The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-09


haps the nearest thing in existence
to a pictorial representation OF The
human race and its works, IN all
of their variety, is contained in che
collection of photographs owned by
the National Geographic society
here, which has taken for its mis-
sion in life to make all parts of the
world known to all of its tnhab-
itants.
For many years the most accurate
description possible was relied up
on to teach to the housekeeping the
customs, dress, climate, religion,
fora, fauna, likes and dislikes of
the countries of the world and their
peoples. Eagerly though this was
received, the most skillful writing in
the world was not found entirely
to fill the bill. The marvels and
beauties OF the world could not pc
pictured adequately in cold type.
Something better and more human
was needed, and the camera sup
plies it
Since then men have been Drawing
the elements and the whims and
prejudices Of strange peoples the
life as it is in every nook and cor
ner might be procured and present
ed to millions of people doomed by
circumstances to a first-hand view
of only small portion of the
earth's surface.
Although approximately 1900 of
these photographs are published
yearly by the National Geographic
society, there are filed away in its
Washington offices and awaiting
presentation some 10000 other pic
lures of the widest range, the sub
jects varying from the southern
polar regions to the earth's north
ern axis, from the snow-capped
peaks of the Himalayas to our own
Death Valley; and as geography in
cludes the fauna, the collection ex-
tends to the wondrous fish who
spend their lives hundreds of faith
oms deep in tropical waters, as we'll
as the feathered songsters Of the
skies.
Many popular but erroneous ideas
have been exploded by this wide use
of the camera Pictures dispelIed
the idea that a Chinaman is con-
genitally unable to laugh. Mothers
of children in far-off India lavish
the same affection on their Off
spring as do mothers in Louisiana
or Connecticut. An East Indian
woman, possessed of a daughter.
does not invariably hurl her pro-
geny into the gaping jaws of the
crocodiles of the sacred Gauges,
any more than the shark turns over
on its back to rend its prey.
Pictures That are Hard to Get.
In many lands, notably in the
Moslem countries, the greatest per
suaslon is necessary to induce men
and women to submit to having
their photographs taken, as ex-
>plorers, photographers and staff
men of the Geographic society
would have them taken. Often there
Is met a fat determination that no
picture shall be taken, all of
which is born of an ancient law.
Mohammed. founder of the re-
Ggion bearing his name, to guard
against having his followers slip
back into idolatry, expressly for
babe the pictured representation of
any living thing, and this injunc-
ton is largely needed by the believ-
ers in Allah to this day. Often
they carry it further, and look with
suspicion and distrust upon any.
one who disregards the mandate Of
the prophet. The eye of the cam
era is to them an evil thing. to be
Stunned as the plague. Despite
this handicap many pictures of the
peoples Of the Moslem world have
appeared in the publication of the
society, even one of the sacred car
pet at Mecca, and hundreds more
are in the files Of the organization.
The general use of the camera
in some of the show places of the
world, not only by professional pho
tographers and artists, but by
tourists, has brought a realization
to the peoples of some of these
places that they can gain pelf by
posing. In Sicily this has result
ed in practically every native re-
fusing to be photographed merely
as courtesy. So generally has this
spread through the island that it
is now almost an impossibility to
obtain even a casual snapshot I'M,
less the natives are paid for their
services. Thus posing has come
to be an important source of rev.
enue to the peasants there.
The oasis of Biskra, in Algeria,
is another instance. Staff men of
the Geographic society have found
a Discrimination 10 being photo
gaphed on the part of the resi-