Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-10-25
AMERICAN TELEPHONE MEN
BUILD SYSTEM IN FRANCE

An American telephone system,
built by the American telephone men,
with American wire, American
switchboards, American instruments
and operated by Americans, has Just
been completed in France. The lines
connect General Pershing's head
quarters with all the encampments
and training quarters of the Ameri-
can forces. Everything used except
the poles came from the United
States.
Two battalions of the army men
who built the first American tele-
phone system on French soil were
were former employees of the Bell
Telephone System. About $500
other former Bell employees are al
ready in France with the army sig
nal corps, or in mobilization camps
awaiting orders to embark.
1T is a great treat for the officers
to be able to talk through an Ameri-
can instrument instead of the types
used on that continent" says
press report.
Officers using the new army tele-
phone system in France are not the
first of the American forces to find
relief in up-to-date lines such as they
had at home. In France the govern
ment owns and operates the tele-
phone systems, and an army officer
must wait his turn like the others
even in time of war In the United
States, where the telephone systems
are privately owned, military request
for telephone service have only to be
made to be Immediately complied
with. In the United States, govern
I,
precedence over all others since the
war began.
According to a press dispatch, when
the first Of the American expedition
airy forces reached a French port, an
American general expressed a wish
to report to Geneal Pershing, who
was In Paris. He was conducted to
the port postoffice where the long
distance lines of the government tele-
phone system converge.
Number %, IL you please, SIR"
the telephone operator said to the
officer when he gave his call for Cen
efal Pershing.
"Tventy-three?" returned the Gen.
eral in establishment. What does
that mean?"
"Twenty-three call before you,
Monsieur lie General. Your turn will
come in about four hours
Cancel the CALL" ordered the Gen.
eral, at the same time calling his
Chief Of Staff.
"String up four telephone wires
between here and Paris and start
work at once. Use the poles of the
French system
The telephone men of the Ameri-
can Army were at work in five min
utes. In ten, the General was sur
surrounded by veritable hierarchy
OF French government telephone
officials, large and small, each excit-
eddy expostulating.
Tee French officials protested,
and they argued. "A commission
must decide, permission must be OBJ
tanned, an authorization was neces-
sary," they said. All was to no avail
While they talked the American SOL
diers kept on stringing wire. The
line went thru and is now in use.
The American Telephone and Tel
egraph Company and its Associated
Companies forming the Bell Tele-
phone System have announced sub
scription in behalf of themselves and
their employees for $5,000,000 of the
Second Liberty Loan.
This subscription is to be allotted
to localities or sections of the coun-
try as nearly as possible in proportion
to the quotas assigned by the Treas
ury Department to the various fed
eral reserve districts, so that each
such district will get credit for its
proportionate share of the total sum.
The actual subscriptions will be
made in each federal reserve district
by the Associated Bell Company OPP
Grating in such district The Bell
Telephone System also subscribed
100000 to the First Liberty Loan,
but owing to the over-subscription
on that issue only part Of it was
accepted.
Arrangements have been made
whereby employees of the Bell Sys-
tenn may subscribe for Liberty Loan
bonds and pay for them on install
ments during the coming year.