Evening star., 1935-06-21
BY REX COLLIER.
A NATIONWIDE teletype sys-
" TEN linking the 81 field Offices
a of the Federal Bureau of In

" TEN linking the 81 field Offices
~ of the Federal Bureau of In
A n Vestigation with a new COM
munications nerve center" in the De-
partment of Justice Building has just
been placed in operation.
The coast-to-coast and border to-
border network of teletype wires. de-
signed to shut off suspected leakage
of confidential messages to outside
interests" augments the elaborate
ganglion of telephone lines connecting
Director J. Edgar Hoover's head
quarters with permanent and rowing
squads of "G-men" in the field.
A special communications section
has been established near Hoovers
offices and in this suite are not only
a battery of teletype machines click
ing of secret orders In the Weyer-
haeuser kidnapping and other current
cases. but new three-place tele-
phone switchboard operated by men.
Kidnap Numbers Labeled.
Conspicuously labeled in orange on
the switchboard are two significant
numbers: ma. 7l17-Na. 7ll8" These
are the special emergency telephone
lines reserved for kidnapping calls.
These numbers may be called at any
time of the day or night by the family
of a kidnapped victim. Hoover urges
that families of victims in abduction
cases lose no time in putting through
a collect long distance call to wash
ington, D. c., National I'LL" Tele-
phone companies throughout the Ma
ton are ready to cooperate in routing
such a call through with minimum
Of delay.
Such a telephone call was made by
Mrs Charles F. Urschel few minutes
after her husband was dragged bodily
from her porch by the Harvey Bailey
Machine gun" Kelly gang of kid
napers. This prompt call enabled
Hoover's men to get an early start on
the trail of the adbuctors, all of whom
now are in Federal prison.
Replaces Telegraph.
The teletype system replaces tele-
graph in all official non-oral wire
communications. Not only have all
the field Offices been connected by
teletype, but the temporary Office set
up in the Tacoma kidnapping investi-
cation also has been hooked in.
A message was being typed out on
the teletype today concerning secret
movement of a squad of agents in con-
nection with the Weyerhaeuser case.
Another machine was reporting re-
suits of an investigation into personal
habits of an applicant for appoint
ment as special agent. Meanwhile, a
telephone call came in from Harold
Nathan, assistant director of the bu-
reau, stationed at Tacoma. Nathan
wanted to talk with Hoover about the
hunt for William Mahan, fugitive
kidnaper of the WeyerhaeuSer boy.
On 24-Hour Basis.
The communications section oper-
ates on 24-hour schedule. All the
field Offices also remain open all night.
'Gangland doesn't adhere to time
schedule" Hoover commented I'VE
have to be ready for emergencies at
night as well as day."
The new section also is the central
receiving and distributing point for all
mail. A special force of clerks opens
and sorts the thousands of letters that
pour into the bureau every day from
far places.
An independent section probably
will be opened to handle radio traffic
when the bureaus proposed short
wave radio station is a reality. Over
the radio the bureau plans to flash
orders to its Offices and to mobile
squads engaged in active manhuntS.