The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-02-13
HELSTR0M WINS
FIRST BOUT IN
WAR M0VIER0W
Triumphs Over LANCER When Lat
ter Attempts to Jail Minot
Mayor.
CONFLICTING ORDERS OUT

Immediately following the arrest
and speedy release of w. S. Shaw
president of the Minot city commits
sion, in connection with the showing
of the United States government 6
war pictures in the Magic City by the
Town Criers' club Sunday, F. o. Hell
strom, secretary of the North Dakota
defense council, and special represent
ative of the division of films, com
mittee on public information, council
Of national defense, issued an order
commanding owners of public as
sembly halls, theatres, moving picture
houses and other public places suit.
able for pubic assemblies to open
their places at any day or hour which
my nest suit the purpose and con.
venience of the showing of the official
United States council of national de.
fense"
Attorney General William S.. Lang.
er's order to Sheriff Nedreloe of Ward
county, which resulted in the arrest
of Mayor Show, reads: "You are
hereby requested to close up any NOV.
wing picture or film company which
operates on Sunday in your county,
whether showing war pictures under
the auspices of the Home. Guards,
Knights of Columbus, Loyalty League,
Red Cross or any lodge, association or
corporation, provided admission is
charged, or any sort of collection is
taken up. The bill providing for war
pictures was killed in the senate at
the special session, and all peace Of
ficers can do is to enforce the law. If
attempt is made to show, be sure to
seize film machine at time you arrest
the man."
The first conflict between federal
and state authority in the matter Of
war pictures came to a head at Minot
on Sunday when F. o. Helstrom. as
an agent of Uncle Sam, triumphed
over Attorney General LANCER and
succeeded in showing the war pictures
Helstrom also procured the discharge
of Mayor Shaw, by making an affidav.
it that he, as 'the duly appointed
and acting special representative OF
the division of films, committee on
public information, Of the council OF
national defense of the United States
of America, "in pursuance OF his dut'
les, and acting in such official capacity
directed w. S. Shaw to exhibit the OF.
fetal moving pictures of the council
of national defense "in the city of
Minot on the tenth day of February,
1918, at the Orpheum theatre, and on
any other future date or place which
may suit the convenience of the Unit
ed States government
Secretary Helstrom did not fare so
we'll Sunday at New Rockford, where
the display of the war pictures was
prevented by the arrest of the
theatre proprietor and the seizure OF
the picture machine. A flag which
had been borrowed from the city for
the decoration of the front of the
theatre was reclaimed by the city
auditor, who, it is alleged, declined to
allow the banner to remain after the
theatre proprietor had offered to de.
posit a check for the full amount OF
it's value as security. The fight on
the war movies at New Rockford did
not prove popular with citizens gen.
orally who, Mr.. Helstrom reports,
crowded the theatre at the hours ad'
vertised for the several exhibitions,
when patriotic addresses were substi'
tuted for the pitcures. H..
That pro.German sentiment Is &C.
tuallv behind the opposition to the
Sunday war movies, and that this ele'
ment is taking advantage of North Da'
kota's blue laws to prevent further
dissemination of patriotic doctrine in
. (Continued on Page Three>