Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-09-12
PICTURES OF war ARE
BEING WIDELY USED
Motion and Still Photos Medium
For Telling People of Ac-
tual Happenings.

tAS
government policy and activities in pic
torializing the war. not only for record
and information but for morale as
homo and for combating the German
lie in other countries of the world,'' is
told in a report which Secretary Baker
has laid before congress-.
IL is in reply to a resolution of
inquiry regarding motion and still
pictures of the American Expedition
AIRY force and of the military prepara-
tons at home. and it shows a com
prehens!ve system of picture activity
-safsSuarded by Il permit system de-
vised by the committee on public in
formation and approved by the war de-
partment. -
The pictures are taken by signal
corps units and are shown in thousands
OF motion picture houses under CON
tracts on Il commercial basis to help
pay the committees expenses in mo-
tion- picture propaganda.
The funds received from these
sources, which are put in the treasury
to the committees credit. says the
report, do not represent profit in any
sense. Every cent goes to manufac-
ture and distribution of the
amount OF film the committee is com
PEELED to distribute without return in
foreign countries as part of the United
States educational campaign. All fea-
lures and var reviews will be sup
piled free of charge to cantonments in
the United States and to the picture
shows on the firing line in France.
The returns are to defray the heavy
expense of the free distribution de-
manded by the necessities of our NOR
ale at home and even larger necessities
of combating the German lie in other
countries of the world"
Secretary Baker saws each corns
headquarters and division Headquarters
OF the American eXpeditionary force is
provided with a signal corps photo
graphic unit. consisting of one officer
and three enlisted men. These units,
together with personnel necessary for
development laboratories, supply ser
vice and to. do special Photographic
work ordered by General Pershing ag-
sregated II officers and 1O2 enlisted
men in May. All motion picture mega
lives received from overseas and prints
of still pictures are delivered to the
war plans division Of the general staff
fot historical record and government
propaganda. Duplicate negatives, of no
value to the enemy, are turned over
to tho committee.
Pershina Given Power.
General Pershing was allowed last
December to grant permission to out
siders to take Photographs subject to
NAioS III VI lllC LADcNlLlOlldIy IOICo
but the war department has no in
formation as to whom his permission
has been given. Here in the United
states. the committee, in cooperation
with the army by order of the secre-
tary of war, worked out a permit sys-
tom TO enable civilian photographers
to q pictures OF the wal prepara-
tons in his country. 'This system"
says Secretary Baker, Safeguards mil
1tary interests and deals adequately
and even generously with all private
interests desiring to present the ma
tons war progress to the people in pic
ture form. Except in certain camps.
where secret tests are being made.
environments have been free to pho
Ntographers from the beginning Of the
war. With respect to ordnance and air.
plane production the military authori-
ties have not GENE 1t wise to expose
secrets to others than those in uniform
and while permits have been given in
some cases the general policy has been
to exclude private photographers from
factories where ordinances and airplanes
are being made. The permit procedure
makes investigation Of the applicant
possible and furnishes control oyer tho
pictures taken"
Permits are limited to Is days from
issue. Photographs ann be taken
of experiments in materials, entrench-
ments, or formations, machine guns,
targets. or camouflage. All nave to be
censored promptly and before publ
cation by the committee.
In the case of a famous seven reel
war ~crusading picture, the material was
collected by signal corps operators in
France and in this country s"to set be-
fore the people a comprehensive record
of war progress in this country and
in France 1t was shown through the
committse's organization in the princi-
pal theaters of the larger cities, with
patriotic organizations and citizens CO.
operating. In these showings, the re-
port explains. there is no thought OF
profit. the principal idea being to gain
the widest possible publicity Then.
with their commercial value demon
strated, the feature is offered by the
committee to the highest bidder in
point of money n distribution. In
the crusadtng picture case. the corn
naittee awarded the contract 10 the
First National Exhibitors association.
the committee getting 20 per cent OF the
total gross receipts Of the association
from the pictures under a guaranty OF
exhibition In a minimum of $500 mo-
ton picture houses. Tho same pro-
cedure, according to Chairman Cree,,
will be. followed as to all future feature
films prepared by the committee.
How, representatives of tho commit
tee and of the allied governments diff
Tered as to war review pictures is dis
closed in the report. When the wal
college material Ii. combed for feature
film material, the remainder. Is used
In the Inter-Aliied War Review under
agreement between the committee anf
representatives Of the governments OF
Great Britain. France q Italy.
osdss~Fer War Workers.
From the Washington Times.
Men and women in wa industries ara
TO have q badge of honor.