The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-17
FILM INQUIRY TO
START THIS WEEK
House Committee Will Inves-
tigate Charges Of Graft in
T. s. Pictures. 81.
sp.etal n..pateA 10 TEE sux.

bptcJdt UespdtCh 70 ihh SbNs
WASHINGTON, Aug. 16.-Evidence that
moving picture companies and some Gov
eminent officials have been allowed to
make huge profits from Government
films exhibited to arouse patriotism dur
ing the war and in the campaign of the
public health service will be presented to
the special House committee Investigate
ing War Department expenditures next
week. Chairman Graham (Ill.) said to-
day.
The committee, Mr. Graham said,
plans a complete inquiry into all the
work of the Aim division of the Commit
tee on Public Information, the Signal
Corps of the army and the various films
now being exhibited, apparently with
some Federal sanction, as part Of the
campaign against venereal diseases.
Failure to obtain information regard
ing the Committee on Public Informa-
toms full activities may cause the in
vestigators to subpoena George Creel.
former chairman, II was sad to-day.
Mr.. Graham said ne had received In
formation indicating that large portions
of Fit to Fight" or FIT to VIM" as
tho fllm was later called, were stolen
from the files OF the Surgeon-Generars
ONCE and are now being exhibited under
the direction of q former official of the
tracted large crowds because of Its pre-
advertised daring scenes and has been
prohibited in some localities.
These films were originally taken
by the Medical Department OF the
army, the SUPERINTENDENT Informed
me to-day" Mr.. Graham said. "and the
plans were only to exhibit them In army
camps to show the soldiers the need
Of preventing certain diseases.
From another source l am informed
that an official who formerly had charge
of them is now distributing Aims that
have the same scenes OF the army pic
lures under the guise OF the so-called
health films. The army films were taken
at a cost OF $4,000, but 1t seems certain
somebody has realized several hundred
thousand from them"
The committee Is also determined to
find what became of all the money col
lected by the committee on public in
formation on its patriotic Aims, the
chairman said.
Large admission prices were charged
all over the country for pictures that
should have been exhibited free to the
DC ople," Mr.. Graham said, land yet the
committee account shows that It has
| turned into the treasury only S250,o00
Prominent moving picture men inform
me that considering the prices charged
and the fact that most Of the pictures
were taken by army signal corps men
the profits should have been S25o,ooo a
MONTH
Mr.. Graham said he had evidence to
show that the film division OF the Creel
committee was composed largely Of en-
ployees of moving picture companies
who promptly turned over anything OF
value to the private exhibitors.
| Oficers who served with the signal
corps abroad have also stated that the
best moving pictures of actual fighting
ever taken have not beer exhibited in
this country, The charge Is that the
films were withheld because of the In
fuence, through the Committee of Pub
lie Information. Of q private company
which believed the exhibition would
make its inferior fiims practically worth
less. Mr.. Graham has been Informed
that three films are now at the Army
War College here. and he plans to in
| vestigate them.