Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-12

cent. Mr.. Roosevelts voice is of a high
pitch. especially if he is particularly ami
mated and when he speaks over long
distance circuit 1t Is sometimes necessary
for him to repeat. Occasionally when the
President talks over the telephone he has
stenogra pher "cut in the circuit to
take down the conversation. if it is
matter he desires to go over at his
leisure. Again he sometimes wishes to
have third party the telephone to
witness what he is saying
The telephone calls coming into the
White House must be censored. If Mr..
Hilles. the Presidents secretary person
ally resp onded to all who ask to be put
on his line. there would have to be three
of him. 1t is estimated that last year
about 60.G0 calls We're received and nine
tenths OF them came from persons who
asked to speak with Mr.. Hilles. Every
now and then a man. whom nobody has
ever heard of, calls up with the modest
demand that he be connected with the
President himself. Mr.. Hohbein. the day
operator or Mr.. Rodier. who is on at
night. Immediately takes notice of such
call.
If the caller cannot give a good account
of himself the operator asks him to hold
the wire for a minute. and in that time
he requests central to ascertain from
what place the party is calling. 1t only
takes a second to secure such informa-
ton. If the man VINO is talking proves
to be mentally deranged or talks at all
irrationally the conversation with him is
purposely drawn out and secret serv-
ice man is sometimes able to reach him
before he has left the telephone booth.
Even the White House is not immune
from being called by the wrong number.
Almost every day somebody inquiries If
1t Is the workhouse. 1t is not an infre-
quent occurrence for parties calling the
White House station to be connected with
the real White House. There was an
amusing incident last summer when the
telephone in the Presidents summer home
at Beverly began to jingle at daybreak.
1t is said that the President, in pajamas.
made his way downstairs in the cool Of
the morning to see what was up.
couple of inebriated gentlemen who
had spent most of the night at drink
ing club had suddenly felt called upon to
converse with Mr.. Taft. Nobody knows
exactly what passed over the wires. but
Judging from the way the President
laughed when he told of the incident the
next day he enjoyed his chat.
Closely allied with the White House
telegraph room, and a central sta ton of
the greatest Importance, is the big eX-
change at the United States Capitol It
serves every senator and representative,
the members of the United States SUI
years ago it was thought a wonderful
thing that the Capitol building had fifty
telephones. Night service was unheard
of. Today there are 900 telephones, and
the place is never closed.
The chief operator is Mrs Harriott G.
Daley, woman who is able to keep a
secret. There are times when, If she told
IN te,i,n 4
for almost any newspaper to get out a
special extra. She can recognize the
voice of almost any one of the ninety-six
senators. :s94 representatives or 300 news
paper correspondents: Mrs. Daley is re-
markable in many ways. When talking
over the telephone her voice is we'll modu-
lated and carries perfectly, yet a person
sitting a few feet away from her desk
would scarcely know that she was speak
ing. In all her years at the Capitol she
has never had a disagreeable experience
over the wire
THE senators and representatives are
simply lovely she assures the visitor.
The members Of Congress think nothing
of talking with Philadelphia, New York
Brooklyn. Pittsburgh Atlanta, Chicago
and other cities within that range. And
the telephone habit has grown with them
by leaps and bounds.
There are sometimes 1000 calls a day,
and often as many as 100 congressman
are talking at one time from their offices
at the Capitol to distant friends and con-
stituents. There are bells and gongs
throughout the Senate and House office
buildings. and certain signals denote to
the absent member whether or not he is
needed For instance. three rings mean
call of the House-no quorum; -four
rings, adjournment and SO on. But
when the members once hear the gong
begin to ring they do not wait for the
signal. Instead they grab their tele-
phones with one accord and ask the
operator. What are the bells ringing
for?" 1t fairly swamps the exchange