Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-05
T e lie h e and
Telegra ph Pro-
vision Al w a y S
Adequate, Wit h
Total Of Fifty
eight Possible
Connections in
Executive Wire
Room.
BY ROBIN HOOD.

body else on earth.
He can now get into almost in
Simultaneous communication over his
private telegraph and telephone system
with any part Of the United States:
His cable connections can be Joined
up in a minute or two with any of the
other capitals Of the world. His lines,
too, are wide open" "a hours of the
day. The service he gets is 100 per
cent efficient
THE line is biz-zy'' is never heard
from Central when the President
wishes to talk over the phone, and his
kilograms are always marked Rush
and placed ION top of the pile"
The head of the greatest business and
administrative establishment in exist
ence anywhere is literally at the very
center of the network Of millions OF
miles of telephone and telegraph wires
and ocean cables that reach to the ut
termost outposts of civilization. Presi-
dent Hoover can now call up London
from his office desk and talk by wire
less with the American Ambassador, or
send a wire to the Isle Of zap or
Yucatan. and get double-quick action
every time.
The president can "cut in" on the
leased wires Of the great newS-gatner-
ing agencies, and thus get the latest
information or gossip on the course
OF THOSE happenings oSONS
NAV at the moment be curious; such.
for instance as proposed tariff reprlsals
abroad or the maneuverings OF rival
rebel bands in Mexico.
To run such an extraordinarily re-
liable and comprehensive outnt one
would expect to md smaH army n.y.. or
operators in attendance. AS mater
Of fact, the White House wire room
is manned by Chief Edward w. Smith,
ers and four operators. This small stan
is SUFFICIENT for continuous day-ano-
night service.
However, the equipment Is far more
impressive. consisting, As 1t does: % q
a telegraph desk hooked up WIN 10
trunk lines.
WHY so many lines? 1t Is matter
w of safety first" The head OF the
limited states Government must not
take chances. Cyclones, tornaooes,
storms. floods or earthquakes may at
any moment bring down IN some part
or other on the United states one s OF
more of these lines, and the PRESIDENT
ynnst never be cut off from contact
With the outside world for however
short A time. With 40 telephones ana
IA telegraph lines at his disposal 1t IS
felt that the President Is pretty sa1e
from the risk Of ever being LETT ma
rooned on Pennsylvania avenue OH az
count Of part of this service oelne out
The telegraph and telephone operators
of the commercial companies clear the
lines and make prompt connexions
when the President wishes 70 Talk OF
send a wire. He is also given the rignt
of way when he has . cablegram Ior
some distant corner Of the globe:
When the words "the President wishes
to speak over long distance" are re-
ceived at Central, the necessary wires
are imnediately opened for him. no
matter who may be using them. Inc
Nations business gets the f1rst cali
every time.
Should the President. for instance,
decide to get into direct touch with tne
American Army or Navy ranking omcer
in Shanghai, the Western Union Wne
to San Francisco would be thrown op s.n
Commercial Pacific Gable Co. by way OF
Honolulu, Midway Islands. Guam
Manila. to Shanghai In the same way,
he could have expedited message over
anv of the worlds six ana nan HH-
lion miles Of telegraph wires
In this country he has immediate &C
cess to any of the 100000 telephones
and $1,000 telegraph ofiices. ne can can
command instant service over 81 'OVo'U Uoo
miles Of telephone wires ana 1'oVo'oOo
miles Of telegraph wires.
There is A special call board in the
washington western Union once 70
watch for White House and Government
business. It has IL small lamps on IL,
one for the White House and the otnels
for the big Government departments.
But for the White House there Is an
additional lamp over the telegraph desk
which is much larger than the otneIs.
when the President has something 70
send, the two White House lights nasn
out. and a special operator, who is al
wavs on duty. Immediately informs the
wire chief Of the fact, and the decks
are at once cleared for action.
Saw the President wants to SEND
telegram to Denver This Is what nap
pens: Smithers calls up the wire cnle1
of the Western Union in washington.
The wire chief asks for the CHIEF ais
patcher in New York. who has entlre
control of the whole Western Union
system. and the chief dispatcher
thames" the wire between washington
and Chicago to be used. At Chicago
the line is hooked-up to an overland
circuit" to Denver. In less than ~
minutes the Presidents telegram is on
its way.
phone Of the land Is listed as Nam o,
WaSQlnEIOII, ~ ~ AAAob 40 SAAS
YOU ask for it you want to get the
President on the phone or any OF his
offlcial family.
II Won should want to talk to the
President or one of his secretaries, you
would have to identify yourself TO the
operator If you have legitimate busl-
ness. you would be connected with the
Secretary to the President or one OF
the assistant SECRETARIES. He would Try
IN settle whatever matters were brought
up, and unless your call was OF the very
greatest importance. 1t would get no
further than the Secretary to the Presi-
dent, or the Presidents personal secre-
tary.
There are persons whose calls to the
President are seldom halted, such a.
cabinet members. some OF the leader:
of the House and Senate and persona
friends. From long association, thu
operators recognize the voices OF thu
most frequent callers They know with
whom he Is willing to talk, and when.
THE White House wireroom men, al
L of whom are veterans Of 20 or NOR
years at the job, are more than mer
operators For one thing, they. car
work both the telegraph and the phone
They take a lot of work of the Presi
dents hands, and also OF the hand
Of the secretaries. They often transac
Official business on their own RESPONSE
departments rather than bother tn
Chief But while they many times pas
the buck" in this way for the Presiden
they must forever be on tho lockout II
the Presidents friends or there Will
trouble.
TWO of the White House operator
rN"~na's n worsirs day an1 nigh
%tNrt -