The sun., 1919-07-28
NJ #. EUGENE AcKERMAN,
Editor Of Export American industries.

Editor Of Export American Industrics
Written especially for the Latin American
Section Of TIE SuN.
Not 80 many months ago I peered
into the darkened interior of a motion
picture theatre on the outskirts Of Per-
nambuco, Brazil. The theatre leans
rakishly against an overtowering cocoa
nut palm and displays every evidence Of
a hard career. accompanied by little or
no care. 1t is frequented entirely by
the poorer classes, who leave their
matched huts whenever their revenue
permits for few hours Of blessed
megic.
This particular audience on which I
gazed was watching with rapt attention
the picture that was being shown, &C.
companying the clicking of the camera
and the flickering of the film with ap-
proving pats of bare feet on the earthen
floor. The picture was an American
weekly review and the particular phase
being displayed was a showing Of styles
in childrens dresses.
Singly and in groups these fair haired,
light skinned children mannilxins waited
themselves gracefully across the ex-
panse of muggy curtain. their dainty
little garments futtering In ghostly
breezes. The audience gasped in ad-
miration and called aloud. VERY good.
Very good"
Then the children disappeared and
there flashed on the screen = scene at
an American army training camp, a Red
Cross parade on Fifth avenue and a
group Of swimming girls on the Cali
fornia coast. When this was all over
the audience settled back with a salts
fed sigh and the ancient motion picture
machine began to creak out q typical
five reel American thriller"
This scene in Pernambuco was not an
unusual one. American motion pictures
to-day are being shown in South
America from the Amazon basin to
Terra del Fuego, and they are leaving
their impress on our American relatives
as no other publicity Instruments or
diplomatic effort in our history have
ever succeeded in doing They are
carrying a varied and easily absorbed
education to every class of people, from
the highest to the lowest, and they are
disseminating this education by controll-
ing the major amusement OF South
America.
American Films Popular.
This control was established because
of the war, and It will be held because
so far American motion pictures are
without competitors anywhere in the
world. Owners of theatres and man
HSers OF distribution agencies have told
me that even II they desired to return
to the French and italian films. their
audiences would not permit them to do
SO. They like the beautiful American
actresses, the stalwart men, ana above
all, the beautiful clothes and the hand
some scenic investitures. The moving
picture stars all have their devotees
as they have in the United States, and
their pictures stare out at one from
stores and billboards. Tho weekly news
events-a little late-are tremendously
popular. and the fashion pictures which
come regularly. bring out the society
ladies' of the metropolis and bring. too
the dressmakers that cater to them.
While the cinematogrsph Is clicking
away its web of friendship and under
standing in South America, various
other powerful mediums OF publicity
are knitting the continents moro closely
together. with a rapidity that II aston
fishing. 1t is doubtful II two adjacent
civilizations. after generations of limited
intercourse, have ever overcome this
handicap in more complete fashion In
such short space OF time.
South America has turned from
Europe as her font of information and
3 inspiration. Instead of receiving heI
news from Paris and London to-day
she receives II from the United States
and the United States, instead OF getting
the news OF South America from Paris
and London as she did less than a dec
! ade ago. is now getting II direct anC
getting a complete compendium.
! Within the last two years the United
! Press Association and the Associated
Press have both entered South America
and to-day they are serving with g
world news service practically every
/ newspaper of any consequence in al
of South America They have agencie,
in Lima, Santiago. Baenos Ayres and
Rio de Janeiro. Their correspondents
all trained American newspaper men
are sending back by cable and by mai
! daily accounts of the trend Of events IL