Adventure Magazine Cover, December 18, 1919

This December 1919 issue of Adventure magazine (volume 24, number 1) contains two feature articles focused on self-improvement and financial success.

The primary story, "The Secret of Being a Convincing Talker: How I Learned It in One Evening," by George Raymond, follows a salesman named George who discovers his coworker Frank Jordan has been promoted to Treasurer. Jordan attributes his rapid advancement to studying Dr. Frederick Houk Law's correspondence course "Mastery of Speech," which teaches business talking and public speaking through eight lessons. Jordan explains how the course taught him confidence, how to command attention, the value of silence and brevity, how to handle various workplace situations (complaints, estimates, orders), and diplomatic persuasion. George obtains the course, applies its principles successfully in sales, becomes Sales Manager at double his previous salary, and he and Jordan both engage in public speaking on war subjects.

The second feature, "Free Proof That I Can Raise Your Pay," presents testimonial advertisements for a book called "Power of Will" by a promoter named Pelton, claiming to teach the "secret" to financial success. It includes case studies of men who achieved dramatic income increases and wealth accumulation through understanding will-power development.