The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-09
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

message that thrilled? Did you ever 20 to & theatre and find an unknown actor who played his part in way to have visitor awake in you emotions that you thought were dead? If you have, then you can appreciate how Q passing guest gripped crowd at the Southern club on Monday night 8 week ago. And who was the wizard that business and professional men for an hour and made them sorry when he quit? It was John J. Virgo, an Austra- Han. And what was his work? Just Young Mems Christian association secretary? And what was his story? The things he had seen on a 100000 mile trip.
 I'll tell you it takes some spell binder to do with a. crowd what he did with the big men of Birmingham. I have watched public speakers for years, studying their methods. I know pretty well the various styles of preachers, politicians, lawyers and other hot air artists, but the gentle man from tho other side of the earth literally upset me with his line of talk as well as with his method of delivery.
 
 Tho occasion, the stage setting, the atmosphere has much to do with 8 speakers chance to get off right and ~trn Mfr Virgo, do not know whether he is a preacher or not, but do know hc had a message, and got the closest at- tention from the beginning. In the first place. he had a pleasant face, a breezy mode, and a contagious laugh. Tn speaking, Q good opening Is half the battle, and he got a flying start, for a man who can get his audience in the first few moments can do what he pleases with them later.
 He began with good story about his having a big title which he rat tied off as though it were of little forget it, and forget his position and think of his work. By doing this he cleared the way to be open, friendly and frank, and every one felt that they were in the presence of real red -blooded, lovab1e man, who was in love with life, his vocation and his fellow man.
 The unique man, with 9 big job, was born in Australia, trained in America, and was now living in England, that is, when he isn't globetrotting. This is a day of specialization. The Young Mems Christian association makes large demands on specialists. To be Q successful secretary requires as long training as to be 8 minister, and calls for more varied talents. For several his native land, then had study of American methods at Washington, and when the war broke out was given big commission in London.
 
 am setting all this down so that the representative men who listened to his enthralling story may understand that they were up against the real thing and hearing at first hand con- ditions as they are to be foutid behind the scenes wherever the allies are fighting to safeguard democracy and make 1t possible for the lesser nations to preserve their nationalities. He made his auditors both hear and see the march of events on the far fang battle line.
 He was not an orator in the sense that l many are, having the ability to use son. orous words and hypnotize his hearers, 1 and give them an hour of rapturous joy, to go to their homes and forget all that he had said. No, he does not belong to 1 the old style spread eagle school In fact, i in the ordinary sense he is no orator at all, but, my, what an actor he is, and there Is all the difference in the world l between oratory and acting.
 His was not the mellifluous voice that | luiled to sleep, for every one present was wide awake with minds alert, for it was impossible to know just what he was go- { ing to say next. It wasn't a series of { climaxes. There were bursts of true ora ! tory. just as at times he was jerky 1, in his speech or colloquial. Laughter and l pathos. good sense. and fellowship jostled 1 one another as he hurried from topic to 1 topic.
 But I am wasting time trying to class 1 fly him, and no doubt boring you with 1 my analysis. Now. for his tale A hum l dred thousand miles as national field sec- | retary of the British association brought l him in touch with many peoples and na- tions. He threw on the screen intimate 1 Tigris, in Mesopotania, at Cairo, Sa- loniki, Malta, Italy. Russia. England, Ireland. France. He made you see the various types. their modes of fighting, | their hopes, their fears, their needs.
 
 His story of a visit ho made to the first Iine trenches in France. while thrilling, was relieved with touches of humor that convulsed his audience. His flight in a Ford going 45 miles an hour in which he couldn't stop the speed mania of his chauffeur set the crowd in roar When he driver slowed down and he managed {, to get his breath sufficiently to ask him why the speed?" to be told because he was driving through the fire zone" Then Virgo said, Man, why didn't you make t 75 miles an hour?''
 The graphic picture of the lone two Young Mems Christian association men