The sun., 1916-09-17

Of polite English, stated that. II
had a son who could only be possessed
OF one talent. he would unhesitatingly
select for his offspring the ability OF he
ing able to read well.
Some people look upon correct or clear
speech as a gift. while as a matter. OF
fact, 1t is IA natural quality which should
belong to us all. When through care
lessress or environment We lose IL, II 10
TO turn back the wanderer to
the simplicity Of natural speech. Ger
tain 1t IL Thai, speech is the creates, as
set In education that though a man or
woman is ever so proficient in arts and
sciences. IN literature and languages. all
counts for littlc-if the speech is not
pure. And. on the contrary, II the speech
is "A delight. every thing else is forgotten.
Grant "a person the power Of ready and
beautiful speech. We trouble very little
o the exact boundary lines Of The
education.
Speech may he regarded as q label
that IL set upon us all and we should be
careful to have hat label as high In
quality as possible. surely then II be-
hooves every thinking man, and
child to spend a few minutes every day
In what might he termed the cleaning
w" process OF u spoken language.
have used the colloquialism cleaning
up advisedly. We must aim at all times
to he clear and concise IL we are to re-
tain the attention OF all. Every good
housewife knows that II is not enough to
have good silvcrware. but that periodi-
cally u must Ice cleaned W. SO 1t Is
with speech.
Americans know and understand bust
ness values better han any other ma
~tionality. II In the final analysis to
which everything Is subjected. the essen
.t!al question Is. Does 1t pay" There
fore throughout this article this impor-
tant question Is emphasized.
II good speech is taken as a sine qua
non Of good education. II II the best
education without good speech falls TO
register. then i; certainly is a self-evi-
dent fact that good speech is an educa-
tional factor that must not he over
looked
\ well modulated voice charming die
ton perfect pronunciation. ease and
grace OF style IN speaking. these are
qualities which produce an instantaneous
eNec, on the hc2IAxS
II has been SSM said that every
Pr s!dent 81 the tnited StaNs has
talked his way into tho Presidential
chair" and certainly any man or woman
with ordinary care can talk his way
INTO the best society.
No society leader can AFFORD to neglect
the cultivation OF the speaking voice.
and the harsh rasp.ng tones one some
imc hears In drawing rooms are only
tolerated because Of the three or four
figures ~ currency generally found ac-
campaigning the harsh voice.
old SIR Roger in .Addison's ''Coverley
Papers tells us quite frankly that when
he desired a new MINISTER he invariably
selected one whose gentle. sweet tones
lull"d him 10 sleep. rather n one
whose grating and explosive outbursts
caused him mental friction.
Some pcopl. have admitted that in
society speech is an asset second only to
dress nut after the gown has been con-
templatcd n admired upon %acquain-
tauccship the voice Is heard. II the
voice is pleasing. the gown becomes
even more attractive. but II the voice
is Marsh the charm Of the gown Is
quickly forgotten and the dlspleasure
caused by the harsh tones of the voice
remains IN the memory. On the other
hand "A plain woman with "A plain gown
becomes a thing Of beauty II tone color
ing IL evidenced In d carefully modu-
LACED voice. At the moment Of pres
rutltIon the voice wins or loses the
success Of the introduction In the sue
cccding conversation speech is the de-
tcrmining factor and in society small
talk" is absolutely essential.
The tired business man who has been
content for years to answer yep 20
every question that has been put 10 tim
and to coniine himself In general 10
mouosyllahic uttcrauces finds that "A new
.r, buE .llypnl in hts tife whan hn hn-
comes q member of the local country
club and is called upon 10 give a speech
"a: Mis- initiation. He then begins 10 take
up the study Of ora,orr as a serious
work. Incomes more careful in his ad-
dress to his employees and over the
telephone. realizes that the New York
Telephone Company IN stating broadcast
;he fact that the voice with the smile
wins" is really doing an important work
and he becomes for the first time In his
l!fe an advocate of purity OF speech"
The brilliant Flaubert sent the follow
ing advice to his nephew. Guy de Maui
PEASANT
Whatever may he the him which
one wishes to say, there IL but one word
for expressing IL. only one verb To ami
mate II. only one adjective 10 qualify II.
1t IL essential to search for this word,
for his verb, for this adjective. until II
il discovered, and to be satisfied with
nothing else"
This i sound advice for any author,
playwright or poet, and It is just a.
sound for the public speaker ar everyday
, business man, Both the writer and the
speaker are working toward the same
rnd--,he conveying Of ideas ny words
Flu there is m point OF difference
While the writer has hours. even days
to ma that nosln, hat verb and tha'
adjective. tn" impromptu speaker has
mo- minutes, or even seconds. but mere
fractions of seconds in which 10 fnd
this exact word.
Ia the everyday work ~ the average
business man the need for any special
skill in this subject does not always
appear, hut the moment Is bound 10
come to every business man when he
will he called upon To speak in public,