Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-02

VXTASHINGTON D. c., Sept. "A new
w organization, known as the FOur-Minute
Speakers has recently been formed under
the auspices of the government for the purpose of
arousing patriotism throughout the country.
The Four-Minute Men, like the Minute Men of
&c, patriots organized to meet emergency,
but they are disciples of Patrick Henry rather than
Ethan Allen. Their task is to arouse interest in
the war by making speeches about it-speeches
strictly limited confined and restricted to four
minutes. '.,
Maybe you consider that simple task? Well.
it seems that it isn't. The organization has had
the greatest difficulty in procuring men who could
make speech in four minutes. Many men who
splendid speakers, if they have plenty of time
in which to tell stories and get up steam, cannot
make good four-minute speech at all. And
yet the four-minuate feature is absolutely essential
to the success of the organization.
For the four-minute men speak in moving pic
ture theaters. At the end of the big feature, an
American flag is thrown on the screen to attract
the attention of the audience. Immediately fol-
lows large-lettered announcement that Mr.. So
anG-So will speak for four minutes subject of
national Importance. He speaks under the author
ity of the committee on public information, Wash
ington D. c. This saves time in introductons
which the organization dslikes for the reason that
the introducer is always tempted to make speech
himself that is apt to string itself out and tire the
audience. And the audience must not be tired
That is the basic principles of the four-minute
idea.
So strict are the four-minute regarding this
principle that a visiting committee, appointed by
the organization, visits the moving picture thea
ters and times the speakers. If man allows his
speech second over four minutes ne is
severely called down by the visiting committee.
And, if on a second occasion, he repeats the Of
tense, he is asked for his resignation. The visit
ing committee is not lenient in this matter 1t is
made up Of deposed speakers.
AS further check upon the time in which
Four Minute Man speaks the organization has en-
listed the aid of the moving picture theater man
ayers, too. If at the end of four minutes man
goes on speaking they. requested to stop him
either by ringing bell, blowing a horn or, as one
member said, shooting him If necessary.
he four 1inut
adaptation of that ancient principle to the effect
that people will listen to anything just long as
you don't tire them. Men In public life have long
practiced self-denial in the matter of words in
order to put over their propaganda more effec-
lively. Politicians-thst is successful politicians
always make short speeches. ministers con-
tinually diminishing the size of their sermons and
some lawyers have recognized the value of few
words. In confning their speeches to that four
minute period between the change of films in the
moving picture shows, the four-minute men have
ton Of their audiences have, actually made
those audiences applaud for encores!
This, OF course, means that the four-minute men
are really most excellent speakers. They come
from all walks OF life. The organization will &C
cept ANYBODY from policeman to a cabinet officer
Just as long as he can make a good speech. Mr.
McAdoo and Mr.. Lane both four-minute men,
although in view of their present heavy duties they
will doubtless be infrequent speakers. In Wash
ington the chairman of the local committee of
four-minute men is Ira N Bennett, lawyer, and
the. other forty or more speakers who make up the
rest of the committee mechanics and profess
sonal men, government clerks and enlisted men,
the two cabinet officers already mentioned. the
assistant secretary of the treasury, Byron S. New