"DAWN."

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10509, 13 February 1928, Page 5

"DAWN."

OFFICIAL INVITATION TO SCREENING' DECLINED

DRASTIC COMMENT BY SIR A. CHAMBERLAIN STRONGEST REPUGNANCE TO PRODUCTION (United Press Assn.—Copyright.) (A..-, and -N.Z. -Cable - Assn:) (Receive,,Feb. 12, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 11. The first official comment! on the Eidith Cavell film “Dawn”, which is the subject of much controversy, is contained in’ Sir ” Austen 1 * Chamberlain’s letter,, declining an invitation to see it.

'“The story of Nurse Cavell , he Kays, “is a noble one. Her memory will be reverenced not only in friendly but in ex-enemy countries by all • admiring selfless devotion to duty and serenity at the hour •ol trial. It may be possible to present the story without loss ol its beauty or danger of controversy when the lapse of years makes it history. Personally, J led it is more Beautiful in the mind than any picture could make it, I in no eircumstahces, therefore, care to see “Dawn, however the story is treated. lias I presume, the press accounts of tlie picture are correct, I am even - less willing to attend a performance. .1 know of no authority to justify certain incidents presented therein and their representation can only provoke controversy over the grave of a woman who has become one of the world’s heroines. There are war films which, whilst recalling heroic dedes of endurance of Britishers, • call forth no bitter feelings elsewhere, only serving to unite all men in admiration of heroism and fortitude, but “Dawn” is of an entirely different character. I must say l feel tlie strongest repugnance to’ its production.”

PRODUCER’S EiEP'UDI ATI ON

NO EFFORT TO CAPITALISE TRAGIC INCIDENT (N.Z. and Aust. Press Assn, and Sun.) LONDON, Feb. 11. .•Mr Wilcox, replying to Sir A. Chamberlain, said: “I fed strongly Nurse Cavell's selfless devotion is eminently, suitable for a British film, enabling the bringing home of the nobility and beauty of lier actions aud the lesson of duty wonderfully done to those to whom the name is only a memory. I cannot too strongly repudiate the suggestion that I have endeavoured to capitalise her suffering. My sincerity of purpose will, he undoubted . when this picture is shown to the public, who are unerring judges as to whether a subject is in good taste ” He adds:— “The film is definitely anti-war and the danger of criticising from newspaper reports has never been more apparent than in your condemnation. I keenly regret your unqualified refusal.” OUTRAGE AGAINST NOBLE . MEMORY ■ The Daily Telegraph says official circles emphatically deny the repoit that the Government at' the request of Germany, has taken action with a view to preventing the showing of “Dawn.” The German Ambassador was unofficially informed that the British Government was not empowered to prohibit or amend films on diplomatic and political grounds. Nevertheless the British diplomatic and political quarters, feel that the film would prejudice the present excellent Anglo-German relations and European pacification and reconciliation. Sir A. Chamberlain, acting personally, in addition to his letter to Mr Wilcox, has written to Mr T. P. O’Connor, president of the Board of Film Censors, pointing out the film’s deplorable effect. The Daily Chronicle, in an editorial, describes the filming of the Cavell story as an outrage against her memory for money making. No decent person ought to approve it in a world seeking to bury hatred and build for peace. NURSE CAY ELL’S CASE. QUESTION OF BETRAYAL. FRENCH PRISONER’S DENIAL. “VICTIM OF JUDICIAL, ERROR.” ‘lf you knew the real story of my calvary you would pity me. I have sinned often, I regr'et, but never, never, did 1, denounce Nurse Cavell!” This pathetic cry came from George Castou Quien—-now a prisoner in the Clairvaux penitentiary -in France — who has been regarded as one of tlie most despicable characters of the war through having been sitgmatised as tlie .man who betrayed Nurso Edith Cavell to the Germans. Quien is nearly Of ft. in height and is kown to his fellow-prisoners by the nickname of “Double Metre.” He is a mail who *would attract attention anywhere, but in prison, despite. the protestations of innocence, lie is despised as one of the lowest traitors in'tlie war. His life story ol 40 years has been one of almost constant trouble, and he has already served two sentences. Although horn on the Aisne, Quien was not called up on the outbreak of war, but was sent to prison for theft when the Germans entered Saint Quentin in 1914. With the further; German advance,, Quoin was taken .with other civil prisoners to Landreeies, where lie adopted the name of Dr Aduret, and began the illegal practice of medicine. Among liis patients Quien met Mile. Jeanne Balligan, who discovered tlio plan whereby hundreds of Allied soldiers, who were trapped during the Charleroi retreat, could work home once they were across the Dutch frontier

