Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-09
Frederic Haskin's Letter
REvIvINc THE WAR SPIRIT

paign. It was pointed out that the
| two patriotic occasions of the near
future were the birthday anniver-
saries Of Lincoln and Washington.
Here was an opportunity for an
immediate beginning. Was it pos
sible to produce q Lincoln picture
In time for distribution and ex-
hibition on Feb. Il? Could a
scenario be secured, company
chosen, the picture filmed, the film
manufactured and distributed in
less than a month?
The Selznick organization under
took to deliver the goods. Within
4S hours the picture was being
filmed. In two weeks it was COM
plete and shown in the Office of
Secretary Lane in Washington.
Lewis Allen Browne, a newspaper
man, selected an episode from the
life of Lincoln, and converted it
into a scenario over night. A club
man who denounced his govern
ment is shown the, error of his
ways, in THE Land of Opportunity"
by an old waiter who tells the
story of Lincoln and the time he
brooks his campaign schedule to
defend friendless boy who was
accused of murder.
The distributors worked with no
less speed to reach every corner OF
| the land in time for Lincoln week
/ Now the exhibitors are busy ar
ranging their programs for the hol-
iday. All America will, on the 12tA
see the first evidence Of this move
of the motion picture world to i'm
prove the morale OF the people
The exhibitors will accentuate the
occasion with patriotic music, with
speeches by members of the Amer
lean Legion, and other patriots.
! 1t is hoped that all who see this
| first picture in the series will feel
a greater love of country, and will
show more appreciation Of the land
that today possesses more than a
hundred million people-the best
educated, best fed, best clothed
people in all the world.
The present plan is the produc-
| ton of one and two reel pictures by
all the leading companies. These
pictures will not be the major fea-
lures of entertainments, merely
subsidiary. They will not be
propaganda or educational films
which experience has shown are
so difficult to popularize. They will
be dramatizations Of fundamental
| ideas of government, dramatiza-
tons that have all the grip of ro-
nance and accomplishment.
The producers and distributors
will make no money out of them
and they will be sold far sbelow
the ordinary market for such fin
in order that their circulation MAY
be increased. The producers and
distributors will repay themselve:
the cost OF manufacture and dis
tribution, and whatever surplus ap.
pears will be contributed to the
Americanization movement.
Bust aside from this concrete
plan the industry pledges itself tc
give preference whenever it can ir
the major product of its studios
1t will accept whatever oppor.
tunlties are presented for manu-.
featuring major films and specta.
Giles that in their nature are q
preachment for patriotism.
The attitude OF the motion pic.
ture industry toward the govern.
ment will be pointed to by those
in the AmericaniZation movement
as worthy of emulation by othe,
elements that go<to make up the
national life.
! Let us get back to the pull.
together-spirit that accomplished sc
much during the war-it is needed
!now no less than it was then.