Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-18

should remember there are some 40
100000 daily newspaper subscribers in
the United States. British foot ball is
more important to many readers than
readers would rather smile at a Joke
from Lady Astor than quail before the
dire predictions OF Philip Snowden.
News Events Flashed" First.
But how is this tremendous grist of
foreign news collected?
The news agencies of the various Eu-
ropean countries provide the basic news
reports. These agencies have CORE
spondents scattered throughout their
respective countries who report to
strategic centers.
An earthquake in Bulgaria Is flashed
to Sofia. A clash with Macedonians on
the Jugoslavian border is telephoned to
Belgrade. A landslide in the Corinth
Canal Is wirelesSed by some ship to
Athens. There are news agencies in all
these countries, with which the Associ-
ated Press mas exchange arrangements
AS soon as the Associated Press cor
respondent gets Tip" through one of
these agencies, or through his own rep
rcSentattve in the territory where the
news originated. he flashes the news to
London or New York and begins an in
vestigation. II story Is Of outstanding
Importance staff reporter is rushed to
the scene by airplane from the nearest
bureau. Perhaps a photographer also
Is sent. Consular and diplomatic off,
GERS and the police force are appealed
to for information. Telegraph tele-
phone and wireless are brought into
play. News is sought from newspapers
near the scene.
Vienna is the best communications
center in Central Euorpe. Consequently
stories originating in the Balkan coun-
tries are handled ordinarily through
Vienna. Sometimes as many as four or
five capitals will cooperate by tele-
phone, telegraph and wireless in COM
pleting story. 1t becomes like a game
OF ball Correspondents in the outfield
often render invaluable service.
Britain Accessible for News.
News collection is much simpler In
small, highly developed country like
Great Britain than in Turkey or China
The British telegraph system is eff
clent, and IN addition to the Press As
ISOLATION, with which the Associated
Press has an exclusive contract, there
are several lesser news agencies, such
as the Exchange Telegraph and the
Central News, which have correspond
ents all over the British Isles. The AS
oOSAuON0 1lCoS dlSO has It's OWL COTTe-
Spondents in strategic points through
out the islands. Distances are short in
England. Telephones are good Train
schedules are satisfactory. Highways
are excellent and an efficient police
service Is always ready to cooperate with
the press. Then there is no language
difficulty after an American has tuned
his ear to the provincial dialects.
European countries take great pride
IN having direct cable service to the
United States and are eager to have
relay in London or Paris. Those which
have no direct cable are eager to have
their news wirelessed direct to New
York II possible. They are anxious for
communications with America which
are not subject to interference on the
part Of any other power. War has
taught them the great advantage ma
ton has which can dominate communi-
cations.
Unhappily, cables and wireless sys-
TENS and telegraph and telephone sys-
equipment and the efficiency Of their
operating stats. Routes which look
good on communications maps are often
impossible.
BY constant checking of transmission
time the news agencies soon learn
which cables are old and slow. They
discover where wireless is better than
the land lines, where telephone beats
the telegraph and the wireless. Conse-
quently, the chart showing how mes
sage is routed from some remote part
Of Europe would often be a puzzle to a
novice. The knowledge of how the
communications routes work is indis-
penSable to a successful correspondent.
World Covered" in 40 Tongues.
Mr.. Stone once remarked that there
was no mystery or magic about foreign
news collection. His formula was to put
efficient men in all strategic news CEN
tiers and keep them there as an inSur-
ance. It sounds simple, but its execu-
ton is expensive. Strategic news CEN
tiers are numerous and there is often a
great difference of opinion as to their
relative importance.
It is not unusual for Associated Press
headquarters in New York to have mes
sages from as many as 100 points out
side of the United States within "a
hours. There must always be men on
duty the world around to flash the news
of an earthquake in New Zealand or
British Honduras, riot in Calcutta, a
battle in Manchuria, border clash in
Upper SileSia or an attack upon the
life of Premier Ismet Pasha in Istan-
bull
While American readers sleep scores
Of American correspondents all over
the world and thousands Of foreign
news workers associated with the great
ym&uNrlv ~ fANUR agAf1niAR and HAWgna.