The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-07-24
HAROLD SHAFT Tells
ROTARY CLUB HOW
TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC
Uses Prohibition to illustrate
How Speech Should BE
Built by Elements

A clever stunt In speaking, billed as
q course in public speaking mechanics,
vas put on at today's Rotary lunch
con by Harold Shaft, assistant attor-
ney general. Introduced as the orator
of the state law department, the as
sistant attorney general told the club
members how easy 1t is II you know
how.
Speeches, he said. fall into several
classes. as the forensic. the pulpit,
the chautauqua and the post-pran-
dial. the latter consisting. in the opin-
ion Of H. L. Menoken, OF so per cent
pletitudes and so per cent hilge.
The mechanics begin with placing
the watch in any position on the table
or stand o. pulpit before you. said MI.
Shaft. That gets the audience into
a commended frame of mind. They
know that they are not going to be
talked to death.
Then divide the speech into an
anecdotc, some platitude5 and a per-
Grafton. Make the anecdote tit the
speech and the speech the anecdote.
As the old ladies trying to fathom the
title Of an aria at an opera. Ono
went out into the rotunda and read a
placard, saying Refrain from Spit
ting"
How To Enforce Prohibition
Mr.. Shaft decided to use prohibition
far his pletitude. So he read the
remedies and measures urged by the
$4,000 entrants In the Durant contest
on enforcement as a basis for his
platitudes. Some of the contestants
suggested capital punishment for
bootleggers to the fourth generation;
a.. that drinkers be quarantined; 70,
that they be whipped: 60, that tor
ture be used: still another, that boot
leggers be compelled to wear red
pants and that they be imprisoned
~i1en CAUGHT with them off: while
another entrant proposed that pockets
i trousers be made illegal. while
pockets in coats be limited to two
inches In depth.
From these suggestions MI. Shaft
derived a number Of platitudes. that
the prohibition law be recognized as
q criminal law. that drinkers and
tootleggers be regarded as criminals.
am as thieves. that the liberties of
Americans we're being taken from
them. and so on, both sides to the
argument being guilty Of suggestion
self -obviouS but getting neither en-
fcrcement nor repeal Of prohibition
anywhere. he said.
He concluded with an eagle-scream
reroration on obedience to law and
said the speaking lesson was ended.
Rotary Has Increased
rAkA~ >sA%a.< iSNA~~ - Aln 1,,y3~1,Arn
we're Ruth Gordon, piano. and Harry
Ruben. saxophone. in two selections:
Mike Sullivan, Rotary harmonica en-
tertainer extraordinary. Of Birming-
ham. Alabama. who gave limitations of
the steam calliope and accordion on
his humble instrument with the aid
Of a water tumbler.
President Harry Brandes announced
that Rotary clubs had been increased
from 3l68 to 1882. with new ones in
Belgium. India, Rumania. Hon
duras. Finland and other countries.
Another announcement was that
the international good fellowship
meeting will be held at Fort William.
Ontario. September 7-8.
Judge w. L. UuesSle urged the club
members to visit Camp Chan Owapi.
Wildwood Lake. to encourage the big
brother movement.
Guests Of the day included E. j.
Taylor. Jr.: Charles E. Brown. Of the
Madison. Wis, Historical society. and
Theodore Brown; John Sullivan,
Mandan: q. Leroy White. and Rus
sell Reed: and Roy Strahan. Rich
mond. Indiana. piano manufacturer.