Nurse Cavell’s Death

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 290, 28 February 1928, Page 9

Nurse Cavell’s Death

“ AN INCREDIBLE VERSION ”

Why “Dawn” Was Condemned

By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Received 11.40 a.m. LONDON, Monday. IN the House of Commons, Mr. L. S. Amery, Secretary of State for the Dominions, in reply to questions, said he had not received any requests to communicate with the Dominion Governments on the subject of the exhibition of the film “Dawn.” The German Government had made no representations to the Colonial Office on the subject.

CJR AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, said that the German Embassy, on September 26, drew the attention of the Foreign Office to “Dawn,” and was informed that the Government had no powers of political censorship. On January 24 the German Ambassador spoke to him on the subject, and as he personally felt strongly on the subject lie interviewed Mr. O’Connor, chairman of the Board of Censors, on January 18, and begged him particularly to give attention to the character of the film when it was submitted to the board. Mr. Crooksbank asked: “Have members of the German Embassy, the Government's film adviser or any member of the Government seen the film?” Sir Austen Chamberlain replied: “I have not seen it, and for reasons already explained do not propose to see it in any circumstances.” OUTRAGE ON HER MEMORY Sir Austen said that the Government’s adviser told him that Mr. Wilcox, the producer thus described the shooting scene: “One of the firing party definitely refuses to level his

rifle at Nurse Cavell and is shot on the spot. The rest line up, and on the order to fire raise their rifles in order to fire above her head. She falls to the ground fainting, and the officer steps forward and dispatches her."

“I believe this is an entirely incredible version of the event,” Sir Austen said. “I feel it is an outrage on a noble woman's memory.” Commander Kenworthy asked why no objection was taken during the preparation of the film. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs replied: “I have other things to attend to than study forthcoming films and newspapers, and therefore acted on Mr. Wilcox’s description of the film to the adviser.” WOULD DO SAME AGAIN ' He said it was not true that nobody in authority had seen the film. The Government’s adviser saw the film and discussed it with Mr. Wilcox. Further questioned, he said his own objection to the film was restated by Lord Birkenhead in the “Daily Telegraph” on Saturday. What he did in the matter was undertaken on his own re-