The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-15
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

tion, I had the pleasure of sitting oppo- site Mrs. Leonard Beecher and very naturally the conversation drifted into
 the art of speaking.
 I was struck with her discriminating account of how much that was once con
 sidered oratory was losing it's vogue, be- cause the war was bringing out many men untrained in public speech, but backed with message that gave them the opportunity to hold the attention of their audiences without resorting to any of the tricks of the professionals
 
 Dr. Barnwell, in his short talk on how assigned to the speakers. brought out his experience with Sergeant Montgomery, the modest young Canadian, who con fessed to him before speaking at Tus- caloosa that he would much prefer going
 over Vimy Ridge again, but that after drawing him out about his experiences as they went from place to place. he got used to his new job, and spoke with con vincing power.
 
 I have also noted the fact as I have watched the various gatherings since the war began, that the assemblies are keen CT about the message than they are about the manner of it's delivery. I have seen some of our best ''hot air. merchants fall to get up any steam in their hearers, when a hero, fresh from the trenches by haltingly telling of what he had seen and done would arouse them to the highest pitch.
 Now, I am glad that this is so, for hardly ever speak without saying, that If hot air could have killed the Kaiser would have had him 'gassed long ago. am proud that some of our business the big tasks which the government put upon them have by just letting the thing which they have been set to do get hold of them, been able to stir others to come to theis assistance.
 Now I am writing this with Crawford Johnson in mind. I hope he will par don me for saying that when he first began to talk about War Savings he made a mighty poor out at it. But he didn't quit because he failed to- measure up to the brilliant platform specialists who had the gift to win applause when ever they opened their mouths. He just let himself get all plastered over with
 Savings Stamps, went around loaded | xxr;+ I- ,,,I Iroo ,al Yor Savings until at last he was just soaked through and through with the idea to get people to save and to buy the securi- ties he was set to market for Uncle Sam.
 It has been an interesting study for
 me to watch the growth of my friend as he grew in grace and grit as a pub lie speaker. I have studied him as he warmed Up to his subject at dinners, at theatres, at schools, at churches, at parks, at conventions; I have seen him change from a cold, practical business man, offering his bonds as good in- vestment, to a red hot patriot on fire to get money to help lick the Kaiser l
 
 cynical; I have noted him when he was a bit bulldozing; I have seen him when he was trying to put pep" into his talk by being humorous.
 believe. however, that I can con- fident1y assert that Crawford Johnson as an orator was only born on Thursday at high noon at dinner of the allied armies at the Tutwi1er, when he ran
 the ganut as spellbinder, and even caused Gen. John Sparrow, of the Very Light Field artillery, to sit in open mouthed wonder that anyone could so hypnotize Field Marshal Rushton as to take all the time he wanted to without being sat upon. Even Joe Rosenberger sat paralyzed but fascinated. and Bob Ewing never even murmured. Crawford Johnson had the allied army with words which had tears in them. It was a tale of woe that he was pour ing out which touched every heart. Jere- miah of old was blooming optimist in
 comparison to the twentieth century prophet of pessimism who was filling the room with gloom. It was too much for the tender-hearted soldiers and every now and then a sob was heard. The grief of Wallace Johns was pitiable to see. It was all his friends could do to keep him from crepe hanging. I am not at all emotional, but I began to choke Iup. Tragedy was lurking in the very 1 atmosphere. Now please bear in mind that Craw- ford Johnson, the apostle of despair, all the while he was pronouncing his funeral oration over the dying prospect of Baby
 Bonds looked the part, for he had the air of being the chief mourner, and was ready, though it broke his heart to put the corpse beneath the sod, unless the allied armies would agree to come to
 his help and revvify the infant. which was being treated as a step-child in
 the household of the other war activities. | Talk about the triumphs of oratory, why man, the thing that Jeremiah John son was pulling on us beat the output of all the silver-tongued wizards of | speech that I ever heard, for every mothers son of us made up our minds we would save the founding if it took every minute of our time and every dol | lar in our possession. Now, if you think | I am overpicturing the spell he wove