Evening star., 1937-12-19

AAEfIA! LlgnCS! ShOOt!'
4 And If you think this story
Is taking you to Hollywood
~ you're all wrong. The scene
Is Washington, D. c., Department oil
the Interior, Division of Motion Pic
lures, where you can follow a movie
film from its conception to projection
on a single stroll through set of tidy
offices under the general direction Of
Fannlng Hearon, finishing the trip ir
a little blue-paneled "theater," seated
on blue leather chairs before the
bench Of script editor who is busy
seeing to it that the music fits the
tootage and the voice stops at the
end Of the film.
Despite the fact that thousands c1
American citizens from one coast tc
another take advantage every year OF
the Governments generosity in the
matter of picture distribution, the
new and complete story of Govern
mental activities in the motion picture
field is not generally known. Yet in
its infancy, this new phase of Federal
activity extends far beyond the cir
cunscribed and conventional borders
of public relations" or the per-
functory dispensation of information
ad1udged public property. The Fed
eral Government has gone into pic
ture making for the public good on q
big scale with the expenditure of
comparatively little money, and now
finds itself faced with gratifying, if
embarrassing results. 1t cannot, in
short, on the funds available, meet
the hundreds of weekly requests that
have poured into its motion picture
division Offices since American
schools, theaters, industries and pri-
vate citizens found out how really
good Government film can be.
PROFESSIONAL script writing, pro-
fessional titling. professional di-
recting and photography, employed
with originality and skill, have worked
the paradoxical wonder Of over-attrac-
ton. Mr.. Hearon and his enthusiastic
associates, to their very keen regret,
have had to send out form letters OF
refusal every week, because there is
not financial provision for the num-
Der of prints necessary to meet the
growing demands of the people. Pic
lures, and more pictures! They can't
get enough of them, Mr.. Hearon as
serts, and he attributes the unprece-
dented interest in educational films
to definite causes.
In the first place, the general use of
the convenient little 16-mm. protector
has increased the interest in picture
taking and pictures generally. Then
there is the Hays organizations recog-
milton OF the motion pictures educa-
tional possibilities. the American re-
Juvenation of the European document
ary film idea; the inherent tendency
OF the American to be modern" and
what Hearon terms "the amazing
mass interest in pictures Of any. kind
from anywhere"
All these factors have churned I'D
an undercurrent which is having q
tremendous effect on the business of
educational films. And the present
administration, with customary sa-
gacity and foresight, is taking advan-
tage of this interest to acquaint the
American people with the activities of
their Government by means of visual
education
The policy was expressed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt in fireside talk given
over the radio in October of this
year, when he said: Five years of
fierce discussion and debate-five years
OF information through the radio and
the moving picture, have taken the
whole Nation to school in the Nations
business. Out of that process we have
learned to think as a Nation. And
out Of that process we have learned
to feel ourselves Nation. AS never
before in our history, each section of
America says to every other section,
Thy people shall be my people,"
With this in mind, Secretary Ickes
has fallen in with the project in COM
plete accord with the presidential de-
sire to educate the American people
with respect to the accomplishments
OF their Government. And today the
Department of the Interior can boast
one Of the best equipped and efficient
divisions for the production of educa-
tional films that can be found any,
where in the Federal structure.
HE Department of Agriculture, too
has its motion picture division.
distributing films ranging in subject
matter from forest conservation, wild
life and soil conservation, crop dis
eases, country life, farm MANAGEMENT.
numbering, insects, marketing, and me-
teorology, to building and mainten-
ance of roads, foreign highways, fur
farming and farm security.
Over in the Department of Com-
merce, the Bureaus of Air Commerce
and Fisheries present films of relevant
interest to the American public, while
the Bureau Of Foreign and Domestic
Commerce, under the able direction of
Nathan D. Golden as chief of its Mo-
tion Picture Division, supplies the
American motion picture industry with
general or specific information
through its fact-f1nding service.
Federal Housing Administration dis
tributes News Flashes" Bureau Of
Mines presents visual stories Of sui
phur. asbestos, rock drilling, water
power, transportation, gasoline and a
host of other subjects of mineralogical
import. Navy, Treasury and War De-
partments add their reels to the cause
of visual education, to say nothing
Of smaller boards and "administra-
tions."
A review, at closer hand of the
extensive motion picture service rem
dered by the comparatively new In