Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1917)

November 24, 1917 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 3599 Conflicting Views Cause Irwin's Withdrawal (Continued from page 3595) , train operators; or what equipment the amusement centers would possess, and I procured for b him an expert and worked with the expert in layI ing out the full detail of projection equipment I units to meet all conditions, and now you in1 struct me to put the " Y. M. C. A. matter to one I side for the moment." With conditions such as these, it is apparent ■ that the important matter of serving the troops I with the educational pictures would have to be ■ determined and executed, unexplained to or un► approved by Mr. Sisson. I am inclined to think I that with the press of important matters, it has I been impossible for you to give sufficient considI eration to the matter in question, to realize that I the proper execution of the work in Russia would Y constitute a big business undertaking for which I but one head must be responsible for the results t produced. In other words, no one not an experienced ■ executive in the handling, distribution and exhi' bition of motion pictures, would be any more r competent to pass judgment upon my plans than I he would be to lay out for me a complete and I sufficient equipment of projection, either with I or without electrical current, or for exhibitions I both within doors or without, for it was my I intention as soon as the weather broke, to give ■ outdoor exhibitions to ten or twenty thousand I troops at a showing, and to have portable equipI ment by which the entire population of a town I could witness a unit of the pictures each evening, I or to lay out for me complete exchange equip[ ment to meet conditions under which not even \ wrapping paper can be obtained. It of course follows that I could not underI take to handle the moneys necessary for the I work of the American Unit any more than I | would undertake to handle the moneys involved I in the conduct of this company, and that such i business must necessarily be attended to by Mr. Sisson, or some other accountant appointed as [ the official disbursing agent for the Government, but to place such agent in " absolute authority and to compel me to abide by a rule that " all expenditures before being incurred must receive his approval," would make accomplishment impossible. With regard to receiving an appointment by the President, I beg to refresh your recollection upon our conversation at your office, the morn| ing of September 18, in which you stated, in I reply to questions, that the executives would be i responsible solely to the President; that all expenditures would be paid from the Presidential Emergency Fund, and that we would be under the full responsibility of establishing a distribution organization in the respective countries to which we would be sent, and in executing the work of distribution. This Mr. Brady confirmed by assuring us that we would be appointed for the work by the President. Moreover, my understanding from you was, that the pictures to be exhibited in these foreign countries were to be presented as the pictures sent by the United States Government. The title which you say was suggested, " The American Cinema Commission in Europe," implies that the executives were to receive a commission directly from the Government. The authority to present these pictures in behalf of the Government would not, so far as I can see, involve any ambassadorial powers. In the case of Russia and its present labor conditions, by which labor is almost unobtainable, it would seem that if it became necessary to establish a system of exchanges, or to operate a chain of theatres, that I might be compelled to request the Government of Russia to some extent to detail intelligent soldiers to perform the services, or would be obliged to appeal to the class of people who gratuitously render services in this country in behalf of such causes as the Red Cross, to volunteer their services in spreading the real facts regarding America. Under these circumstances, it would seem that direct appointment by the President would make success much easier of accomplishment. With regard to a military rank or the wearing of a uniform, the suggestion arose by virtue of information obtained by Mr. Marian and Mr. Powers from persons in a position to judge, and thereafter by statements made to me by Mr. and Mrs. Kaplan who have lived in Russia for the last four years, including the period of revolution and many months thereafter, and with whom some of your representatives consulted regarding the motion picture conditions there, to the effect that the work would be tremendously facilitated, particularly in the most difficult distribution problem to be handled, that of transportation, if the members of the American Unit possessed a military title. Personally, I have no desire to possess a military title or uniform for the sake of my own pride, but I do desire both of them if they would be an asset to the cause; in other words, if the work would be facilitated and the cause thereby advanced, they ought, if possible, be granted as an asset to results, not for the sake of personal pride; for with so much depending upon the exhibition of the pictures in Russia, the cause ought to be granted every possible asset, so as to best cope with conditions now existing in that country. Under these cir cumstances, a direct appointment by the President or a military title, or both, would be thoroughly consistent with your favor of October 24, in which you say that I was to be granted " all proper recognition " with which to produce success to the fullest extent. As to the matter of salary, this item can be entirely eliminated as far as I am concerned, and I have no doubt that this statement applies as well to Mr. Powers and Mr. Marion. The $5,000 per year, as you know, was considered for the purpose of partly covering personal expenses. With most necessary articles practically unobtainable, and with the price of those that are obtainable, advanced from several hundred to several thousands of per cent, and with the necessity of the American Unit to take with it even stable articles of food, such as flour, tea and coffee, it is