Evening star., 1943-03-19


the ONCE of War Information.
This film-two of the series OF
seven have been produced thus far
represents the high point Of effec-
tiveness in the use Of the movies to
teach a patriotic idea in wartime.
It is effective because it doesn't try
to reach down to some allegedly low
level of intelligence or to reach up
too far. 1t is effective also because
1T doesn't eXaggerate but merely tells
the truth.
AS matter of fact, the whole
Aim is taken largely from actual
news reels assembled from foreign
countries before Pearl Harbor or
captured since then and from the
files Of American news reel COM
panies extending back more than a
decade. Pieced together-some 35,-
900 feet of film out of 100000 feet
actually revieWed-the story told is
. powerful and dramatic narrative
which leaves the observer with only
one central thought, namely, the
need for the immediate defeat and
determination of the militarism OF
Germany, Italy and Japan.
Executed by Capra.
The film was shown privately to
IN Official group in Washington this
week by Brig. Gen. Frederick H.
Osborn, head of the Special Service
Division of the War Department,
whose associates developed the idea
and gave it to Frank Capra, noted
movie man, to execute. In private
life for more than two decades Gen.
Osborn has devoted his time and
resouces to the study Of the scientific
aspects of mass population and the
work he has done or projects he
has sponsored represent an out
standing contribution to scientific
research in that field.
The Special Service Division is the
formal name adopted recently in
place Of Morale Division" Its pur-
pose is to carry on educational work
OF all kinds among the armed forces,
including off-duty vocational train
ing and recreation. Instead OF re-
lying on statistics, it has actually |
made case studies of 100000 en-
listed men, and the conclusions
reached. among others. are that the |
American Army is the best educated |
army in the history Of the world
far higher than the level Of our
Army of World War I.
Hence, it vas decided that the
troops could be given and would
understand the panorama of Euro
pean events as they unfoldeG from
the days when Japan launched her
attack on Manchuria, through the
period of Mussolini's seizure of Ethi-
opia, together with European and
American reaction to these events,
constituting prelude to war" The
fllm gives a remarkable portrayal
OF Nazi propaganda as it is taught
Germanys own news reels-and
shows how freedom OF speech and
Of religion were disregarded and
the public intimated.
Polish Chapter.
The scenes from the attack on
innocent Polish people in 1899, the
story OF Poland's brave resistance
the actual combat pictures taken
by German Army photographers,
and the perturbation OF brutal as
sassination Of innocent men. women
and children in civilian life con-
stltute chapters from world drama
which no scenario writer could ever
make more vivid than the actual
truth happens to be.
Most effective is the sensible way
the makers of the new movie have
drawn distinction between the
German and Italian people and
their fanatical and brutal rulers
In contrast, for instance, to pictures
OF the Bundists in America and the
Quislines in Norway who have in
sisted on loyalty to the Fuehrer
even though resident In foreign
lands, the movie shows pictures
OF FIRST and second generation
Americans of German ancestry uhc
have become An integral part OF
the American way OF life-Admira
Nimltz. Wendell Willkie. Senate,
Wagner OF New York, Henry Kaiser
ard others.
The film significantly points out
that there are about IS per cen,
OF the soldiers comrades who have
German or Italian names or are