Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-04-25

the very firing line IN the Hlllppino''
and it stretches through the allied ar
mics up to the walls Of Pekin. 1t radl-
ates through Europe to the great Amer
can embassies, and it touches the most
obscure consular agency on the African
coast.
The whole world is brought into in
slant touch with the White House.
Ceaselessly, day and night, messages
come pouring in to tell the PRESIDENT
what is happening wherever Old Glory
flies. Should a skirmish be fought with
the insurgents in Luzon, should tarlH
troubles with Russia arise, should there
be mutterings Of discomfort IN CHINA
the news is flashed under the ocean and
in moment the President is informed
Of the facts. But this great network
Of nerves is employed in two different
ways. Not only does it tell the head OF
the republic what is going on throughout
the earth, but these nerves also carry
back the orders that set the forces OF
the nation to work. From the White
House the President issues orders to the
army and the navy in the most distant
parts Of earth almost as quickly as if he
were personally at hand. He gives in
structions in the most minute detail to
his diplomatic officers engaged in deal
ing with foreign powers. The whole
world is his checker-board.
The office through which all these
things are done is officially known as the
telegraph and cipher bureau, but it Is
popularity called the war room. 1t adj
joins the Presidents private office, and
he can step to it at any moment Of the
10 ,;,rbk nv ln Snnpich uyor
indeed he spent many night sitting on
a big leather couch in the war room, as
he waited with Secretary Long or Gen.
Corbn for dispatches from the front.
Great maps showing the entire world
cover the walls Of the room. They are
dotted with little flags, each indicating
a regiment or a ship. Whenever mes
sage is received bearing news Of any
change in the position Of vessels or Of
troops the corresponding flag is moved.
Thus at any moment, by looking on the
maps, the President can tell where the
American army and navy are scattered.
Service Started in 1877.
The telegraph office at the White
House was organized in 1877, and was
planned originally as means Of putting
with the various government departments
that are distributed over the city. Early
in President Hayes administration, how
ever, the Pittsburg riots arose, and fed
eral troops were sent to check the mobs
It was necessary TO keep in close touch
with the soldiers, and arrangements were
made with the telegraph companies for
private wires that extended from the
White TO ba -
That was the beginning Of the present
system, and it has been developing ever
since. When the Spanish American war
broke out it was foreseen that special IA
cilities would be needed to keep the Pres
ident informed Of military movements.
The war room probably did it's most
brilliant work during the hostilities with
Spain. The signal corps, which is allied
with the telegraph and cipher bureau,
had force of its bravest men with Shat
ter when he landed near Santiago. They
captured the cable that links Santiago
with the United States by way Of Santo
Domingo, and they connected it with a
flying telegraph wire of their own As
often as the troops advanced, the daring
telegraphers would follow them up with
a temporary wire strung on bushes.
The courage Of the signal corps men
was the admiration of the army. Seated
right at the firing line with temporary
outfits on their knees, they kept coolly
at work while deadly hail Of lead rain
ed all around them. It is interesting to
note that, while signal corps men are
usually classed as non-combatants. thew
lost larger percentage of men from
wounds during the Spanish war than any
other branch Of the army. 1t was by
their daring, however, that they managed
TO establish their magnificent telegram
service. They sent dispatches from the |
held around Santiago that reached the
hlte House in five minutes after being
lled. II was common for the President
10 receive messages from his command |
ers IN hfteen or twenty minutes. In this |
way Ar. Mckinley was constantly ad- |
Vlsed or how the campaign was progress |
ing, ana by the aid of the war mans and |
the moving flags, he had always before |
MIN an immense panorama Of the San |
tlaso campaign that gave him more ac-
curate view of the situation than was en- |
1oyed by many of the generals who were /
personally on the ground.
During the troubles in the Philinn,nas |
the same system of rapid communication |
Is preserved, but the transmission Of mes |
sages is somewhat slower, as many RELAYS
are necessary in the long cable route.
|
Ming Edward, who, after the injury to |
ms knee, was, obliged to stop bicycle rid |
ing, mas resumed that pastime, and has |
taken up fencing as being the best of |
antidotes to the increase OF sedentary
work neceSSitated by his now sto+a A.,