reasonable to assume that my personal expenses for which in traveling about Russia, I could not always account to the Government by voucher, would several times exceed the amount of my compensation. As I explained to you, I looked upon this item merely as one which would partially cover expenses out of my own pocket. As to being given supreme power in Russia to conduct the business at hand, and to direct the expenditures necessary to produce the quickest and best results, such authority would follow as a matter of course, otherwise no competent man could undertake the work. And this is precisely in accord with our understanding, for in your favor of October 24, you say that you understood that the Motion Picture Industry " in return for full authority and all proper recognition would take charge of the film campaign in Russia," and yet in the latter part of the same favor you say that Mr. Sisson will be in absolute authority," and that " all expenditures before being incurred must receive his approval." As I explained to you, I would only attempt to handle the matter in a big way, fully consistent with the presentation by the United States Government, and with getting the largest percentage of people to thinking upon the same subject at the same time; and I assume that the Government would want me to conduct its business in just such a manner, for my observation is that Governments at war make all expenditures necessary to produce all possible influences in the winning of the war, whether such influences be large or small. If the Government desires me to undertake this work in a manner that will mean success, I shall be only too happy to do so; if it does not desire me so to do, I will be very greatly disappointed, in not being able to do my " bit." But, as a patriot, I feel that it would not be the part of good conscience for me to undertake a work involving such splendid possibilities under conditions which, in my judgment, would make for failure. Sincerely, WALTER W. IRWIN. COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC INFORMATION Washington, D. C. October 31, 1917. Mr. Walter W. Irwin, 1600 Broadway, New York, N. Y. My dear Mr. Irwin: I have read your letter with close attention and deep interest, and the change in plans does not affect my appreciation of your patriotic desire to serve. The authority that you wished was promised, and could only have been given, under the Motion Picture Industry's assumption of all expenses. When it became necessary for the Government to assume the entire burden, it became equally necessary for the Government to assume control. You are mistaken in assuming that Mr. Sisson is an accountant. I have been placed in full charge of the entire Russian matter, and Mr. Sisson, as Associate Chairman, went to Russia as my personal representative, concerned not only with the motion picture end of our campaign, but with the campaign as a whole. I have been fortunate in making some new arrangements that will carry out my plan effectively, and I shall always be sorry that our differing views prevented me from accepting your offer of service. As new things come up, I hope to be able to call upon you with every assurance of your willingness to aid. Believe me, Very sincerely, GEORGE CREEL, Chairman. November 3, 1917. Hon. George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information, Washington, D. C. My dear Mr. Creel: I greatly appreciate the kindly expressions in your favor of October 31, and deeply wish for the undertaking the fullest results. If anything new arises in which I can be of service, I beg of you to call upon me with the assurance of my eagerness to be of assistance. Very sincerely, WALTER W. IRWIN. Review Board Co-operates With First National It was announced last week that arrangements have been made with J. D. Williams, manager of the First National Exhibitors' Circuit, Inc., whereby the productions of that organization will be reviewed systematically by the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. Mr. Williams has expressed it as the desire of the First National, in line with its policy to present to the country the best productions possible, to co-operate with the National Board to the fullest extent. Greene Urges Continuation of Patriotic Spirit Concerning the subject of patriotism as applied to the motion picture industry, Walter E. Greene, president of Artcraft, said last week : " The motion picture men should be thankful that the President of the United States recognizes the importance of the industry. We must not rest, however, but should stand behind the President as a unit. Patriotic slides can be exhibited, and Old Glory should be unfurled from the top of every picture house in America." Henderson's " Road to France " Read in Public Daniel M. Henderson, advertising director of McClure Pictures and the Petrova Pictures Company, claims the distinction of having his war poem, " The Road to France," read at the Army and Navy Bazaar recently. He was awarded $250 by the National Art Club for the poem. Another Triangle Employee Joins the Colors Donald Fullen, the latest Triangle employee to heed the call of the war bugle, has chosen a rather unusual field in which to do his bit. He plans to go to Seattle to enter the employ of a shipbuilding concern, and will help increase Uncle Sam's merchant marine. Raver's "Public Defender" Shown at Progress Club " The Public Defender," Harry Raver's screen production of Mayer C. Goldman's story of the same name, was shown at the Progress Club last Sunday evening. The exhibition of " The Public Defender," which was arranged through the courtesy of Harry Raver, brought out a large attendance. Among those present were : Judge David Weil, of the Municipal Court, Supreme Court Justice Warley Platzek, Judge Leo Prince, Max D^ Steuer, and Saul Rogers, attorneys. " The Public Defender " met with an enthusiastic reception. A letter of appreciation was sent to Mr. Raver by a leading member of the Progress Club, and stated in part : " The audience applauded the picture generously at its conclusion and countless members expressed their appreciation of ' The Public Defender ' both in the light of a powerful argument for a necessary reform and as an excellent entertainment as well."