New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-29
The Fom-Mmute Men
An Account of Collective Public Effort 10 Best" A"e'"'
10 Thnk about Their War


,h;no but good idea. James G. Auchin-
Gloss became the chairman OF coinH'i'.s'
10 develop that idea for the city ana s'"'e'
Associated with him are Charles Pratt as
treasurer. Paul b. Williams as secretary
Rogers n. Bacon as chairman OF ."e
sneakers bureau, Harold Stanley, j. freht'ce
Kellogg. Thomas Howard, state secretary .,
the Motion Picture Exhibitors League, ana
Walter Robinson, instructor OF the fuohe
Speaking Club Of America.
They opened headquarters at the corner Oh
Vanderbilt Avenue and 44th street, IN
rooms provided by the Yale CLUB. lheit
frat effort was to secure the cooperation VI
the motion picture interests, and IN TINS 'hey
wSrc highly successful, thanks to the pa.
,r;o,ic desire tn be of service on the part
OF the men in that industry. Practically every
orpanization in the motion picture heid has
;rdorsed this movement, and there are very
few managers from the hundreds OF movies
in greater New York who have reruseo
commission for the speakers to appear IN
their theatres.
Coaching Volunteers
Then speakers had to be secured MS
was not an easy task-and more speakers
are needed right now to help carry OH
this work. Members of public speaking ciuos'
professional men, business men-particuiar'y
galesmen-speakers who helped with the
Liberty Loan, from dozens OF sources they
came. Not every volunteer could be used
for it requires distinct ability to make
speech in four minutes. But those Who
showed promise were coached by Mr.. ROOM
SON at weekly class meetings. and everything
noss;hle was and is done to utilize the ef-
forts of a man who really wants to heip.
When man has proved his ability, he
is put on the mailing list to receive inc
bulletins from headquarters and IS given
slide. which is his introduction at the theatre
This says that he speaks under the authority
of the Committee on Public Information,
Washington, d. c., on subject OF nationai
importance. His assignment is sent to him
forty ight hours before he is due to speak
on a postal card telling the name OF the
theatre, its location, the managers name ano
telephone number. He then telephones the
theatre to arrange the exact hour OF MS
appearance.
There are $50 Four-Minute Men at work
in New York City, but more are required
70 meet the needs. Any one interested can OBJ
tain full information at SO East Forty-fourth
Street, where volunteers will be welcome.
During October most of their efforts. Will
be in support of the Liberty Loan but
their work will not end then. for the ex-
pectaton is to continue their activity until
the end of the war An educational force
of such scope cannot be ignored, and a
realization of it's possibilities should arouse
desire to help in a service to the gov
eminent that is of supreme Importance.
Activity Of the New York Committee has
not been limited to this city, for the or
ganization has been extended to more than
100 cities and towns upstate. On September
IA a conference of these local charmen
was held at Syracuse-the first gathering
of the kind to be held in this country. Men
of broad experience united in the opinion
that this was the most distinctive meeting
Of the kind that they had ever attended.
1t brought together men from all parts OF
the state, representing business and pro-
fessional life, farmers, bankers, woodsmen
and school teachers.
A bishop sat next to farmer. and he was
fanked by man active in the Rotary Club
And in that various collection of men, not
one mentioned politics. not one got excited
about the submarine campaign, not one ran
cut to 90 to the State Fair until the meet
ing was ended, and not one failed to sound
a note of genuine patriotism and devotion
to duty. The question was not concerning
what somebody" ought to do. but What
can | do" "How can We make this work
most useful and helpful to the country"