Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-06
THE SERPENT'S TRAIL
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little, eXcitable man who had re-
ported to the consulate three months
before. His name is Felix Malitz. To-
day his address is the Federal Peni-
Tertiary at Atlanta.
How Smuggling Started.
Was Malitz there for showing Ger
many's side of the war in moving pic
lures? Not at all, for before the
United States entered the war, propa-
ganda of that sort was not against
I the law. Felix Malitz is working on
The rockpile today, because behind his
moving picture campaign he moved
silently and secretly in a scheme that
was decidedly against the United
States law, The American Corre-
spondent Film company was mention
ed to the OVerman committee as be-
ing propaganda organization, but
how the leading spirit of. that organ
ization, Malitz, passed from moving
pictures to smuggling is a story, the
fun and intimate details of which have
never before been exposed.
Not only did Felix Malitz direct the
German moving picture propaganda
in America, but he caused American
rubber products to be smuggled out
countries from which it was suisse
quently smuggled into Germany. In
other words, Malit2 procured rubber in
America, sorely needed by the German
war machine, and smuggled it out of
an American port. In doing this he
corrupted stewards of scandinavian
steamship lines, to act as his couriers,
mus getting under way for the Ger
man agents in America an under
ground secret channel of communica-
tlon between them and the chiefs in
Berlin. A resourceful man-posSiby.
The beginning was very innocent.
Nobody knew anything about the ac
tual character of the moving picture
company, opened by Malitz at 80 East
Forty-second street, New York, eX-
cepting those concerned with it. Even
StenOgrapherS, scenario writer's and
directors, whom Malitz employed, did
not knew hat his company was being
secretly financed out of the Bernstorff
"doughbag.' Malitz trusted no one.
In April, 1915, various foreign war
films We're coming to America; enter
prising theatrical men and newspapers
were getting control of them for eX-
hibition purposes. What was more
natural than that MalitZ, who had
held "A responsible position with the
fathe company, should bob up in the
managership of a new company that
was going to distribute movies? p The
Dernberg idea, the secret connection
between Maltz' office and the Ger
man "doughbag," was kept hidden.
General War fiim Market,
Likewise, MalitZ cleverly tried to
get the impression around that he
was going to put out not only German
pictures, but any allied pictures which
he could obtain. To those who were
not on the inside, he was engaged in
a proposition in which not a suspicion
of propaganda was apparent. TO this
end in June. 1916. he invited to lunch
well known American correspond
ent, who had just returned from
France, and who was going with the
Italian army. lie did this in thf
presence of correspondent whom he
was sending to Germany. He told the
writer bound for Italy; IF you will +!
obtain me pictures of the Italian army
shall pay YOU a liberal royalty on
them. You ought to be able to get |
the Italian press bureau in Rome to
let you have some films. | want to
market war pictures of all nations" |
which was purely camouflage to /
screen the German propaganda.
In May, 1915. Malitz formally open
ed the office of the American Core
spondent Film company He chose
that title for his company to carry out |
the idea that Americans would obtain |
these pictures in Germany and that
they would be exhibited under Amer-
can auspices. Dernberg got the wires
working, and into Malitz' hands came
an immense amount of film, which
the Austrian government had just
contriVed to send to America In
total, this consignment was about 90
600 feet without figuring the footage
of the titles The meaning of this is .
clear, when YOU consider that the ay-
erage long feature play which you see
in a movie theater is composed of +
5000 feet, inclusive of title. OF this
huge consignment it was stipulated by
Austria that 5000 feet be reserved
expressly for the propaganda lectures
of James j. Archibald.
Now in Stamford, Conn, was firm
of commercial photographers. Brown
q Dawson, which had done much
work for the Hamburg
American line in peace time. Malitz
decided to use their building for his
American Correspondent Film COM
pany studio" Here the film which
he got from Germany was reprinted,
cut, titled and whipped into features.
Thrce-fDurths Worthless.
Malit2 sent his 1000 feet of Aus
trian pictures up to Stamford, and
then engaged q man who understood
the preparation of features, to go to
Stamford and look at it. The man
saw the immense amount of footage
flashed on the screen in the little
projection room" which tho German
'doushhag" had built there and thet
told Malitz "Of your 10000 feet IF
film, 70 per cent is worthless From
what is good enough can be taken to
give you, with titles. a good feature
picture. The Austrian fortress of
Przemsyl has Just been recaptured
from the Russians. The name is a
good one from a showmanship view
point, because it has had much pub
LEFTY in the newspapers. due not only
to the fighting there but TO the fact
that it is difficult to pronounce. NY
is that you entitle this fea-
ture of yours The Battle of Przemsyl'
out of the material which you have, a
feature can be pieced together in such
q way that these pictures can be got
ten over as the Battle of Przemsyl."
MalitZ saw the point, and he en-
gagged the man to whip the movie"
into shape. Appropriate publicity
matter was written for it. The pic
ture was exhibited in every American
city. 1t showed the Teuton armies.
powerful and kindly in victory. 1t
showed the Russians as hopeless
Moral: Germany is fine; it is a bless
ing she is crushing Russia Even the
man VINO dld the job did not know at