The Washington herald., 1915-04-04
FRISCO" JOSHED'
over TELEPHONE
Press Club Members Swap"
Pleasantries with Colleagues
on the Pacific Coast.
LONGEST TALK RECORDED
Bryan Presses Key. Unfufls Flag. and
Delivers Long-distance
Address.
LONGEST TALK RECORDED

Secretary Of State Bryan touched an
electric key in the National Press Club
at 6 o'clock last evening and automatical-
" unfurled an American flag over the
new structure of the San Francisco Press
Club on the grounds of the Panama
Pacific Exposition. A minute later he
turned, took up a telephone receiver and
talked with officials of that organization
and exposition the other edge of the
continent.
He congratulated them upon the open
ing of their building and bespoke for HIM
self and the Press Club their qualification
that opportunity had been given the
Washington club to conduct at least half
Of a telephone conversation which COW
cred more territory than any other the
world has ever known. CThe wires were
routed from here TO New York and thence
across the continent. Secretary Bryan
then said:
Now. having said the formal things.
let me tell you that I'm mighty glad to
talk to you
San Francisco's Answer.
Waldemar De Billie chairman OF the
arrangements committee of the eXposi-
lion, who was OH the other end of the
line. answered:
Thank you very much. ] want to say
that when you pressed that button YOU
for the first time, unfurled flag out
here. Everything went off very beauti
fully
Mr.. Dc Billie introduced Peter b. Kyne.
president of the San Francisco Press
Club. to whom Secretary BRYAN extend
ed his greetings and who replied:
Thank you, sir; and accept. Mr. Sec
your courtesy to us this afternoon. W"
have wished that you could be with us
on this beautiful day.
He, in turn. introduced NJ. II. DE Young.
Of the San Francisco Chronicle. to whom
Mr.. Bryan said:
This is the most remote audience to
which l have ever had the pleasure OF
talking. hauShterD l hope that as
my voice travels through Nebraska
can make it heard by some of my
friends there
Frank p. Lord, president of the Ma
tonal Press Club. then felicitated the
club by the Golden Gate and introduced
Theodore Tiller. chairman of the board
Of governors of the club in Washing
ton. whose message to Mr.. Kyne was:
Hands Across Continent.
with hands across the continent,
the members of the board of governors
and of the National Press Club extend
best wishes to the good fellows Of the
San Francisco Press Club upon the
opening OF their building on the expo
sition grounds. Fraternity exists
among members of the Fourth Estate,
regardless of distance and telephone
wires. 1t is vitaliZed by direct COM
munication. Here's hoping that more
of you will become non-active mem
bcrs of the National Press Club and
that some of you soon will come here
and become active members Mean
while. a long-distance handshake to all
San Francisco newspaper men and a
hope that 80 may be long deferred"
Mr.. Lord then introduced Acting Sec
rotary of the Treasury Byron Newton,
who. Mr.. Lord said. was a former news
paper man in Buffalo and New York,
but now of Uncle Sam" Mr.. Newton
said:
Every one else has prepared a formal
speech for you. My training has been on
an afternoon paper and l am going to
give you little off-hand copy. This
whole business to me is like an Alice in
Wonderland story and l am going TO
give little picture of what / see / am
looking out of the windows of the Ma
tlonal Press Club to the West-lookipc
out over the Treasury Building tho
White House and the State. War and
Navy Building. There is blizzard rag
ing. 1t is as cold as the devil here and
the streets are all filled with slush and
snow. Such condition probably Won
never have seen at San Francisco I am
wondering if You could give me just a