It commands immediate attention. Reporters, writers and editors get up from their desks to huddle around the UPI machine to see what major news is unfolding. Hitler's army invades Poland. Allied invasion of Europe begins. Massive bomb goes off in World Trade Center.
Bombs destroy Oklahoma City federal building.
Next to the city desk is the copy desk. Sitting in the inside center of the horseshoe- shaped copy desk is the slot man. Stories of a major nature are passed along to the news editor who is responsible for designing and selecting Page One stories. Other stories which will go on inside pages are tossed by the slot man to one of the copy readers who sit on the periphery of the copy desk. The slot man has already marked the copy with the number of the headline he wants.