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Motion Picture in the Army — Prosser 357
duction. Motion pictures did their bit liere not only in providing recreation, but in assisting scientific investigation and making permanent records.
Three principal problems arose in connection with the tremendous photographic duty thrust upon the Signal Corps by the war. First, the Signal Corps faced the problem of securing competent photographers; second, it must procure proper equipment for these photographers; and, third, the organization and administration of this new force had to be provided. None of these problems was easy to solve. The question of securing competent, efficient personnel gradually solved itself as the war began to take in more and more of our young men. The problem of equipping this force was not so easy. A great deal of the photographic equipment secured was obtained by combing this country, and those parts of Europe where we could still purchase it, for all types of photographic apparatus. The organization of our photographic force never did reach a satisfactory point. As a result of this, the active employment of our photographers in the field left much to be desired. Of some World War units we secured a large quantity of motion picture film; of others, some of the most active and interesting from an historical standpoint, we have only a small amount. These lessons have not been forgotten. Our present day plans and organization will prevent a similar situation arising again.
Out of the experiences of the World War grew the present peace-time motion picture organization of the Army. Three branches of the Army now participate in control of its picture activities, each operating a separate and distinct service. In the field of the producer are found the Signal Corps and the Air Corps. The Signal Corps produces all ground pictures while the Air Corps is charged with the making of aerial pictures. The Adjutant General's Department is the exhibitor agency of the War Department.
This latter agency is perhaps best known to the motion picture industry because it leases commercial pictures and screens them in Army motion picture theaters. It plays an important role in building up Army morale and in assisting in the maintenance of good order and discipline on Army posts. It provides our young soldier with a place to spend his evenings and gives him as good entertainment as can be found on Broadway at a ver}^ nominal charge. There are 105 theaters in the Army circuit. Only 20 of these serve a popula