The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-02-22
That Secretary r., o. Hellstrom
stands on the question of the morality

oIdIO tOUdy 81 }2aF# - 81. tss
Lords Letter f
:. .ga. Cando, North Dakota. ;.
d. aes,a Feb. IS, 1918.
Mr.. +. O. Hellstrom, ,,.s.s. Nh.
Bismarck, N. D.
Dear Sir:
am In receipt of your favor in re
gard to attending to the exhibiting o
moving pictures, under the North Da
kota State Council of Defense. W.
do not approve Of exhibiting these PIC
lures on Sunday and from the news
PAPER reports we see that it is your
intention to do so, consequently We
Shall have to decline to take charge
of them at this place for YOU
Yours very truly,
= Harry Lord.
Heltstrom's Reply
ri February 81, 1918.
Mr.. Harry Lord,
Cando, North Dakota.
Dear Sir: ia 4
Replying to your letter of the. 18th
/ beg to say that we are sorry that
you are not in a position to act on
this committee. We, however, draw
from what you say that you are
prompted by motives Of religious prin.
ciples in declining. am sure that the
question has never been presented to
you in its true light or you would not
take this view. think that know
that you are not the kind Of a man
who would feel disposed to shirk any
duty that the nation or the state
might impose and that you would not
care to classed among those who
would not be willing to make a per-
sonal sacrifice for their country, be
that sacrifice great or small.
There has been great deal OF com.
nent INDUCED in in the press in refer
ehce to showing these pictures on
Sunday. To begin with, Mr.. Lord, the
idea Of showing the pictures to the
public originated with President Will
son himself and the government, act.
ing upon the suggestion of the. presi-
dent, has produced the pictures and
for that purpose hired the best skilled
experts with the moving picture cam.
era and also established laboratories
for developing films, etc, with view
of giving to the public the true record
of the efforts of this government to-
ward producing an army and a navy
The object of showing the pictures
is educational, in fact, the educational
feature is calculated to produce a pa
triotic and national spirit. We 60 to
church on Sunday morning for the
purpose of making ourselves more ef-
ticient and truer soldiers Of the army
of the Lord and there is nothing in
our religious duty that in any way
should prevent us from going to a
school conceived by our government,
put in the form of moving picture
demonstration, and learning from the
lessons that are set forth. on the
screen in the shap OF. moving pictures
how to become more efficient soldiers
and citizens of the United States. In
fact, at this time when we are at war
and every atom Of our strength and in
telligence is taxed in order that we
may be able to maintain our honor,
our freedom and self government, !
don't believe there is a duty more sa-
cred than the duty we owe to our gov
eminent and believe that in truly
serving our government we can best
serve the Lord. a.!
am loath to believe that you be-
long to the class Of people who are
so narrow in their views that they
believe that proper service rendered
to their country, even though that be
on Sunday, will interfere with their re-
ligfous duty. In fact, had you mea-
sured asa man with vision broad
enough to permit you to see that the
duty to your government, be. 1t a Sc
cular duty or religious duty, Is the
first duty that i citizen owes to him
self, his Cod, or his country. The
idea that a moving picture produced
for an educational purpose by the
United States government and, shown
for educational purposes Is q violation
of any statute If shown, even though
shown on Sunday, lis so ridiculous that
it is not worthy Of serious consider
alton. J.
The spirit that would suppress the
showing OF these pictures for the
high, moral and patriotic purpose for
which they were conceived would al.
so be back of the spirit that crucif!ed
Christ. II we have read the scrip
lures correctly, Christ was reprimand:
ed by the scribes and Pharisees and
the minions of the Roman law for 60.
ing through the fields and gathering
corn on the sabbath and if you re-
member, he rebuked them by REFER
ing to the fact that their, OK might,
have fallen in the ditch and that It
would be necessary to relieve the OK
by removing him fro, mthe ditch even
though this involved labor on the Sab
bath day.
The nation has an OK in, the ditch
and it going to require labor on seven
days in the week to get this OK out
of the ditch. IN fact, we are conscrtpt..
ing and drafting the best blood OF the
country for the purpose sof getting
this OK out of the ditch and so long
as the OK ii in the ditch the labor
will be continuous night and day, on
thu Eabsth and IN the week day, We
ibelieye that no greater honor can fall
=