BAN ON “DAWN" WIDELY RESENTED.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 February 1928, Page 6

BAN ON “DAWN" WIDELY RESENTED.

PRANCE WOULD NOT TOLERATE SUCH STEF (Received Sunday, 5.5 p.m ) LONDON. Feb, 2fi. While there are many who consider' it is time the British film 'industry dropped war films and competed ’ with* Hollywooci w»th a thousand fino stories* in the language the ban on the “ Dawn ” picture at the dictates of Germany is universally resented. People are asking whether war books will* bo banned also and will Britain allow Gorman war films to be screened in, England ? Not the least interesting aspect ofr the widespread controversy is the declaration of Professor Morgan—- “ I am in a position to state the? exact facts. They are that Nurse* Cavoll was not properly tried.. She? was murdered.” Professor Morgan points out thafe she was not tried court-martially butt under a code of laws introduced into* Belgium which was only applicable to* German subjects. It was a flagrant violation of international law. The French attitude is intercstingi.. There is reason to believe that any attempt by Germany to prevent the screening in France will be given, short shrift. “ The Echo do Paris ” describes theprohibition as “ Gott strafe Thorndike for daring to impersonate the heroine,’ 3 '' and wonders whether Germany will* demand the removal of the A/rmistieeConch from Rcthordes where the Germans finally gave in'. Other newspapers say that it is part of a campaign to relieve .Germany of responsibility for the war. The German Government thus fair has remained silent. HECTIC MOVIE DIFFERENT -FRO.M DIGNIFIED MEMORIAL. A RHETORICAL MAZE. LONDON, Fob. 25. The “ Daily Telegraph ” features a. letter from Lord Birkenhead addressed from the India Office. Whitehall, and' 1 headed " Real Issues of CavoFl film.” He asks: -IsU in the interests of peace and international goodwill to perpetuate by public exhibition inci--dents of the .war which must embitter' its memories ? Dp. or do wc not desire a now era of peace to dawn throughout Europe ? Do or do wo not desire by every means in our power to increase the mutual good feeling whiefe must be established in Europe unlessall alike; arc tc perish in the ruin f "Do we serve a useful purpose by exasperating and humiliating a Government which has shown by its repudiation of the Hohenzollern dynasty its opposition thereof ? " I myself have thought it was commonplace that eiery man and womanwho does not wish his sons involved'itt another war would strive to-banish thememory of unhappy things.” Replying to the argument that the--statue of Nurse Cavell is inconsistent with these views Lord Birkenhead deslares: ” A dignified memorial has nomoro relation to a hectic film than'a. classical picture of the.crucified Jesus has to an attempt to commercialise His anguish. " Docs anyone suppose that a woman-, who, in her moment of agony could say ‘Patriotism is not enough, there must be no hatred or bitterneus for anyone,’ could permit her death to bo -commcr--. cialiscd with the certain result that the bitter memories, associated therewith* would prevent the sweet : restoration of friendship and good -TMfitionship between the nations of the'.jvo.rltl ? ■ ” Wh'at is the object of'-.this adventure ? Are the profits • to..:be devoted to charity ? Will they be ..-used to* establish a scholarship to train the new generation of women up to Nurse Cavell’s standards, or are they intended to enrich the produ.-ersf " If this is the purpose is it accent.,, to exploit the agony and sacrifice ofthe noblest woman the war produced f ”