New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-10
Network of Wires
Links Army Camps
With Washington
Willard Pays Tribute to the
Work of Telephone
Companies
Aid to Signal Corps
Fourteen Battalions of Officers
and Men Have Been
Formed
Aid to Signal Corps

WASHINGTON, Sept. e.-The new
.-,,v cantonments, aviation fields, naval
h.s.. and other government war prof.
oc,s will be linked by network OF
..lssraph and telephone lines, making
oss;blc instantaneous communication,
10th with the departmental authorities
q, Washington and among themselves.
uurdreds Of miles Of line have been
lid 70 assist in the mobilization OF the
t., and trained men and material
are being added daily 10 the many
brsnehes Of the government requiring
;,,ressed communication facilities.
washington is the nerve centre OF a
INSTANTLY growing system OF wires
-.5;stirc in every direction to the
Genes Of the national activities.
The work of the telegraph and tele-
rbo,e companies in improving govern
mspt communication has been directed
.L;oav through the Committee on Tele-
Sra,bs and Telephones of the Counell
- National Defence, of which Iheo-
S,rs \ Vail is chairman, and winch
80 under the general supervision OF
mel Willard, chairman of the COM
r,',.ee on Transportation and Commu-
ricstIon
Tribute 10 Companies
NJ Willard to-day authorized the
..iloa,i,c statement on the eNtraorol-
rsrv procress of the strategic ana
emergency development OF the nation
communication lines:
81. i q striking tribute 10 the science
Il communication that a country so
,..st can he knit so closely together as
.So United States is at present by us
.,r,cranb and telephone lines. Inc
- 81 telephone and telegraph COM
,ar;os is the more remarkable because
:. bss been accomplished in the face OF
rreatIv increased demand for com
,,r.isl service. Despite Obstacles
,yLicb seemed at times insuperabIe' the
.ovor,r,ent's emergency requirements
-. been met, and although with some
convenience to commercial service
,oyer with real hardships.
"Psnid communication in the devel-
or-,.r. Of war industry as we'll as IN
~. ectuaI conduct Of battle is essen
~ - modern warfare. With this ne
..ssitv in view. the telegraph and tele-
.Sore ENGINEERS of America-the birth
pi.cs ~ electrical communication
Ave achieved a notable record IN the
last few months.
Aid TO Signal Corps
The war work of the telephone ano
telegraph companies may be oiVloeo
MO two distinct classes, the one pear
INC directly on the conduct OF the war,
he other on work more or less Ielateu
70 actual war activities. In the 1orflel
class may be placed the assistance lul
risbeS BY telephone and telegraph en-
gireers 10 the Signal Corps ana 'he
ether branches of the army ana NAV!
which have 10 do with commun 'ca.Io I
i, oc.ive administration, in the deYel-
,,,er, ~ material and in the promo
,ior Of military communication science
This includes the furnishing of more
han foDr+een battalions of officers and
men for the Signal Corps, besides a
Great deal OF assistance OF all KINDS
given the army and navy authorities oy
rypsrts who have not gone olrecIly
into the service.
an tho second class Of indirect as
sistsnce may be placed the work OF the
,elenhore companies in increasing plant
EQUIPMENT and personnel in all parts OIL
N. country for the use Of government
depsrtments and industries employed IN
making munitions and supplies TO- the
government.
Battalions Near Completion
THE formation of more than four,
tom reserve hattalicns for the Signal
Corps from the telephone and tele-
crsph companies is rapidly nearing
completion. Several battalions are al
ready in camp receiving intensive tram
ny under officers of the regular army
Wherever possible the members OF the
bsttalions who have not been called
INTO active service have been drilling
and attending lectures conducted by
army officers. .
MEN from telegraph companies at
marine observatories, cable terminals
and on the Mexican border have been
enrolled as army and navy censors, and
have ably assisted in this work. New
men are constantly being trained FOR
service in the Signal Reserve Corps,
and plans are being worked out TO utll-
ize various educational institutions IN
this work
w NeTeEcr government cons u uCIIOi'
projects are going forward, the tele-
phone and telegraph systems have been
called in to place them in quick con,
tact with the department centres. ana
IN the case of environments and train
ing camps TO establish permanent tele.
phone systems for the convenience on
the department authorities. For ad-
ditional circuits already completed IL
has been necessary to provide about
440 miles of copper wire and TO oulIo
ll2 miles of new pole line.
Work is being pushed forward &C,
lively on the installation of the third
addition which has been made since
February 10 the toll switchboard at
Washington. This addition will IN
crease the capacity Of the board to 22O
per cent of what it was last February:
Special additions TO toll switchboard
equipments are also being installed at
many other important points through
out the country where war activities
are expected to increase the trafflc.
Local Equipment Extended
Besides these additional toll facili-
ties much work has been necessary.
particularly in Washington. 70 extend
local switchboard equipment in antici-
patton Of further increases OF war
traffic
THE same story of emergency work
in record time can be found in reports
on the communication work for avla-
ton training fields. for guards at
bridges, water supplies and other pub
lie works. and for plants involved in