THE AFFABLE STRANGER 2

THE AFFABLE STRANGER 2

"To tell you the truth we are making the most of the irritation for

party reasons. But the other party is just as bad as we are. I know it

is rotten and even dangerous, but we are forced to do it if we want to

get the floating vote."

 

Few men in public life are so candid, but he wanted to be friendly and

to save me trouble, and was talking as one public writer to another. I

am thankful to him for his straight-forwardness in the matter. Now let

us turn to Canada.

 

There are few Canadians who have forgotten how the indiscreet utterances

of Mr. Champ Clark and of President Taft were used to rouse the wrath of

Canadians when "no truck or trade with the Yankees" was a slogan of

power. The success of that slogan entrenched the protectionists. And now

that every possible cause of irritation between the neighboring

countries is being commented upon and aggravated, it does not seem out

of place to suspect that further tinkering on that wall is to be

undertaken as one of our fall chores. This indicates that back of the

patriotic jealousy displayed on the platform and in the press there is a

sinister purpose. Men who use politics to achieve their purpose do not

hesitate to stir up racial strife--no matter what the ultimate

consequences. As this line of conduct has crystallized in Canada in the

phrase "No truck or trade with the Yankees," the blame for playing with

this evil fire rests on the party that benefits by the hatred provoked.

They attain their ends by what a leader of the United Farmers of Ontario

described as "the most criminal conduct possible to a public man."

 

For fear the reader may think I am holding a brief for free trade, I may

as well state my personal position on that question also. I am not an

out-and-out free trader. Though the theory of free trade satisfies my

reason it is not supported by my experience. This is an imperfect world

and free trade, like the single-tax, with which it is involved, is too

perfect for our present state of development. It is rather a goal to be

worked toward than a panacea to be applied suddenly. As I have long been

of the opinion that almost every advance in history has been made

through a benevolent opportunism, I believe in approaching the ultimate

goal of free trade by steps, as opportunity affords. In consequence I

have no deep quarrel with the protectionist or high-tariff advocate on

the score of the application of his political and economic principles.

But there is a matter on which I have an unappeasable quarrel with him.

When he bolsters up his tariff wall by appeals to racial hatred he is

guilty of a treason to humanity that cannot be lightly condoned. At the

present time, when all humanity is crying for peace, the cultivation of

race hatred is especially criminal. So if it should be found that the

irritation existing between Canada and the United States is due to the

desire of the supporters of the high tariff, then let us have free trade

"red in tooth and claw." Tariff wars lead to blood wars and surely we

have had enough of them.

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER V

 

REGISTERING REFORM

 

 

Possibly no one other thing has done so much to cause irritation between

Canada and the United States as the film plays. As most of those used in

Canada are manufactured in the United States, the jingoism they reveal

arouses constant anger. During the war film plays were used as

propaganda to arouse the American spirit and to awaken a pride in the

achievements of American soldiers. Naturally these plays did not

emphasize the heroism of the British and Canadians, and when exhibited

in British territory, purely as a business venture, they did harm that

no one stopped to compute. They earned money for their promoters and for

the local movie houses, so what more need be considered? In the United

States their political effect was admirable. They roused the war spirit

of the people and stirred national pride. No one apparently took the

trouble to give a thought to how these propaganda films would look to

the returned soldiers of Canada and to a people nerve-racked by war.

They would earn additional money in Canada--so let them go. Listen to

any Canadian who is expressing ill-feeling toward the United States,

just now, and you will find that nine times out of ten the irritation

can be traced back to the movies.

 

Wishing to learn if it would be possible to remedy this international

evil I decided to go to the fountain-head of the trouble. A friendly

publisher arranged to have me meet one of the master minds in a

film-producing company of world-wide activities. The modern Prospero

would see me at 3.30, in his office in one of "the cloud-capped towers."

Knowing that I must shake off all philosophic languor for this interview

I went at it as if I were going to make a running jump of a new kind. A

mile away from my destination I climbed into a high-powered car

(borrowed) and approached the great man's office at the speed limit. An

express elevator shot me up to the proper floor and I burst into the

presence of the outer guard. By this time I had acquired the necessary

momentum and, in reply to his swift, interrogatory glance, snapped out a

card and "flashed."

 

"Mr. Swiftbrain--appointment--3.30."

 

He grabbed a telephone, repeated my claim of an appointment, listened a

moment, then waved me to an upholstered chair that looked rather better

than the ones from the Kaiser's Throne Room that are now for sale in New

York.

