The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-08-23
BAKER OUTLINES
HOW THE WAR IS
BEING PICTURED.
Tells Congress In Report Of
Perturbation OF Work Of
Yanks And How Expenses
Are betrayed.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22-The story
of the government policy and activi-
ties IN pictorializing the war, not on
" for record and information but for
morale at home and for combating
the German lie in other countries OF
the world" Is told in a report which
Secretary Baker has laid before Con-
gress.,
It Is in reply to resolution of in
quiry regarding motion and still pic
lures OF the American Expeditionary
Force and Of the military preparations
at home, and 1t shows comprehens-
i've system Of picture activity safe
guarded by permit system devised
by the Committee on Public Informa-
tion and approved by the War Depart
ment.
The pictures are taken by Signal
Corps units and are shown in thous-
ands of motion picture houses under
contracts on q commercial basis to
help pay the Committees expenses in
motion 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 enormous
amount of film the Committee is com
PEELED to distribute without return in
foreign countries as part of the United
States educational campaign. All
features and war 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 necessi
ties of combating the German lie in
other countries OF the world"
Secretary Baker says each corps
headquarters and division headquar-
ters Of the American Expeditionary
Force is provided with n Signal Corps
Photographic unit, consisting of one
officer and three enlisted men. These
units, together with personnel neces-
sary for development laboratories,
supply service and to do special photo.
graphic work ordered by General Per
shing aggregated seventeen officers
and 102 enlisted men in May. All mo-
tion picture negatives received from
overseas and prints of still pictures
are delivered to the War Plans divi
sion OF the General STAFF for historical
record and government propaganda.
Duplicate negatives, of no value to
the enemy, are turned over to the com
mittee.
General Pershing was allowed last
December to grant permission to out.
siders to take photographs subject to
censorship OF the Expedtionary Force
but the War Department has no infor.
nation as TO whom his permission has
been given. Here In the United States.
the Committee, in cooperation with
the army by order OF the Secretary of
War, worked out a permit system to
enable civilian photographers to take
pictures OF the war preparations In
this country. This system" says Sec,
retary Baker, Safeguards military in
terests desiring to present the nations
war progress to the people In picture
form. Except In certain camps. where
secret tests are being made, canton
ments have been free to photograph
ers from the beginning of the war
With respect to ordnance and airplant
production the military authorities
have not deemed II wise to expose Sc
crets to other than those In uniform
and while permits have been given
In some cases the general policy has
been to exclude private photographer,
from factories where ordinances ant
airplanes are being made. The per
init procedure makes investigation OF
the applicant possible and furnishes
control over the pictures taken"
Permits are limited to fifteen days
from Issue. Photographs cannot b,
taken OF experiments In materials. en-
trenchments. or formations. machine
gun targets. or camouflage. All have L
be censored promptly and before pul
licatton by the committee.
In the case OF famous severn rec
war crusading picturs. the materia
was collected by Signal Corps opel
ators In France and in this countr
ITO set before the people compr,
hensive record OF war progress in thi
country and In France" 1t was show
through the committees organizatio
In the principal theatres OF the large
cities. with patriotic organizations an
citizens cooperating. In these shov
tngs. the report explains. there is n
thought OF profit. the principal idea b.
Ing 10 gain the widest possible pul