QUIEN AND HIS CAREER. According to the original charges against him, Quien ; succeeded in working his way, into their secret organisation, sometimes ' posing as a doctor, sometimes as a lawyer,'sometimes as an officer and even as a military attache. He thus met Nurse Cavell, at whose institute in Brussels fie took refuge on ;July 28, 1925. A week later tbfi. nurse, Princess dp Ofoy, and others were ar-

rested and four .of them condemned to death. ; ■ ’: > ,' . ’ ‘ From Brussels Quien wandered through the German prison camps, but the favors, shown him rendered the Allied prisoners suspicious of liis intentions. Back to France in 1916, he wqs immediately, imprisoned • for six months for theft, and- on his release he was forced into the French army and sent- to North Africa, Quien was arrested in . October, 1918, and sentenced to death after a fbrtnighVs trial, during Which the prosecutor - charged him \vith being the principal author of Nurse pavcll’s denunciation to the Germans. Some doubt arose as to Quien’s actual guilt, and when Ins case was reviewed the sentence was reduced to one of imprisonment for 20 years. Now Quien is lighting for his liberty, but has been deserted by His friends and deprived by death of his parents, who died from shame, leaving their unfortunate a fortune of several hundred thousand francs. SYMPATHY OF THE GAOLER. Quien s only defender, curiously enough, is his gaoler, who has been pressing the Ministers of War and Justice for another review of the case, and a reduction of the sentence. When interviewed in the ward’s office, Quien replied, mechanically to all questions until, tlie case of Nurse Cavell was mentioned. Then he became pale and an expression of terror such as one sees in the eyes of a beaten dog came over his face. Jn a. broken .voice he made the declaration of innocence quoted above.. Alone with his thoughts since lie was imprisoned in- January 1920, Quien appears to have prepared a foolproof defence against the charge basing his innocence on the claim that witnesses mistook him lor a German agent equally tall and resembling him in appearance. “I am the victim of judicial error,” he said. “It is my past history that has convicted me. My lawyer tried hard to save me, but lie has lost interest in my case. I never bear from him and he does nothing to reopen the ease. 1 am tired of lighting and am becoming resigned to my late. “My life during the war was a tfcama. Escaping through occupied territory to Holland. I carried out numerous missions for a (French military attache who was collaborating with Nurse Cavell in lier work. For this the Germans twice condemned me, once to six months’ imprisonment in Antwerp. I often handled important military documents, Rut ! was never in the German’s pay. J lost because I bad a double in a German spy named Cavier at Brussels. Witnesses mistook him for me. ALLEGED HOSTILE CAMPAIGNS. “Cavier succeeded in working himself into the circle containing Nurse Cavell aud others who were eventually shot. It was he who cost them their lives. In addition, Nurse Cavell had a dozen German nurses, any one of whom might have told. She also had with her an adopted German girl of 16 named Pauline—a loosetongued . but well-meaning child, who gossiped constantly apd could have told too much. “it is among them that you should hunt for Nurse Cavell’s denunciator. I was the victim of a hostile press campaign at a time when passions were still white hot. but I swear I never touched a penny ol Germany money, j. am most unhappy. • My parents have died since f was imprisoned, leaving me their fortune, but I have not much hope for the future. If J could get, a lawyer to fell him my -story there would be. a famous scandal.”

Quien then broke down and with nis face buried in liis hands was led back to his cell, still protesting Ins' innocence.'