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Show FlUTOBOWffiEOSi of u. s. Miier Will Be Displayed in Utah Under Auspices of Council Coun-cil of Defense. RICHMOND TO DIRECT Primary Object Is to Aid Forthcoming Liberty Loan. Koilowing conferences between Charles P. Wau-on, manager of distribution of the recently created division of films of the committee of public information of the federal government, and members of the Utuh state council of defense, plans for co-operation and for showing the moving pictures throughout the state have been made. At a conference hold at the Hotel Utah, where Mr. Watson Is stuviws, members of the executive committee of ih& state council of delenae organized an auxiliary committee, the bureau of motion pictures, with Fred u. Richmond as chairman. The first consignment of the official war pictures for display in Utah will ho received re-ceived February 4 and will be shown In Salt U'ike and the larger towns of the state soon after that date, Mr. Richmond said last night. This shipment will consist con-sist of eighteen reels, some IS, 000 icet, and 3000 feet will be received each week thereafter during twenty-five weeks. Distribution Dis-tribution of tho official war films througn-out througn-out the United States will be through the state councils of defense. Mr. Richmond said he would appoint his committee within the next few days and beuin thn work of arranging for tne showing of the pictures throughout the state. Onlv one member had been decided de-cided upon last night. This is Dr. W. C. K'oaugh, who will act as treasurer. Stars Volunteer. "Thpse official films, made under direction direc-tion of the government, are designed to give all classes of people a direct, visual idea of the government's activities in the preparation for and in the conduct of the war," Mr. Watson said. "They will show, as can be expounded in no other manner, man-ner, what we have accomplished and what nur needs are. The official pro-tographers, pro-tographers, who are tho very best obtainable, ob-tainable, have access to subjects denied all others, and the films are censored before being sent out. Numerous moving mov-ing picture stars, among whom are some of the best known in the country, have volunteered their services for these pictures. pic-tures. Incidentally this is believed to be one of the surest methods of combating much of the subtle German propaganda spread through tho country." The division of films is a part of the committee on public Information, of which George Creel is chairman. Louis W. Mack of Chicago is director; Lieutenant Lieuten-ant W. H. Niebuhr, until disabled a member mem-ber of the United States cavalry, and who accompanied General Pershing as camera man into Mexico, Is manager of production. Dr. George P. Bigger of Harvard university has been granted one year leave of absence to be chief of the scenario denartment. TCdwin L. Holly wood, who has an international reputation reputa-tion as a producer of moving pictures, and Roland 13. Leopold of Chicago p.re on the staff. Archibald R. Rhodes of Passaic, Pas-saic, N". J., is chief of the laboratories., Mr. Watson, who is president of the North American Export Corporation of New York, was made director of distribution, distri-bution, and Is on a tour of the west. He will leave Salt Lake today for the Pacific Pa-cific coast. All these officials are working work-ing for a salary of $1 a year. Variety of Subjects. Plans have been perfected so that the films will not be commercialized. All details as to showing the pictures have been left to the individual councils of defense in each state. These are furnished fur-nished the films at cost and are expected to recover their expense by giving the first showing of the pictures in the larger cities. They will not be shown first at the moving picture houses and the admission ad-mission fees will be determined by local conditions. i Wide variety is to be ach i e ved in the j films. One of , their first direct objects will be in aiding the forthcoming Liberty j loan. Among the films first to be re-I re-I leased and later shown at the ninety theaters of Utah are: "The Spirit of I 1917." "Messages of Mercy," a Medical corps picture; "Army and Navy Sports," ' "The Annapolis Cadets," "Recruits of j 1917," "Gas and Fire," demonstrating these horrors, in the taking of which Lieutenant W. H. Durburough was near death from fumes; "Labor's Part in Democracy's War," "Soldiers of the .Sea,". "The Making of a Nation," seven reels to be shown together or singly, and "The Conquest of the Air." showing the inception, development and action of the aeroplane. Naval reels include pictures of action by battleships, destroyers and submarines. subma-rines. The destruction of submarines Is vividly depicted. Lach of the camera men is a commissioned officer of the signal corps and is assigned this duty. Most of the films are being taken In the United States, but four camera men have been sent to Lurope and the greater part of the work will be done there as more and more troops leave America. The films are made at the laboratory of the department of agriculture and since their being taken over recently by three plants at New York and one at Chicago, the pictures become the property prop-erty of the state councils of defense and after they have been shown will be filed away as records of current events. Mr. Richmond is considering sending speakers speak-ers with some of the films on their tour of the state. A private showing of specimen films will be given at 9:30 o'clock this morning morn-ing at the Paramount-Empress theater. |