Newark post., 1918-09-11
WORK OF THE
DIVISION OF FILMS
A Stimulant to Patriotic Effort
at Home and Abroad

fulflls a most important function
in the great work of publicity. The
information that is spread by word
of mouth, a method which the Ger
mans have utilized to degree that
has startled and astonished the
world, has its valuable place in the
general scheme, while the value of
the film as a disseminator of facts
as we'll as a stimulant to patriotic
effort not only in our armies
abroad, but also in our industrial
life at home, is only now coming to
be appreciated.
Screen Recognized as Potential
Factor
Very early in the life of the Com
mittee on Public Information it be-
came evident to Chairman George
Creel, as we'll as to the members of
the Cabinet associated with him
on the Committee, that as means
of disseminating news that the
Government was desirous of bring
ing before the public in a compre-
hensive way there was no better
method than the picture screen.
This is true not only because the
spectator has the actual scenes and
figures visualized before him, but
also because the titles afford limit
less opportunities for description
and for patriotic propaganda.
Inevitably this led to the organ
ization of the Division of Films,
of which Charles S. Hart is the
director. While a department, and
very essential department of the
Committee on Public Information,
the Division of Films has functions
peculiarly its own, and it is doing
a work the Importance of which
will be more and more realized as
the months go by. Beginning in a
small and rather hesitating way,
with its mission at first not fully
realized, it has developed and
grown until it has become a full
fedged bureau, with an organiza-
ton comprising many of the best
known organizers, writers and pic
ture and publicity men in the Unit
ed States. And, in the Importance
and scope of its work and posi-
bilties, it is still in its infancy.
Two primary purposes must be
served-frst, to show the part the
United States is taking in the
World War, and second, TO see that
these pictures are presented to the
greatest possible audience that
they may know just what America
is doing to make the world a decent
place to live.
A war picture issued by the Divi-
sion of Films is as true to historic
fact as time, place, the camera and
the skilled camera man can make
it.
These men recruited in many in
stances from the best studios in the
United States, represent the best
Photographic skill available and
are members of the Signal Corps
1t is evident that the product must
be of a high order, and notwith-
standing the difficulties encounter
ed-the long periods of cloudy or
wet weather, the smoky haze that
hangs over the battlefields and
often far in the rear of the fighting
line and other conditions that make
it difficult to secure satisfactory
negatives-the average result is
100 percent good, so pronouncedly
good that faces, even in the massec
soldier groupings are distinguish
able as is evidenced by letters re
ceived from those who have recog
nized a husband or a brother in the
films of "Perishing's Crusaders"
Camera Man Work Thrilling
The taking of pictures for tht
United States official war films i!
not a haphazard enterprise. 1t il
thoroughly organized. The Sigma
Corps photographers know exactl!
what is expected of them, and the,
go after the work with a vim ant
intelligence that cannot fail t.
bring results of the highest order
Other improvements. in the line o
enlarging the scope of the work ar
now being put into effect, and tn
pictures that will be offered by tn
Division of Films in the future vii
be even superior to those that hav
already won such favorable CON
ment. The men who take film pic
lures for the Government must b
absolutely without fear. They mus
be ready and willing to take ever
necessary risk in order to secur
their pictures, and more frequen