Motography (Jul-Dec 1917)

November 24, 1917. MOTOGRAPHY 1085 Irwin Declines Russian Film Mission General Manager of Vitagraph Turns Down Government Offer, Asserting Washington Influence Would Hinder WALTER W. IRWIN, general manager of Greater Vitagraph, has declined the government's request that he go to Russia and spread among the people of that benighted country the United States doctrine of democracy. It was the national administration's wish that Mr. Irwin go to the troubled republic with specially made moving pictures intended to teach the people of Russia through the medium of the screen, the activity of this government in the war, and to win for the allied cause a more united support. The action of Mr. Irwin, as explained in a lengthy letter to George W. Creel, head of the committee on public information, was prompted by the belief that influences in Washington, to which he would be responsible would greatly handicap his efforts and contribute to the failure of his mission. Mr. Irwin's letter in part follows: "October 29, 1917. "Hon George Creel, Chairman, "Committee on Public Information, "Washington, D. C. "My Dear Mr. Creel: "Your favor of October 24th was duly received. "When five or six representatives of the Motion Picture Industry, including myself, conferred with you at your office in Washington about September 18th, you stated in effect, that innumerable German agents, together with from twelve to fifteen thousand people who had left this country or were deported from it, were spreading the propaganda among the Russian people and troops, that this country is not in fact a democracy, but on the contrary, is an autocracy of wealth, with autocratic principles equal to those of Germany; that accordingly, the United States is devoid of justice; that it is not preparing for war, nor has it any intention of participating actively as an Ally, for its entrance into the war is a mere bluff; that this country does not intend to assist Russia either to win the war or to establish herself as a democracy, and that these false preachments were partly responsible for the demoralization of the Russian army; that in the judgment of the Government, the wide exhibition of motion pictures demonstrating that this country is a democracy, and showing the social and economic results obtained under a democratic form of government, and the preparedness of this country to actively participate in the war until its successful conclusion, such pictures as our troops in the French trenches, our tremendous training camps in this country, our great aeroplane fields and factories, our schools and school children, our factories and industries, the life of our workmen and the conditions under which they work, the kind of homes they occupy, clean rooms, clean clothes, the President walking at the head of the parade of those drawn by conscription, the parade of the Red Cross nurses, the great western farms with the farming done by machinery, munition factories, big railroad stations, tall buildings, cattle herds, chicken farms, with incubators, railroads running through mountains, the railroad crossing Salt Lake at Lucin Cut-off, big bridges, etc., would be a most effective medium of counteracting the propaganda of our enemies, by educating the Russian people and troops as to the real facts of our democracy, the results to the people obtained under a democratic form of government, and of our gigantic preparations to make democracy safe; and thereby so increase the morale of the Russian people and troops, as to cause the latter to remain in the trenches, and thus prevent the transfer of the Germans from the Eastern front to the Western front; that if this result could be obtained through the motion picture, it would not only mean the shortening of the war and the saving of hundreds of thousands of lives, but the saving of the lives of tens of thousands of American boys, in fact, that the educational motion picture by aiding in keeping the Russian troops in the trenches, would be an important factor in assuring victory, and likewise would be a decided influence in enabling Russia to more quickly become a stable republic after the war; and that the government desired the motion picture industry to recommend a competent man to establish in Russia an organization for the distribution of these pictures, as well as a man for each of the countries of France and Italy to undertake work along similar lines. "From the moment that this country entered into the war, I think there is hardly a man who has not felt every time he met another in khaki, that he would like to find a way to do his 'bit,' and who has not been turning: over in his mind the question as to how he can actively support the President, and thus do his part not only for the American people, but in the cause of democracy. "In my own case, I am too old to be a private, and am likewise too old for a commission as a lieutenant, and could not hope to be a captain without a very long period of study and training. Therefore, I was troubled because at a loss to know what I could do. But from the moment I listened to your recital, I realized that here was a splendid work in which I was thoroughly competent, just as much as I would be for an officership, had I graduated from West Point or Annapolis, and that accordingly, I had no right to consider my family, my personal responsibilities, or my business, or permit these factors to influence me in not undertaking a work which I knew I could accomplish to the fullest extent possible under the conditions existing in Russia; in other words, obtain the exhibition of educational motion picture subjects to the largest possible percentage of the Russian public and to all of the Russian troops within the shortest possible space of time. "The endeavor to make the motion picture a factor in the saving of the lives of thousands of American boys by exhibiting to the largest percentage of the Russian public and to all of the Russian troops within the shortest period of time, in other words, by getting the largest percentage of the people to thinking upon the subject at the same time, involves a tremendous responsibility to the cause of democracy, to the support of the President, and to the American people. Even now, the Italian lines are being crushed by the Germans withdrawn from the Eastern front. "However, you say in your favor of October 24th, that Mr. E. G. Sisson 'will be the absolute authority,' and that 'all expenditures before being incurred must receive his approval.' "It is to be assumed that the recommendation by the Motion Picture Industry of me as the proper person to undertake this work in Russia, means that by training and experience, I am an expert, qualified to form the best judgment to accomplish the end under the conditions as I find them, and likewise fully qualified to accomplish the execution of the plan determined upon. It is also to be assumed that Mr. Sisson, who is an accountant, who knows nothing about the motion picture business, and who has never undertaken the execution of a business plan of this kind, is not as well qualified to exercise judgment or to dictate its administration. "Yet, in the final analysis, it would be Mr. Sisson's judgment which would control, for at all times, he would be privileged to exercise the power of veto, so that in reality, I could carry out no plans without keeping in close touch with him and using the time and energy of explaining them to him and convincing him; instead of meeting conditions as they arose; and at all times, would be subject to his approval either of execution or of expenditures involved. "To thus jeopardize the cause of democracy by placing this work under the authority and control of one incompetent by training or experience to judge or to execute, would in my judgment be unpatriotic. "I and my associates would at times be several thousand miles away from Mr. Sisson, and therefore unable to properly explain to him, or if necessary, convince him of the desirability or necessity of certain expenditures or procedure, or may be, unable to communicate with him at all. "Such conditions would be both impracticable and intolerable in the interest of the results to be attained. "With regard to receiving an appointment by the President, I beg to refresh your recollection upon our conversation at your office, the morning of September 18, in which you stated, in reply to questions, that the executives would be 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. "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. Marian. 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