Moving Picture World (Oct 1917)

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THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD October 20, 1917 Friend Explains Food Control Chairman of Motion Picture Auxiliary Committee Makes Clear the Situation As It Affects This and Other HERBERT HOOVER, Food Administrator of the Government, lias been highly elated over the manner in which the thousands of exhibitors have come forth and offered their co-operation in spreading the propaganda of the food administration in the campaign to have people waste less and to have one meatless and wheatless day each week. One question that has come from many exhibitors in ansewer to the request to co-operate is "What does food control really mean?" Arthur S. Friend, who is chairman of the Motion Picture Division of the Food Administration, is answering this question by telling exhibitors what Mr. Hoover hmself had to say on the subject recently at a meeting of the State Food Administrators and his personal staff, when he gave a striking explanation of the part that food control plays in war. He said European nations went into the war giving little thought to the subject of food. Even Germany, with its preparations, had not foreseen the significance of this factor. With millions of men taken from production, and thousands of square miles of fertile fields laid waste by armies, the world's cupboard quickly began developing a bareness like that of Mother Hubbard. Country after country went to the cupboard to get a bone, and found a diminished supply. This made it necessary to organize food supply and distribution, and the various countries tried various methods. They fixed maximum prices and minimum prices, regulated the production and distributing trades, and put their people on rations. Those countries which established the earliest and best methods of food control secured the greatest efficiency in war. The best system, on the whole, is still that of Germany, and she has been able to maintain efficiency with a food supply which in some of her enemy countries might be most embarrassing. Russia, with perhaps the greatest possibilities of food production in Europe, did nothing at all, and out of Russia's food situation grew her revolution. Air. Hoover said that whether we like it or not we must deal with the food problem of war in one of two ways. There is not enough food to go around if we stick to the lavish methods of peace times. Rising prices, coupled with depreciation of money, due to issues of war bonds in every country, which make the purchasing power of money shrink, compel us to adjust the food supply to the world's appetite, either by controlling that supply in ways that lead to economy and make it suffice, or by letting wages rise as prices rise, to keep pace roughly with fluctuations. Even an amateur economist can see at a glance that food control is better than wage increase, because wage increase is a crude force operating slowly, unevenly and with great injustice and suffering to millions of workers. The wages of many workers do not rise — the professional men, clerical workers, public employees, and so forth. Russia tried the experiment of letting wages adjust themselves to the diminishing food supply, and it did not work. Russia was brought to a state bordering on anarchy by the intolerable pressure of the food situation on the ordinary peaceful citizen. Therefore, whether we like it or not— this is a favorite phrase of the Food Administrator, and typifies the impersonal attitude he takes toward these great economic problems— whether we like it or not, we must meet the food situation in one way or the other, and food control seems to be the lesser of two evils. This viewpoint explains most of the work thus far done by the United States Food Administration. From August 10, when President Wilson signed the food law, until today, much of the work of the Food Administraton has centered upon the organization of food control machinery. The farmer, the grain man, the miller, the baker, the packer, the grocer, the wholesaler and retailer, the traveling salesman and the canned goods broker, have gone to Washington in bodies, representing the best men and the best minds in their respective trades, and have conferred there, not only with the Food Administrator himself, but with leading men in their own lines who are acting as volunteers on the Food Administration. Sometimes they have gone with fear in their hearts or resentment at the prospect of government interference in their business affairs Hut there is something in Washington which quickly dissipates fear and resentment, and leads these men to offer their unanimous support to food control measures •Whether we like it or not," they are told, "this is the situation. Business cannot go on as usual in war times, because the law of supply and demand is thrown out of operation. These are the conditions and here is the only remedy that has been found in countries with greater experience in war than we have yet had. What do you think about it, gentlemen?" What the business men think is shown in every case by their action in recognizing the necessity for food control. They have promised their patriotic co-operation and are readjusting their trade organization and methods for loyal support of food administration policies. With sensible food control it is possible to handle the other two outstanding problems of food supply in war. One is increased production and the other is economical use of food. With stable prices, absence of speculation, and the temporary surrender of individual trade advantages, the farmer can have no assurance of prices ample enough fo encourage larger planting and live stock raising. And by these same safeguards thrown round the food supply the consumer is made willing to economize in food, and is also able to purchase the necessities -of life at prices which are at least reasonable, and what is more important, do not suffer wild fluctuations. This is food control in a nutshell. Whatever fear or hostility there may be in the country over food control arises entirely from misunderstanding of what food con-, trol really means, why it is necessary and how it is being carried out. In no case does this feeling persist after real food control has been explained. TO RAISE SOLDIERS' TOBACCO FUND. At a meeting of the War Council of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry, held on Friday (September 28), comprising the chairman of the various sub-committees which are acting in conjunction with the Federal Departments, Captain Edw-ard C. Kavanauh, U. S. A., addressed the committee, soliciting the support of the industry, as represented by the National Association, in raising a fund to supply tobacco to the soldiers as they embark on the transports. The request was granted immediately, and a committee was appointed consisting of S. L. Rothapfel, J. A. Berst and Lee A. Ochs, to co-operate with the Quartermaster's Department of the army. THREE AUTHORS ADDED TO UNIVERSAL FORCES. During the past fortnight, Universal has added three authors of considerable note to the scenario department on the coast. They are Charles Kenyon, J. Edward Hungerford, and Captain Leslie T. Peacocke. Charles Kenyon, who has recently completed several photoplays of note for Paramount, is the author of "Kindling," the play in which Margaret Illington created a furore on Broadway some seasons ago. He is a native of San Francisco, and worked on newspapers in that city before winning success in the dramatic field. Mr. Kenyon is now engaged upon a story which will run to five or more reels. For the past ten years J. Edward Hungerford has been one of the best known magazine writers in the country, and has also had books published and feature photoplays produced during that time. He has been assigned to the creative branch of the scenario department, under Col. ■ Jasper Ewing Brady, and it is safe to predict that he will furnish many striking new ideas during the months to come. Captain Leslie T. Peacocke is already well known to Universal patrons, having been connected with the organization twice in the past. He is probably best known as the author of "Neptune's Daughter," the first great Annette Kellermann spectacle. Captain Peacocke is said to have completed the outline of another big marine story which has been O. K.'d. for early production. ROBERT WALKER PLAYS ROLE IN "BLUE JEANS." Robert Walker, nephew of Robert Hilliard, plays the part of Perry Bascom in "Blue Jeans," a forthcoming Metro wonderplay, starring Viola Dana, under the direction of John Collins, a role which his uncle originated in the stage production. The play was produced at the old Fourteenth Street Theater more than twenty-five years ago, with Robert Hilliard and Jennie Yeamans in the leading roles of Perry Bascom and June. When Walker was cast for his role in the screen production he telegraphed to his uncle for data concerning the costumes and settings. Many valuable suggestions were received from Mr. Hilliard, and his nephew's costume was copied from that used in the original stage production.