 

"I am to send you in in five minutes!"

 

I was glad of the respite, for it would enable me to recover my breath.

Office boys who were in the waiting-room--ready to "Post o'er land and

ocean without rest" in obedience to the autocrat of the

switchboard--were so full of the jazz-time spirit of this temple of the

movies that they couldn't keep still. Even when resting, their feet beat

time to some inaudible, syncopated rhythm.

 

During my five minutes of probation much business was transacted.

Trembling writers of scenarios entered, left their manuscripts, and

passed out. Girls with handfuls of documents minced in and out passing

from one department to another, and each carried herself with the air of

a film queen. Hasty young men registering "urgent business" passed

through with the air of a Douglas Fairbanks or Dustin Farnum. Their

well-tailored coat-tails streamed back like the robes of Hyperion when

 

"His flaming robes streamed out beyond his heels

And gave a roar as if of earthly fire."

 

Suddenly I heard the snap of a gold watch-case and an authoritative arm

shot out, pointing to the door through which the main traffic was

passing.

 

"Down to the far end! Turn to the left!--Room Umpty-Umph!"

 

Rising as if from a catapult I fell in step behind a hasty edition of

Fatty Arbuckle. When I reached the properly numbered door and opened

it, I was met by a man who knew my name and business. He registered

"welcome" and waved me to a chair. I accepted the courtesy and

registered "attention." He bounced back into his swivel chair and

registered "candor." And he was astonishingly candid.

 

Movie plays are a purely business proposition. It made him sick to have

people talk about ideals and art in connection with them. It was their

business to give the public stories that would grip them and make them

want to see the shows. If the people felt like hating any one or

anything, give them plenty of hate stuff and play it up as long as it

fills the houses. It is not their business to educate. They are

practical business men, out after money.

 

He presently interrupted his monologue to answer the telephone, which

had jingled at his elbow. I suspect that the interruption was part of

the routine of the office. Anyway, I got my cue. He was to see his next

visitor in five minutes. Resuming his monologue he impressed on me the

fact that the one thing the movie firms are after is stories that will

grip the public and make them give up their money.

 

Then I got up and registered "gratitude" while he registered "Don't

mention it." We did a close-up hand-shake and I passed through the door.

Returning toward the front entrance I was quite in accord with the

spirit of the place and pranced like a horse with the spring-halt.

 

That, I think, is a fair presentation of the spirit and atmosphere of

the fountain-head of the movie shows that are pleasing the people of the

United States and rousing the wrath of Canadians. Only by giving a touch

of burlesque is it possible to indicate what is done or how it is done.

Here we have the greatest moulder of public opinion in the

world--infinitely more powerful than the press because it makes emotion

visible--and yet it is without any purpose higher than the grasping of

money. There is no George Brown, Delane, or Greeley to use this

tremendous power for the good of humanity. Sordid, exciting, without

conscience, it is bad enough when devoted merely to money-making; but

when used for purposes of propaganda it is a public menace. The dollars

of the propagandist are just as good to the promoters of film plays as

those of the public, and when one can get both it is a triumph. So,

hurrah for the scenario that will get the support of the campaign fund,

put across politics, either national or international, and at the same

time win the nickels of the public. Get them going and coming! That is

the motto! Never mind what the results may be--other than those that

show in the box offices.

 

Of course these reflections are inspired by what I found in the United

States. Now let me tell you something about Canada, where the movie

business is in its infancy.

 

By a curious blunder I was invited to see a new film of which a private

performance was to be given. It is seldom that I have ever seen anything

so amazing as this movie show proved to be. The story was highly

emotional and was enough to rouse the wrath of any one against the

aliens in the Dominion. The political propaganda stuck out like a sore

thumb, and if I had swallowed its presentation of conditions in Canada,

I would have been quite ready to vote for the War Times Election Act or

anything else that would suppress every one who did not support

Imperialism and a lot of "isms" not nearly so respectable. But I had

been through the West and had first-hand knowledge of the facts that

were distorted in this play. It merely aroused laughter. It was what

political experts would call "coarse work," but perhaps the public will

never see it in all the rawness of that first performance. I was assured

that it was to be edited and amended. My investigations afterwards

forced from a responsible representative of the high-tariff interests a

frank admission that the play already had political backing and that the

private view I had inadvertently seen had been put on for the benefit