The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-17
T.R. Our One Best AID. +"

/. X. Our One Best "Ad.
Advertising an advertisement is some
times good advertising. Modern shop
keepers in this country. for instance
often have a purely advertising display
IN their shops. but they must needs adj
vertise that fact in the newspapers be-
fore the display is able 20 do what it Is
intended 10 do-advertise the shop
/ The greatest American advertisement is
now circulating in the wids OF Africa,
but the good publicity work he has done
| IN the past has not ceased. A Washing
ton traveller who has just returned from
tour around n world declares that the
personality OF Theodore Roosevelt is the
most powerful agent in bringing about
the change Of attitude Of all foreigners
toward Americans.
Calling as it is 20 our pride Il must
be confessed that the great majority OF
foreigners pay about as much attention
to American affairs and politics as Amer
leans do 20 the affairs and politics OF
New Zealand. They know that some in
teresting industrial and political expert
ments are being tried out IN the United
States-that IS ali. except that America
is where the tourists come from.
Mr.. Roosevelt. not as an advertiser. but
as an advertisement. brought the people
Of all the world 10 a realization that
Washington must be watched every min
ute. Consequently every American who
now travels abroad and meets people IS
overwhelmed with questions about Roose-
welt, opinions about Roosevelt. predIc-
tons about Roosevelt.
Says the Washington traveller quoted
above: 1T was almost impossible 10
talk Oriental politics with OrlentaIs. or
European politics with Europeans. They
wanted 10 talk American politics 20 an
American, and their notions on the sub
jet were entirely surrounded by T. r.
The pick OF the lot, however. was a
Dutch banker Of Amsterdam whom I
met on board ship in the Orient. He sat
at my side at table. and opposite was
an Engllshman and a German. The
Dutchman was proud OF Roosevelrs
lineage. but blamed him for a panic IN
which Amsterdam has suffered. The Eng
lshman hated Roosevelt because he was
convinced that the latter was secretly
aiding and abetting Lloyd George TO IN
crease the income tax The German vor-
SHIPPED Roosevelt as a dynamic socialist
English was the language Of the din
ner table. The German was entirely At
home with both the Englishman and me.
and the Englishman admitted that he
could understand most Of what I said
in American. The Dutchman under
stood English quite well and could speak
It If his hearers would permit him to go
slow
'One evening at dinner he began 70
give US his ideas about Mr.. Roosevelt.
As he warmed up to the subject It be-
came impossible for him 20 think rapidly
enough in English. and he made many
little journeys aside into Dutch. Ger
man. French, Spanish. and even Russian.
Then with a purple face and cIenched
fists he Jumped from his chair and cried.
I cannot tell you this man Roosevelt in
English. for he is too much, hut I will
tell you him IN a written letter Sure
enough, at breakfast the Englishman and
the German and I were possessed Of a
Dutch opinion OF Mr.. Roosevelt in pain
fully exact English all set out in the
chirography Of Amster-
dam"
The upshot Of the matter was that
the Englishman and the German and the
Dutchman are all on their way to the
United States 10 see for themselves what
manner Of people it Is that can produce
a Roosevelt The visit will do them
good
It has been charged to both credit and
debit accounts Of Mr.. Roosevelt that he
Is the greatest living advertiser. How
ever that may be, credit him with being
the greatest advertisement America has
ever had.