Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1915)

July 31, 1915. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 49 Prepare Against Invasion, Is Vitagraph Film Lesson "The Battle Cry of Peace," Written by Commodore J. Stuart Blackton from Realization of Nation's Lack of Adequate Defences in Time of War, Has Endorsement of High Government Officials, Loud in Their Praises of Plan to Sound Warning by Picture Appealing to Patriotism SOLELY with the desire of calling to the attention of the American public the present state of unprep'aredness of the country, the Vitagraph Company of American has produced "The Battle Cry of Peace," in five parts, and is now arranging-to have it shown in every city, town and hamlet throughout the country. The picture shows just what would happen to the United States if an alien power of the first class should decide to invade us, and how helpless this country would be to protect itself. The Vitagraph company has decided tc release the picture through the V-L-S-E during the month of September. Commodore J. Stuart Blackton, of the Vitagraph Company of America, wrote the play. He secured many of the facts on which it is based from Hudson Maxim's book, "Defenceless America," and has woven a dramatic story of unusual strength with the facts. Noted public men throughout the United States, including Secretary of State Lansing, Secretary of War Garrison, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin D. Roosevelt, General Leonard Wood, Commander of the Department of the East; General Montgomery M. Macomb, president of the War College ; Admirals Sigsbee and Marix, and other naval authorities, and men in all walks in life, have joined in producing this film — everyone of them appearing in it personally, and in other ways lending their hearty co-operation. Not Trying to Be Sensational "In writing this story we have tried not to be sensational, nor have we tried to arouse hard feeling against any other power," said Commodore J. Stuart Blackton in discussing the project. "We have simply used this method as a better means of reaching the public, believing that the pictured action would carry a greater weight than a written word or thought. "With the facilities which we have on hand we have been able to show what would happen to New York City if an invading force should be landed, as well as how the interior would be affected by such an invasion, Brooklyn, too, has been touched in the picture, and just exactly what the invasion of this city would mean has been shown on the screen. What Long Island might expect is vividly portrayed, and yet it has not been with sensational means that we have accomplished our end. "We are not in favor of war, and in this statement I speak for my associates as well as for. myself. Our ambition is to avoid any conflict for the United States, but, and here is our point, treaties mean THE INVADING HOSTS ENTER THE METROPOLIS nothing, words of honor are useless, and the Declaration of Independence is worthless unless backed up by force. "Recently during a talk with Secretary of War Garrison, he said that he believed that too stringent means cannot be used to awaken the public to the state of our defenses. 'The present state of preparedness has attracted the attention of all good citizens,' he added ; T am heartily in favor of your campaign, and I most surely do endorse it. I am always ready to aid the Vitagraph company in a movement such as this.' "Later I talked with Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roosevelt, and he expressed himself as strongly in favor of any movement that would bring this matter home. Public Must Be Aroused " 'Nothing can be too sensational to arouse the public,' he said. 'Let us all get together and drive this matter home in such a way that not one citizen can help feeling that it is his problem as well as the problem of the government officials. " 'In time of war prepare for peace by getting ready for war,' was the way Mr. Roosevelt summed up the question of preparedness. "The question which 'The Battle Cry of Peace' places before the American public I hope will not be misunderstood as mere politics," continued Commodore Blackton ; "I have talked with men who are holding public offices, men who have been elected to those offices by popular opinion, and, with one or two exceptions, they are all in favor of protecting American freedom and American homes. "I call it protecting American homes because it is just that. The freedom that we have built up, and the homes that we have fought for, are for us to protect, and we must do that by being prepared to repel any devastator who invades America." In the picture every possible means to prevent arousing enmity against any other country has been used, and even the uniforms worn by the soldiers have been designed with an idea that no country can take offense. Similar care has been taken with names, and the only foreign sounding name is "Emanon," a spy. "Emanon" is simply "No name" spelled backwards. Many veterans of the Grant Post of the G. A. R. are also included in the picture, and, headed by Captain Jack Crawford, "poet scout," are seen in military array. The veterans present a pathetic sight, their ranks thinned by the ravages of time, but their patriotism is undaunted. Their willingness to defend the United States against invasion, and to help preserve its integrity, as they did during the Civil, is plain to be seen. STIRRING MOMENTS IN THE VITAGRAPH "NATIONAL DEFENCE" FEATURE, "THE BATTLE CRY OF PEACE" THE FIRST ALIEN SHOT ON AMERICAN SOIL THE INVADERS IN A NIGHT REVEL AN AMERICAN CITIZEN THWARTED