Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-10-04
GOVERNMENT MOVIES
BY Frederic j. Haskin.

OTTAWA, Canada. Sept. so.-Canada has a
branch Of government that every progressive
country will eventually have-a commercial
moving picture office.
SO far, Canada is the first government to ad-
vertise itself commercially by the films. A few
days ago the announcement came of one of the
states, Nebraska, opening its official moving
picture studio to distribute pictures to ad-
vertising the state, but this venture. like most
of its kind. depends on state funds to finance
it. The pictures are to be distributed free.
The Canadian government offers some of its
films free to schools and clubs, but for the most
part distributes official pictures through big
well established moving picture concerns. and
charges regular rates for them. They become
a part of the programs in the various movie
houses all over the country. The idea is thai
people appreciate and are more interested IN
something they pay for than something they get
for nothing. So the moving picture bureau OF
the government decided to make its film as
good as or better than the commercial ones and
to offer it to the trade. The plan worked. The
government productions are in demand. More
over, she films practically pay for themselves
and as publicity they are invaluable to the
country.
The project was started four years ago with
the purpose of showing not only people OF otner
countries. but Canadians as well, what Canada
is like. 1t Is a well known fact, to quote Tor
instance, that while many Americans go TO Al
gonquin Park in Ontario for vacations, cana
dams find it more of an adventure to cross the
border and come down to the Maine WOODS 70
rest. SO a picture of Algonquin Park is regarded
as novel entertainment among Canadian audien-
ces. inst as n moving picture of the Mt. Shasta
region would be something new to a large part
of a New York audience.
Even the old legend OF Canada being largely
the frozen north obtains to some extent among
southern Canadians. The government MN
makers say: ~ good deal of what is now re-
garded by intelligent Canadians as arid, snow
covered land is not barren the year round. Inc
Mackenzie Basin with its short, hot summer OF
long days is promising wheat land. But ~ takes
la-. 80 cot +hara md tho rnnnfrV is not OPEN
ed up, and never will be, so long as people as
miss it as the frozen north. We are taking pic
lures there and in other regions where plctures
slowing real conditions. have never been taken
before.
Canada Not All Cold.
There is a frozen. Arctic region in CANADA
it is true. But that is not Canada as IT has peen
developed, and as people should think OF the
country in general. Because so many people 40
think of it in that vague way the VIDE variety
of climate. scenic effects, cities, and types OF
people are new and interesting stories TO can
adams as much as to others
Actual returns to a country from him puDAclty
can scarcely be estimated, but Canada rates her
film activities as an invaluable method of snow
ing people in other countries what the Canadian
land is like, how the people live, and what IN
dustries and arts thrive there. :.
This is more important TO Canada than II
would be to England, for instance, or to France.
The world in general has a fairly correct IDEA
Of the place of these two countries In clvlilza-
ton. But Canada is apt to be dismissed az
largely ckwoo Showing cross sections OF
Canadian life abroad arouses interest IN the
country and that means trade, settlers. vlsitoFs'
and that important asset. good Will; Canada Is
not the only country to accept the doctrine thdt
it pays to advertise.
Every big government in the world mas sonies
sort of publicity organization to advertise ltseh
since the war. Before then, publicity ana al
vertising were regarded as commercial devices
which a dignifed government did not stoop TO
ree The mere suggestion of posters would
nave shocked any War Department officer IN
1913.
But the war, to be backed by the people. mao
m he advertised. And ever since. governments
have been using posters. films, stills (the photo
graphic kind), slides and publicity men. Ihey
call them editors or intelligence offlcers IN the
government.