The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-10


from each neutral country was per-
lifted to 60 to the French front and a
United Press man was chosen as the
first American representative. Mean
time other United Press, men had
reached France and taken charge OF
the Paris office, while Henry Wood,
Rome manager, left on an expedition
to the near east where he obtained a
series Of Illuminating interviews and
situation stories" regarding condi-
tons in Turkey and the Balkans.
During this period--several months
after the war began-the first of a
series Of historic United Press inter-
views was received in this country.
This was an interview with Crown
Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Of Ger
many, in which he attempted to ex-
plain,t causes and origin of the war.
1t was followed shortly by the inter-
view with Grand Admiral Won Tirpitz
declared by many to be the out
standing feat of the war-in which the
German admiralty chief announced
Germany's intention OF inaYgurating
the ruthless submarine warfare which
later sank the Lusltania and brought
the United States in to the struggle.
Meeting Great Problems.
Even thus early transmission prob
lens, which later brought lines OF
worry to the faces Of SO many foreign
correspondents and news agency
chiefs, began to appear. Press cable
t ansmission, which before the war
lad been matter of few minutes,
slowed up gradually until speedy send
ing Of press rate matter became al
most obsolete. The war news could
not wait for uncongested wires and
General European Manager Keen,
along with other foreign representa-
Of his matter at the full commercial
rate. Since this period press-rate
transmission has gradually grown
slower until today it Is scarcely more
than memory.
Keen revealed his foresight from
the beginning of the war by using the
full rate on important flashes and
succeeded thus, when the war opened,
H. scoring beats on four declarations
Of war in thirty-six hours. But the
transmission problem had not then
reached the stage 1t later developed.
Then 1t was merely matter of paying
the full commercial rate with assur-
ance of fast delivery; while in the
closing stages Of the fighting it be-
came necessary to combine ingenuity
with the full rate in order to be as
sured Of even fairly prompt trans
mission.
A few months after the war opened,
the allied government completed
their arrangements for helping the
press to cover the war" and had
opened press headquarters at the var
ious fronts in France and Belgium.
Taking prompt advantage of the situa-
ton, the United Press sent men to the
British front in northern France.
Later Henry Wood was shifted from
Rome to the French front, where he
remained almost to the close of the
conflict.
But the greatest test Of efficiency,
20 far as an American news associa-
ton was concerned, did not come until
the United States entered the war in
April, 1917. AS soon as that occurred.
the news face of the war changed
from foreign story, in which only
foreign peoples were interested to a
local story" in which every village,
hamlet, farm and workshop in the
United States was vitality concerned.
Again the United Press responded
to the test. BY the time General
Pershing and Admiral Sims reached
Europe in the van Of that stream OF
soldiers and ships which ultimately
settled the issue, the problem Of COW
ering American activities at sea and
on the battlefield had been solved.
!. w. Pegler, OF the London staff, was
hurried to the American front IN
france, where he scored a number OF
notable beats and remained until the
var fever overlook him and he went
back TO England to enlist in the
United States navy.
Colossal Local story.
His immediate successor, Fred s..
Ferguson. abandoned his desk as
news manager in New York to don
the khaki Of the war correspondent.
Friends OF Ferguson declared his
constant success in beating the 9TH
er fellow" was largely the result of
his habit and determination to see
things for himself. Whenever 1t
was DOSSiUlc he llFSu iAlO dItuut
front, either in the trenches or just
back Of them, where he could follow
the Yanks personally when they
went into action. Thus he was
among those present when the Amer
leans staged their first offensive at
Cantigny and gave the Hun fore
taste of Yankee punch" He was
in one Of the lorTies which hurried
the marines to Chateau-Thierry when
they stopped the onsweeping German
armies on the road to Paris.
Meanwhile the American front had
become so far-flung that more men
were needed to cover 1t, and Frank
]. Taylor, Lowell Mellett and Webb
Miller had donned their war clothes
and had gone into action.
Ferguson and Taylor gave re-
markable demonstration of team play
when, in July, Marshal Foch decided
to strike, and launched his great Of
fensive against the left face OF the
Marine salient. Between them, Fer
guson and Taylor registered one Of
the notable beats of the war when
they were ahead on the story of the
49, lie ~ hof al ot