Churchill--attributed much of Churchill's and Roosevelt's public platform

success to their forceful delivery. No matter what is in hand, these men make

themselves believe for the time being that that one thing is the most important

on earth. Hence they speak to their audiences in a Do-this-or-you-_PERISH_

manner.

 

That kind of speaking wins, and it is that virile, strenuous, aggressive

attitude which both distinguishes and maintains the platform careers of our

greatest leaders.

 

But let us look a little closer at the origins of inner force. How does

conviction affect the man who feels it? We have answered the inquiry in the very

question itself--he _feels_ it: _Conviction produces emotional tension_. Study

the pictures of Theodore Roosevelt and of Billy Sunday in action--_action_ is

the word. Note the tension of their jaw muscles, the taut lines of sinews in

their entire bodies when reaching a climax of force. Moral and physical force

are alike in being both preceded and accompanied by

in-_tens_-ity--tension--tightness of the cords of power.

 

It is this tautness of the bow-string, this knotting of the muscles, this

contraction before the spring, that makes an audience _feel_--almost see--the

reserve power in a speaker. In some really wonderful way it is more what a

speaker does _not_ say and do that reveals the dynamo within. _Anything_ may

come from such stored-up force once it is let loose; and that keeps an audience

alert, hanging on the lips of a speaker for his next word. After all, it is all