The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-07-10
Big IDEA BACK
OF MOVIE TALK
ON WAR ISSUES
Many Fargo People Have
Heard Them, but Few
Appreciate Import

Fargo people have, for some time,
heard the -four minute men" at the
movies, but they probably know little
of the movement, its inception and
purposes.
Donald NJ. Ryerson, a Yale man of
the class of 1907, was the moving spir-
IL in the recently systemiZed move
ment to bring the necessities of the
war before the people of the nation
through the medium of the movies.
Various preliminary suggestions and
tentative plans have crystallized into
the unique scheme described by the
term -Four Minute Men," which has
official sanction from the committee
of public information, the members
of which are secretary Of state, secre-
tary of war, secretary of the navy and
George Creel, chairman.
"A method Of procedure was worked
out in conference with this committee
and with the council of national de-
fence" says Howard Vincent O'Brien
in Golfers Weekly. District vice.
presidents for the various states have
been selected, and local chairmen I'M
der them, and these, in turn, choose
the actual speakers-the Four Minute
Men. The latter are picked for their
distinction in the community and
their ability on the platform. ..
Ten Per Cent at Movies.
THE applicability of movie theaters
to this sort of publicity work was
suggested to Mr.. Ryerson by the fact
that more than 10 per cent of our
population nightly attends the film
theaters. ..a.
THE Four Minute Men, by ar
rargement with local theEters deliver
brief talks, which have been pre-
pared, on assignments furnished by
Washington and afterward duly CEN
sored and approved officially thus in
surfing centralized and governmental
control of the movement. Everyone
serves without remuneration.
Reach Half of Population.
1T is estimated that within three
days of the receipt of assigned topics
from the government the actual,
breathing words can be going into the
ears of fully half the population.
mo speaking is authorized except
after formal enrolment and approval
by headquarters and standardized
equipment and introduction slides
have been supplied. No talks are
permitted except such as have been
specifically approved by the authori-
ties in Washington, and absolutely
no deviation in policy or length of
talk is allowed.
= (4) MINUTE MEN "a
Copyright, 1917, Trade Mark.
Mr.. JOHN J JONES
will speak four minutes on a sub
ject of national importance.
He speaks under the authority Of
THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC
INFORMATION.
Secretary of state,
Secretary of War,
Secretary of the Navy,
George Creel, Chairman.
Introduction Slide.
$50 when you hear Four Minute
Man crisply urging you to plant po-
tatoes or subscribe to government
bonds you can feel that his language
is his own, but the thought is direct
from Washington. And If he speaks
seven seconds over four minutes you
can be sure that he is rendering him
self liable to summary court martial!
/ "Mr. Ryerson has now bought and
equipped a submarine chaser, which
he has presented to the government.
and as soon as the Four Minute Men
are in smooth operation he intends to
enter the navy on active duty. II
what this young business man has
done and is doing is an inspiration to
you, communicate with headquarters,
~ West Adams street, Chicago.
Contribute money if you can or enroll
yourself as speaker If you can do
that better. If you can do neither, at
least give a good hand to the next
ur-Minute Man you hear on the
stage"