AMERICA AROUSED

NZ Truth, Issue 685, 27 July 1918, Page 6

AMERICA AROUSED

"My Fonr Years m Germany" The Book and the Picture. James W. Gerard, American jurist, and for four years United States Ambassador at Berlin, has told as clearly as a human being can tell why to-day the great Republic of America has made common cause with the Allies. His book, "My. Four Years m Germany," is a straight-forward and intensely honest account of the gTeat difficulties experienced by the diplomatic representatives of their great neutral American nation m contending against the duplicity and perjury of the Prussian War Lord and the German militarists. From beginning to end he makes out a damning: indictment against the Kaiser and his crew, and the whole story bristles with convincing episodes, which go to prove that the whole of. the intricate intrigue which precipitated the terrible war. now m progress may be safely laid at German doors. The book, which is plain autobiograph, is history also, and it conies from an unimpeachable source. An expensive volume of this character is not within the reading reach of everybody, but the picture is. such a faithful reflection of it that it places the whole story m condensed and vivid form at a. minimum of cost at the recourse of '.everybody.' It brings home not only the genesis of the war, but its actual happenings, and it is at once an entertainment and a lesson. There have been big spectacular pictures of some moment shown m New Zealand, but they have been for the most part based upqn fictional subjects. This big feature has the basis of truth, and it conveys that truth m a singularly impressive and elucidating manner. It stands m a class apart m the art, of pictury- The First Na-' tional Exhibitors of America have helped m the making of history by providing the film version of Gerard's' book, and one has not far to seek for the reason of America's whole-heart-edness m the War of Liberation. The picturisatlon of "My Four Years m Germany" is a huge advertisement for the book. In addition, It has a powerful and irresistible patriotic appeal,, and is a crushing denunciation of Prussian militarism/ The picture was presented for the first time at the King's Theatre, Wellington, on Saturday evening last, and during the week has been shown to appreciative audiences. It is being" released by the New Zealand Picture Supplies, Ltd., and will be exhibited through v New Zealand. "Truth's" advice is to read the book and see the picture. It is not altogether necessary to read the book, but m order to understand why President Wilson abandoned neutrality it is necessary to see this picture.