“Educational pictures,” said Mr. Werner, musingly, “have proved a failure, as I hinted, except when liberally interspersed with scenes of action and human interest.  The only financial failures among the host of motion picture theatres, so far as I have observed, are those that have attempted to run travel scenes and educational films exclusively.  There are so few people with your—­eh—­culture and—­and—­elevated tastes, you see, when compared with the masses.”

“But tell us about our picture,” pleaded Patsy.  “What lesson can that falling wall possibly convey?”

“I’ll be glad to explain that,” he eagerly replied, “for I am quite proud of it, I assure you.  There are many buildings throughout our larger cities that were erected as cheaply as possible and without a single thought for the safety of their tenants.  So many disasters have resulted from this that of late years building inspectors have been appointed in every locality to insist on proper materials and mechanical efficiency in the erection of all classes of buildings.  These inspectors, however, cannot tear the old buildings down to see if they are safe, and paint and plaster cover a multitude of sins of unscrupulous builders.  Usually the landlord or owner knows well the condition of his property and in many cases refuses to put it into such shape as to insure the safety of his tenants.  Greed, false economy and heartless indifference to the welfare of others are unfortunately too prevalent among the wealthy class.  No ordinary argument could induce owners to expend money in strengthening or rebuilding their income-producing properties.  But I get after them in my picture with a prod that ought to rouse them to action.

“The picture opens with a scene in the interior of a factory.  Men, girls and boys are employed.  The foreman observes a warning crack in the wall and calls the proprietor’s attention to it.  In this case the manufacturer is the owner of the building, but he refuses to make repairs.  His argument is that the wall has stood for many years and so is likely to stand for many more; it would be a waste of money to repair the old shell.  Next day the foreman shows him that the crack has spread and extended along the wall in an alarming manner but still the owner will not act.  The workmen counsel together seriously.  They dare not desert their jobs, for they must have money to live.  They send a petition to the owner, who becomes angry and swears he won’t be driven to a useless expense by his own employees.  In the next scene the manufacturer’s daughter—­his only child—­having heard that the building was unsafe, comes to her father’s office to plead with him to change his mind and make the needed repairs.  Although he loves this daughter next to his money he resents her interference in a business matter, and refuses.  Her words, however, impress him so strongly that he calls her back from the door to kiss her and say that he will give the matter further thought, for her sake.