Southern Illinois Record

              The Southern Illinois Record
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A Good  Newspaper  is a  Power  in  the  Home.  School.  State  and  Nation
VOLUME v.
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FLORA, ILLINOIS. THUfTOAY. AUGUST 23, 1917
NUMBER 48
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MOBILIZING MOV¬ ING PICTURES
Government Recognizes "Novies"
and Asks Co-operation for the
Prosecution of the War
Salem Republican Wants to Know II Naxey Ever Saw a Trolly Car
The Moving Picture lias developed in the last few years Into Ihetiftli in¬ dustry in tiie United Slates, and de¬ servedly so. It Is the biffgesl com¬ bination of allied arts—science, edu¬ cational and enlerlaining, that the world lias ever known. It is the one great universal language, powerful in war and peace, necessary to tlie ad¬ vance of civiliz.ilion. ll is recognized by church, slate and public as the most powerful and etieclive means of expression. D. W. Grirtlth, producer of lhe "Birtli of tlie Nation" and "Intolerance," is the masler mind of the moving picture, and tlierefore tliH world's masler of expression. He has just been recalled from Europe, where he has been superintending liie tliiiiing of the war for tlie govern¬ ment und tlie people, to assume the chairmansliip of the Moving Picture War Co-operation Committee formed to further our Interests in the world's conllict.
To moblilize the movies was con¬ ceived in the great mind of President Wilson, who wrote to W. A. Brady, President of the American Exhib¬ itors' League, as follows:
"The lilm has come to rank as a very hlgli medium for tiie dissemina¬ tion of public intelligence and, since it speaks a universal language, it lends Itself importantly to tiie pre¬ sentation of America s plans and purposes.
"it Is In my raind not only to bring tlie motion picture industry into full¬ est and most effective contact with the nation's need, but to give some measure of otliclai recognition to an increasingly impbrtant factor in the development ol our national life.
"May I ask you, as chairman by my appointmenl, to organize the motion picture industry in such manner as Co establish direct and autiioritative cu-operaliou with the Committee un Public Information?
"It is mucli lo ask, but my know¬ ledge of the patriotic service already rendered by you and your assistants makes me count upon your generous acceptance."
In compliance wtth the govern¬ ment's appeal and by special invita¬ tion of tieorge Creel, U. S. Ciiairman of the Committee on Public Informa¬ tion, moving picture representatives went lo Wasliington to advise wilii tlie Council of National Defense, whicii includes tiie Cabinet, the iieads of the American Red Cross, Food Commission, Training Camps, Aircraft Produclion, Sliipping Board, etc. All of lliem are to co-operate in iinliing liie nation's resources to tlie motion picture, in order tliat the screen may iielp win llie world for democracy.
Lane, Secretary of the Interior, said lo the M. P. Committee: Upon no single iiistl'-.utlon do we rely more than upon the moving picture. Gentlemen, we expect you lo provide first tlie ingenuity and imagination necessary and available through motion pictures to turn our dead mes¬ sages into life: then machinery neces¬ sary to circulate these live messages to the American public.
Hoover, Chairman Food Conserva¬ tion Commission, said: "There Is no publicity organ In the world like the motion picture. We look upon It as a god send. No medium Is better able than the screen to undertake the work of informing the public of the country's needs, and I a.ssure you of my very great appreciation of "your loyal service."
Another said: "There are two main
agents tlirough wliich America will win this war. One is patriotic pro¬ paganda and the other is aeroplanes. For patriotic propaganda we rely mainly upon motion pictures."
Sllll anotlier said: "Motion picture machines won't hurl hlgli explosive shells Into German trenches, but they will exert a force as powerful on the minds of nations.''
Evans, of the American Red Cross, said: "Realizing tlie tremendous part llie motion picture industry plays, not only in tlie amusement of tlie American people, but also in tiielr education, the Red Cross has estab¬ lisiied a bureau of motion pictures with national lieadijuarters at Wasli¬ ington. We are perfecting plans for a motion picture campaign of educa¬ tion covering all the Aork of tlie Red Cross, and expect to raise money for the work by means of the  pictures."
