He says no
amount of denying on our part can destroy the effect - or at least
he went further and said 'shake their validity.'
"But I repeat. They are false. For all I know, it is a plot of
McLoughlin's, the last fight of a boss for his life, driven into a
corner. And it is meaner than if he had attempted to forge a letter.
Pictures appeal to the eye and mind much more than letters. That's
what makes the thing so dangerous. Billy McLoughlin knows how to
make the best use of such a roorback on the eve of an election, and
even if I not only deny but prove that they are a fake, I'm afraid
the harm will be done. I can't reach all the voters in time. Ten
see such a charge to one who sees the denial."
"Just so," persisted Bennett coolly. "You admit that we are
practically helpless. That's what I have been saying all along.
Get control of the prints first, Travis, for God's sake. Then raise
any kind of a howl you want - before election or after. As I say,
if we had a week or two it might be all right to fight. But we can
make no move without making fools of ourselves until they are
published Monday as the last big thing of the campaign. The rest
of Monday and the Tuesday morning papers do not give us time to
reply.
Pages:
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430