Evening star., 1927-10-15
Arturo Fermenti Awarded
Prize on Plea for League
of American Nations.
FRENCHMAN IS SECOND
AND CANADIAN THIRD
Nearly 1000 Attend Contest at
Auditorium-Applaud
Speakers.

Speaking with all the passion OF
his native land in his plea for
league of American nations under me
guidance of the United States at the
expense of the Monroe doctrine, Ar
turo Garcia Fermenti, spokesman for
Mexico. won the high school ora tori
cal championship of the world in the
finals of the Second international
Oratorical Contest last night in the
Washington Auditorium before an au-
dience of nearly 1000 persons.
Never in the history Of the oratori-
cal contest movement was de-
cision of victory more convincing
than that made by the five multi
lnsuists in last nights competition
giving the 20-year-Old Senior Fer
menti first honors With four mem
bers of the jury awardipg him first
place and the fifth rating him fourth,
the Mexican orator won the cham
pionship with a low-point total of
eight, as compared with Herbert
Wenig's total of nine in last years
interna tional. thus giving the cham
pionship TO the United States.
Frenchmdn is SeCOnu.
Georses Guiot -Guillain, speaking
for France on French Culture as
World Asset" was awarded second
place with his low point total OF II.
the result of his being placed second
i'm the final rating by three of the
judges. first by one. and fifth by the
final member of the jury.
Frederick p. HotSon, the Canadian
-; 10 In, hA
of the Jury with his speech on Can
ada's Diamond Jubilee, Her Achieve
ments Since Confederation"
Failing to repeat her victory in the
Fourth National Oratorical Contest,
held May q, in the same auditorium
with a jury of Supreme Court JUS
tees Miss Dorothy Carlson. the Salt
Lake City girl. representing the
United States, was adjudged fourth by
last nights jury.
Senior Eermenti. the last spea ker on
the program Of contestants, was the
complete master of himself from the
moment Sonora Mslls FIbarrEs Do
minguez of New York completed her
impassioned singing of the 'HiHnio
%aeionfl," national anthem OF Mexico.
until his Grafton had been delivered
and the audience, applauding its rec
ognition of his ability, demanded re-
peated Acknowledgements by the Young
speaker. Several times the Latin ora.
tor was obliged to rise from his sea:
and acknowledge the tribute.
In the delivery of his grafton, Fer
menti ran the gamut of Oratoricaj
passions. He pleaded for the worlds
understanding of Mexico. Discard
ing the usual quiet poise 90 student
orators who often "recite" their
speeches, the Mexican whipped into
his subject with passionate convic-
ton. Warned that he could speak
but 10 minutes. the Mexican glanced
assure himself and his high pitched
audience that the blast OF the halt
ing whistle would not be invoked for
aim. The audience had been request
ed to refrain from interrupting a
speaker by applause, and when in
moment of a particularly virile plea
a spasmodic burst of applause rose,
to be choked by the insistent bushes
Of the other auditors, the young
champion.tobe calmly raised his
hand in a gesture that could not be
disobeyed.
French Speaker Scores.
Equally as sincere in his convic-
llOIlS az Jne M6XHdUs 1SUI5 5SS 0hlOt-
Guillain of France, a little boy with
the weight of his country's honor
bearing heavily upon his slight shoul-
ders. begged his audience for it's ap-
probation of French culture. With
arms often uplifted in gesture of ap'
peal and his voice, mellow and for all
the world resembling the strumming
of the lower strings Of Hawaiian
steel guitar, Georges talked his way
into the hearts of the audience with
such success that he was a very close
second in the popular opinion regis
tered orally throughout the hall at the
conclusion of the announcements.
Young Hotson, spokesman for Can.
ada delivered his oration in the more
familiar manner Of the Anglo-SaXon-
quiet and reserved. He talked az one
proud Of his country's achievements
and, despite the abundance. of statis-
tics his ora ton contained, his appeal
was not without humor. When, in
summing up the attainments Of the
Dominian. Hotson named the Royal
Mounted Police as one evidence Of
it's progress, he declared that they
had made it safer for man to travel
thousand miles in Canada than it
would be for him to ''go from the Pic
cadilly to the Bank" in London, his
audience laughed it's appreciation.
The meeting, opened by Fleming
Newbold, business manager of The
Evening Star, sponsor of the orator..
cal contest movement in the District
Of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia,
was a panorama of internationalism
The Hon. Henry Chiffon, acting
counselor Of the British government
in the United States, introduced by
Mr.. Newbold, read message I. ON
Sir Esme Howard, British Amba ssador.
who was to have attended the contest
to deliver the opening address. Seated
behind Mr.. Chiffon in a semi-circle
were the five contestants of as many
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