How we advertised America; the first telling of the amazing story of the Committee on public information that carried the gospel of Americanism to every corner of the globe . Many of our best suggestions came from themost unlikely sources. In the very first hours of the Committee, when we werestill penned in the navy library, fighting for breath, a hand-some, rosy-cheeked youth burst through the crowd andcaught my lapel in a death-grip. His name was DonaldRyerson. He confessed to Chicago as his home, and theplan that he presented was the organization of volunteerspeakers for the purpose of mak
How we advertised America; the first telling of the amazing story of the Committee on public information that carried the gospel of Americanism to every corner of the globe . Many of our best suggestions came from themost unlikely sources. In the very first hours of the Committee, when we werestill penned in the navy library, fighting for breath, a hand-some, rosy-cheeked youth burst through the crowd andcaught my lapel in a death-grip. His name was DonaldRyerson. He confessed to Chicago as his home, and theplan that he presented was the organization of volunteerspeakers for the purpose of making patriotic talks in motion-picture theaters. He had tried out the scheme in Chicago,and the success of the venture had catapulted him on thetrain to Washington and to me. Being driven to the breaking-point has certain compen-sations, after all. It forces one to think quickly and con-fines thought largely to the positive values of a suggestionrather than future difficulties. Had I had the time toweigh the proposition from every angle, it may be that Iwould have decided against it, for it was delicate and dan-gerous business to turn loose on the country an army of 84. ; THE FOUR MINUTE MEN speakers impossible of exact control and yet vested inlarge degree with the authority of the government. Inten minutes we had decided upon a national organizationto be called the Four IVIinute Men, and JMr. Ryersonrushed out wdth my appointment as its director. When the armistice brought activities to a conclusionthe Four Minute Men numbered 75,000 speakers, morethan 7,555,190 speeches had been made, and a fair estimateof audiences makes it certain that a total of 134,454,514people had been addressed. Notwithstanding the natureof the work, the infinite chances for blunder and bungle,this unique and effective agencj functioned from first tolast with only one voice ever raised to attack its faith andefficiency. As this voice was that of Senator Sherman ofIllinois, this attack is justly to be s
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookpublishernewyo, bookyear1920
