The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-13
Great Associated Press Supplies
LOSS. U. S. Newspapers.
Organization Spends Ss,5OO,OOO
Annually for Service.
MEMBERSHIP INCREASES TAO
A. p. Now Serving 636 Evening
and 391 Morning Papers.
Nearly 200 Telegraph Operators
Copy Daily Reports.

The State Journal receives the full
day and night report of the world S
greatest news gathering and news
distributing association, organized for
the exclusive use of members printing
evening, morning and Sunday papers.
This paper receives the full day report,
taken in the State Journal office for
the papers use by that expert teleg-
rapher, Mr.. E. C. Fable. In addition,
the State Journal receives for its use
carbon copy of the entire night report
We begin printing today series OF
display announcements which will ac-
quaint our readers a little more fully
and definitely about this great or
attractive display form, will be printed
one every few days until the series of
six is presented.
The increase in membership of the
Associated Press in 1917 represents
more than the combined increase in
the preceding nine years At present
there are 6S6 evening newspapers, 391
morning newspapers and 81 Sunday
morning newspapers, or total OF
LOSS, receiving the service of the AS
ISOLATED Press. These newspapers, the
smallest of which receives 500-word
daily telegraph service. to the largest,
which receives upwards of $4,000
words daily, show net increase in
membership in the Associated Press
in the year 1917 of 40, of which SO
are evening "a morning and Sunday
newspapers.
In 1917 there was a great expansion
in the Morse leased wire service of the
Associated Press. more than 1000 adj
ditional miles of wire being added.
making the leased wire system of the
organization over $4,000 miles in
length, and more than twice the
mileage of all other press associations
combined.
Wires Around the World.
Receiving the report on these leased
wires, which would stretch more than
twice around the world, are sos even
ing newspapers, 269 morning news
papers and 4S Sunday morning news
papers.
While there was a rapid extension.
of the leased-wire service, the increase
in the number of papers receiving the
Associated Press pony services, or
services smaller than the Morse leased
wire, was still greater, showing a
growth of eighty-seven over that OF
the preceding year.
With the extension of the Morse
service, it was necessary to employ ad-
ditional Morse operators. The number
| of Morse operators employed by the
Associated Press at present, to copy
the report which costs more than
$3,500,0O0 to collect and distribute,
is $50, representing an increase of
fifty-nine over the number employed
for the preceding year.
Expert Operators.
This body of operators, who have
to be the most expert of their kind
in the telegraph business, and who
copy the report in every state in the
/ Union with a single exception, is
greater than the combined operating
! force of all the other press associa-
| lions of the world.
Nearly one hundred Associated
Press operators have gone into mill
| tary and naval service during the past
year. and 200 others are voluntarily
| teaching national army recruits.
| News department men have also
| Joined tho colors to such an extent
that there are almost 200 stars in the
| Assoc coated Press service flag. The
| organization has claimed no eXemp-
lions and has encouraged rather than
discouraged governmental service on
the part of its staff.
| During 1917 the sick benefit fund
took care of all operators who were
| i'll and the directors at Christmas an
nounced that the organization would
insure the lives of all employees in
the amount of $1,000 for the benefit
| of their heirs or dependents