal-
lows men ard horses and grips three
armies in a strange sort of stationary
warfare that requires them TO waste
half their strength in an incessant
snoring I'D end baling out Of trenches
and communications. In fact, in some
of the wcttcr portions of this sinking
swamp trenches have had to be aban-
doned and isolated pill boxes" of con-
crete substituted.
1t was in billets just back of the
lines that ! met a certain private OF
the London Irish, whom | had known
when he was a music hall comedian
before he Joined up in London.
Don't you ever laugh any more 2!
I asked him.
Sure" he said, dourly. 81 laff
when they's somethin' to laf at. ]
mind a fella, civvie, who come out
here las week all dressed up for
Gawd knows what. The A. G. was
shown i'm aroun', and i'm mincin'
along tryin' to keep dry, like he
thought e was at some tea-hght. Wen.
TO- all his mincin' aroun', he finally
got a speck o. mud onto his trousers,
and wat d. you think he done? He
stopped the whole show and bent
down and scratched it orf--scratched
it OFF wiv is sretty pink fngernails-
like that. If you'd seen me
then, you'd a fought was hyena."
Between keeping out of the deepest
mud as we walked through the open
toward his mess and listening TO an
occasional soprano "p-sing' overhead
/ hadn't paid very close attention to
him. lie noted it and interrupted
cnce TO explain in connection with
one Of those soprano noises above US.
that chats goin' a couple O miles
over US" and then resumed the thread
Of his talk. In the midst Of his desul-
tory talk a brand new bassQ profundo
sort of noise overhead suddenly
stopped him, and then he dropped fiat
INTO the mud with:
duck, damn you! DucN &c,
down! That un's OURS!"
And then the world blew up.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11
American Faces
Ordeal by Specialist

The American recruit is subject to
ordeal by 'specialism. That is an he
rcic maftyrdom. He is examined and
reexamined and, II not Tired out
in a moment of examining caprice IS
sent TO camp. There he is thumped by
a CORPS of auscultators who, on apply
ing their stethoscopes to his chest. find
that his heart has developed hypertro-
phy. Or his lungs are discovered to
lave spot. Lately camps have been
invaded by the psychopathic expert
He is more vague and uncertain in his
deductions than any other lie is a
medical Medusa who gorgonizes the
wong. The older men can stand 1t
better. This is the later side Of ordeal
by specialism.
The X-rays now enable the physician
TO ascertain the exact situation or tu-
bercle bacilli lodged within the body,
which formerly could not be detected
by the most skilful physical tests. That
these intruders can thus be seen and
photographed through the intervening
tissues Is common knowledge.
The exact proportion Of these non
fatal symptoms of tuberculosis has
been calculated by Professor Ghon.
The proportion, it is found, increases
with age; from two to five years it is
q per cent; from five to ten it IS 80
per cent; from eighteen years to sixty
~ 10 so n nor cent