Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-12-20

Tor rcpubl1catiOn o + ALL news dispatches credited to IT. o not
lished herein. -
TUESDAY EVENING, DEcEMBER 20, 1921.
TIME AND ITS CHANGES.
The revival Of memories extending over a per-
lod OF twenty-five years Of newspaper work, prompt
cd by recent anniversary obscrvanceS has brought
into strong contrast many of the conditions of the
present as compared with those Of twenty-five years
ago, not in the field of newspaper work alone, but
iii other departments OF activity.
The telephone, for instance, while in use TWEEN
ty-7vc years ago, was by no means in general use,
The exchange in Grand Forks at that time was a
small affair that had so few subscribers that iii
actual practice numbers we're not used. The indi-
vidual calling gave the name of the party with
whom he wished to be connected, and the telephone
operator did the rest, being able to carry in her
mind without difficulty the numbers of all of the
few subscribers who used the service. 1t is diff
cult for us today to appreciate just what that
means. To call a telephone number, receive the
response, and complete the. conversation is usually
the work OF but a few moments, whereas before
the telephone came into its present general use,
such conversation would have meant a trip of per-
haps some distance which would often result mere
lx in the knowledge that the person desired was
not available.
The typewriter which is a commonplace con-
venlence in every business office, and with which
every person doing any considerable amount OF
writing is necessarily provided, was in those days
a rarity. Correspondence was conducted by hand
in all except a few Of the best equipped business
offices. Perhaps, in some respects, the free use OF
the typewriter has not been an unmixed benefit
1t facilitates correspondence and tends to the free
interchange of ideas, but it is probably true that
because correspondence is now so easy and con-
venient, a vast amount of words are written which
might quite as we'll remain unwritten. Neverthe.
less, the typewriter has contributed greatly to the
Interchange Of ideas, and has facilitated the work
Of every business office in a manner which cannot
be appreciated except by comparison with the time
when the typewriter scarcely existed.
twenty-five years ago there was no such
thing as wireless teegrapty or telephony. 1t is
true that today the bulk Of the news of the world
is carried by means of wires, but it is also true that
a very important part of the information goes by
wireless, and the wireless supplements the wire
service by being available in many occasions when
land wires and cables are out Of commission. Ships
at sea when out Of sight Of land were cut off from
all communication. No one on land knew of their
tate until they reappeared in sight of the opposite
shore or were able to exchange visible signals with
other passing vessels. Today, no important ship
is ever out OF communication with land. Even il
its wireless is not adequate for direct communica-
ton with land, it is always able to transmit to some
vessel within a radius of a few hundred miles or tc
receive from such a vessel messages which are Of
ten essential to the safety of human lives and the
security OF valuable property. In the late war
wireless was one OF the necessary mediums of COM
1nunlcatlon, not only enabling those in charge OF
armies to conduct their operations, but enabling the
people Of the world at large to receive from the
armies at the front information as to their where
abouts and their activities, SO that the world was
able to keep IN close touch with the progress of bat.
ties while those battles were actually going on. In
contrast with this. may be recalled an incident
during the Spanish-A1nerican war in 1898. Sam
sons squadron attacked and DESTROYED the Spanish
fleet OFT Santiago Oh July 3rd. News of that en-.
gagement was not received in this country until
Sunday, July 18th. and then only in a flash. which
while 1T stated the fact that the Spanish feet had
been destroyed with the loss of only one America,
lite, was SO barren of detail, that the apparently
Impossible tact was not credited, and there was an.
other full day OF anxiety, incredulity and searching
tor information which did not come in it's official
form until three days after that final battle.
instances might be multiplied indefinitely tc
illdlcate the remarkable changes which have come
about IN such a comparatively short time. and
which have influenced so profoundly the activities
Ct the world. although they have been brought
about SO gradually and inlperceptibly that thei,
progress has scarcely been noted. 8
The prospects for the future indicate no less
rapid change in years to come. We are familia,
with the use of the .%airplane, but have little realza
sst1on yetaof its ultimate possibilities. Those who
areAhere at the end of another quarter of 4 centur,
will doubtless be utilizing this nstfrumentalitys ii
u ways which just@now we have little conception Of
and there is always the opportunity for the discov
cry Of entirely new applications Of scientific truth
which will revplutionize industries in many direc
tons. The world is a world Of change, and II.
transition from one period Of activity to another !.
constant and srapid. Il IS necessary quite often Il
look back a little distance in order to understand
July inst what our present conditions are ane
mean. ssN5
PARDoNING DEBs.
Assnoyement has been iin suguufated .insF Terri
strong appeaIo@fsesidsnt Hard
ling 6pr tNhc pardon Eof Debs nsfisne fors 6iinn14 o spefKt
tlsS glWsx;sfnaass season a hM1s ofdEissanfie among III