New Britain herald., 1926-04-29
NEWS, ROUTINE AND UNEXPECTED, AND
 HOW ASSOCIATED PRESS HANDLES IT

] Interruption for matter of outstand- ing importance. Such interruptions
 are so speedy that communication
 of tho main element of piece of news of prime character is nigh in-
 stantaneous,
 For instance, a telegraph
 operator in Providence might be copying dispatch from Boston about forthcoming football game when an editor would say 10 him: Flash! Submarine sunk sff Block
 Island In less than Il minute those words would have been transmitted across the country and up and down the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. A
 flash has the right of way. Next
 in order is a bulletin much the same as the first sentence or first paragraph of any news item you read in q news0aocr,a terse but complete account, susceptible of transmission in two or three min utes or less.
 "The same system enabled the world 10 learn quickly early in the day that another pride Of the navy the Inflated airship Shenandoah, in- stead of soaring majestically through the air over the midwest had collapsed in an Ohio gale with most of those on board perishing.
 The Routine Stuff
 "So much for the unexpected. As for what can be forcseen like sporting event for instance, the speed, notwithstanding difficulties when the event is in foreign land may surprise you.
 "The international sporting event which has attracted the most at- tontion this year was the tennis match at Cannes. France, between our fair Hol of California, and the incomparable Suzanne of France. It began at 11:18 q. m.. French time or 6:1S a. m, New York time, It ended at 12:1S French time or 7;1S a. m, New York time. The result was known to Helen's relatives in California a few seconds later. Seconds is correct. Through the machinery of The Associated Press it took less than a minute for the news 10 travel 1000 miles.
 You folks accuston ed to the rattle of telegraph keys at American contests probably would not wonder at such speed were this tennis match at Forest Hills, but the facil- ties for reporting sporting events abroad are far from as adequate as in the United States.
 Pug" Saves Seat
 "The staff representative of The | Associated Press at this tennis 1 American-hired a prize fighter, one Blink McCloskey, 10 save a scat for him, so great was the pressure for space in the limited l stands. Blink held that seat for three hours and never had a harder fight during his twenty years in the ring. There were no wires 10 the i court. Motorcyclists carried dis patches in triplicate from the stands 1 to telegraph, telephone and cable | offices, struggling as best they could 1 through crowds outside the stands. The news was transmitted and re- transmitted six times before it reached San Francisco. yet Helen had not finished. shaking hands with her victorious opponent before the words Lcnglcn wins were be- ing typeWritten in newspaper offices in California by telegraph operators fr2nslating dots and dashes. Also 'hc' news was going verbally over the air from San Francisco in the manner l am speaking to you now. n accordance with the practise Of The Associated Press to permit out news matter to be broad ,ast.
 "Bofore you folks were at busi ness in New York that morning tho evening papers had complete ac. counts Of this tonnis match, much of which cost thirty-onc cents word for cable tolls alone. Cali ,ornians had the advantage of New Workers in tho news that day. They could read all about it in San Fran 'isco morning papers before break asst since it was only 4;1S a. m, coast time, when the match ended.
 Cooperative Effort
 Such speed would be almost pro 1ibitiVo for most American news papers in obtaining news from lbroad were it not for joint effort. The cost of the tennis story was nigh compared with domestic ana commercial messages, but think of '2.50 word! That is what it cost 'eccntIy for American newspaper cadcrS 10 he informed that the Jnlted States had joined other pow IFS in an ultimatum to Chinese bel igorcnts that there must be free tom of navigation.
 "mtcrnauona sport is having a jig year. Helen Wills is likely 10 'lay Suzanne again. The American Iuc"n Of the links shortly is 10 seek he British championship. An cx- 1 'oricnccd American new spapcrman [ Vho Is also golfer is now on the way to follow the fortunes of Miss ilonna Collctt and also inc efforts If eight American male golfers, the ream of th" amateurs, to defeat British team at the hom. Of golf, z nd American efforts to win the l British open and amateur titles. If ] ou are especially interested the irst editions of your evening papers ' will have considerable ot the days r 'lay before you hay" done much if ( ny work in tho morning. s
 "A 'itl q Eu@lishru visiting s >cW NorI, recently remarked: This { s 2 M-n1nrrml cnnnlrv. 1 rnod tlhn .