New-York tribune., 1918-06-26
ordnance Department
Thought Tank Picture
Might Aid Enemy
Shown Through an
Error, Is Explanation
Decision on "Yanks Are
Coming" To Be Made
This Week

WASHINGTON, June 25.-Although
army officers protested against the
s,nwinr of the Hearst Pathe film de-
p;cting American tanks at work on
their training ground in Gettysburg,
the motion picture company was per-
r,itted to produce the feature, which
already has been seen in many cities
throughout the country.
This was established to-day by Carl
Byoir, associate chairman of the di-
vision of pictures of the Committee on
Public Information. Mr.. Byoir was in
strumental in causing the withdrawal
Of the Universal Film Company's pro-
suction. "The Yanks Are Coming"
which was to have been shown in New
York on Sunday night.
J He admitted to-day that the Hearst
/. Pathe concern had not received Off
cial permission to- show the tank film.
/ He also said that the picture was re-
! viewed by the Committee on Public
i. Information and did not gain its off
cisl approval. Still, he added, he was
? convinced that the Hearst concern has
! made no attempt to override authority.
: Although tHe tAHh HIN mas Deeit
shown for several days now, it was
learned to-day that certain officers of
Z the ordnance department, charged with
the manufacture of the tanks, had
been unalterably- opposed to its pro-
duction.
Mr.. Byoir Explains
: Concerning the question as to how it
transpired that Hearst was able to
take pictures of American tanks when
all other concerns were refused that
privilege, Mr.. Byoir asserted that all
picture companies had received per-
nits to visit the tank training camp
at Gettysburg and take general pict-
ares.
None of them received authority,
be said, to take pictures of the tanks
in action. Hearst's company, however,
took the pictures, anyway. These were
reviewed by the division Of pictures
and were not approved.
Mr.. Byoir explained their release by
saying that an officer of the Tank Corps
had given permission for them to be
shown, and that this word reached the
Hearst-Pathe people before they were
notified that the Creel committee had
not given it's official permission.
The showing of the pictures by the
Tearst-Pathe Company was in direct
violation of the wishes of the Ordnance
Impairment, charged with the manu-
aeture of American tanks, officers of
that division of the army asserted to-
/ day
Valuable to Enemy
"We have always contended that the
perturbation of tanks would certainly
give the enemy valuable military in
formation" an ordnance officer said to-
day ave did not give the Hearst
pathe people the privilege of showing
the pictures, and would have withheld
such authorization if we had been ap-
pealed to. 1t is the policy of the Ord
nance Department to suppress every
picture or storv that contains informa-
ton about American tanks that would
be Of value to the enemy, and any
picturization of the training being pur-
be OF value without the inclusion of the
huge war machines there that the
tank men use"
Whether the picture of "The Yanks
Are Coming" taken by the Universal
Film Company, and suppressed by the
Creel Committee Sunday night in New
York, is finally to be shown, is to be
decided this week by Secretary of War
Baker and John D. Ryan, director of
the division of aircraft. The Universal
people have appealed to the War De-
partment to approve the showing of
the picture, because of it's educational
value, it was learned to-day. It is
known that certain officers Of the
aircraft division are favorable to
public exhibition of the picture.
Action Is Promised
Associate Director Byior. who has
oeen representing the committee in the
dispute, declined to comment on the
future of the Universal picture, except
say that the military intelligence
Division of the army would soon make
some decision on the propriety of per-
mitting the film to be shown publicly.
Asked if the committee would approve
ne picture if the aircraft division and
me military intelligence division
passed 1t, Director ByoT said Chair
man Creel would have to officially ap-
prove the picture before the picture
division would act.