The forgoing expressed sentiment and mucii other along similar lines, impressed the M. P. War Co-operation Coinmitlee with the enormity of the task and responsibility that is placed on the industry's siioulders. and prominent moving picture folks liave been formed Into committees to con¬ fer with the government departments lo make delinlte plans with this two¬ fold purpose: To arouse American patriotism and lo stifle poisonous German propaganda in neutral countries.
Tlie President and cabinet were greatly pleased at tlie whole-souled and patriotic response of tiie Motion i'icture Committee. They declared it should tie an example and an in¬ spiration to all other trades and in¬ dustries.
Now for a campaign that will be more elfective even than any the German government has ever put in¬ to practise.
Already, instead of spending $2,(XX),- (XK) to send war speakers over tlie country, Washington urges 4-mlnute government reels and 4-minute com¬ munity speakers at every picture show-house intlie land. Thus, several million people per day,manyof whom couid not be reached in any otlier way, will be reached upon questions of the hour.
Already plans are made toenligliten Russia by means of pictures: and al¬ ready such pictures as these have done their "bit": "The Battle Cry of Ppace," "The Slacker," "The Little American," "The Little Boy Scout," "If My Country Sliould Call," 'The Spy,'' and many others. Tlie Pallie, Urilversal, and Mutual News tiims oarry impressive patriotic messages. Last, but by no means least, are the diverting dramas, travel pictures and tiie comedies that can dispel the ter¬ rible war gloom and give rest to the weary brain. Did you know tills peaceful liour is enjoyed, not only by the sad folks at home, but the soldier boys in camp and at the front as welly The Y. M. C. A., the Red Cross, and the Government are seeing to It that tliey have this chance. At .Jefferson Barracks alone In tiie month of July tliere were f^l,i>'.iH attendance al the Y. M. C. A picture shows.
Do you know vvliv tiie special war lax committee did not recommend anotlier moving picture war tax at this time'!' Tiiey realized tiie im¬ portance of the picture tlieatre. Tiiey knew of the great expense and little prolit in small towns, and they were afraid of closing the dixirs of this communily center-tliis "greatest medium for the dtsseminatlon of public intelligence."
Mrs Fkank Medley.
Tiie foregoing statement by Mrs. Medley, reviewing the history and progress of the movie industry In the world and the favor in which the pictures are held by the best minds of our country, wlille not pre.sented as a reply to the covered venom of our cotemporary's criticfSm of her business tn this community. Is, never¬ theless, such a comprehensive reply that there seems little more to say.
She quotes the President of the United   States,   his cabinet ortlcers,
Business As Usual
The policy of this store is  to  give our customers the very best  HARDWARE , for the least money possible accompan¬ ied with good service.
This we are doing every day regardless of the breaks which may go against us.      ^
When it's "Hardware" Look us up Phone 211
Bowman's Hardware Store
Good Service.    Flora, Illinois
BOTH PHONES
FREE DELIVERY
and others eminent in cliurch and state to establish the cliaracter and merit of the movies as a public edu¬ cator, and she directs the reader's at¬ tention to what Is being done by the government lo mobilize tlie picture shows for the benetit of our country in the present crisis.
Tliere is therefore nothing more to add except the following wiiicli we clip from llie columns of the Salem Re¬ publican:
"The editor of the Southern Illinois Journal at Flora takes up consider¬ able space with a tirade against mov¬ ing picture sliow's. Among olher tilings lie says that tliey should be taxed out of existence. Fui ther he continues in this strain:
"WV have onl.v t,i look alxnit us to SiH» the trulii of tin's,'ohstTvatiuiis. SfOIIiSof iM'opI,' atti'iid tilt's,' shows almost nltflilLv »lio»,> ifnx'tTy bills liavo not litH'ii paid for monllis and it is a w«>ll known fact that mon' than ,>no family spends tlollara weekly at these slipws iluiintf tlie summer season who every winter liecome eharires on Ihe county.
A lady livlnir at I'lora whose I'lrciimslanees would not risiuire the exert-Ise