The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-11

BOY w. Howard
for a first-rate correspondent to
achieve dazzling scoops" The most
remarkable Of these, says Miller
were made by Fred s. Ferguson,
then general news manager OF Uni
ted Press, and now president Of the
Newspaper Enterprise Association.
SCOOPS THE WORLD
II was Ferguson who scooped
the world on the first gas attack
on the American army, In Febru-
airy, 1919 He slept In a field
hospital Just behind the lines, In
stead OF going back to headquar.
tiers with the other correspon-
dents, and In the carly dawn the
Germans loosed their gas attack.
Ferguson gathered the details,
dashed back to headquarters, and
cabled his story. The other cor
respondents did not learn Of 1t UNI
til noon; by the time they wrote
and cabled their stories, they
were too late for that days papers
In America. Ferguson got q clear
24-hour beat.
Ferguson also registered q scoop
on the wounding OF Archie Roose-
welt. Censorship permitted cores
pondents to name individuals who
were decorated, but forbade use OF
names OF casualties.
Roosevelt received a croix de
g,ierre OH his hospital cot; Fergu-
son promptly cabled the United
Press IN New York: Archie
Roosevelt awarded croix dc guerrc
under most extraordinary circum-
stances stop phone Oyster Bay"
The United Press In New York tel
ephoned ex President Roosevelt
and learned from hiri--he had been
notified by the War Department
that Archie was wounded.
ANOTHER GREAT BEAT
Most spectacular OF all was
Ferguson's scoop on the great ST.
Mihiel drive. The night before
the attack, all the correspondents
were addressed by Col. Dennis
Nolan, chic OF intelligence for the
u. 9. Army.
He used q detailed map, told
them exactly what was TO DO done
outlined every phase Of the pro-
jected advance, and told them
what the objectives were to be.
Zero hour was TO be 8 the next
morning. While the other corre-
spondents waited for II, Ferguson
wrote In advance the entire story
Of the attack, as outlined by Col
Nolan. -
He wrote the story In short
takes" or sections; each complete
In itself, deposited them with the
censor, and instructed him 10 re.
lease them, during Ferguson'S OBJ.
sence at the front. II and when Of
ficial reports indicated that thu
events described had actually &C.
cured.
Then, with oil the others, Fer
g,ison went to the front. Within
q few hours II became clear tina
the drive was going according x
plan, and Ferguson's message!
were transmitted TO America
reaching there before tho othcl
correspondents were even able X
get back from the battle and star
writing. I.
HowARD's OWN STORY
Perhaps the high spot OF NIL
ler's book Is It's inclusion OF thu
first first-hand written account o.
the premature armisticc dispatch
OF Nov. Z - that dispatch which
had the United States celebrating
franticaily four days In advance.
This account rs written by Ro,
w. Howard, who was then >presi'
dent OF the United Press, and II
Is the first time that Mr.. Howard
has ever written his own story o.
the circumstances back OF the frs
armistice report.
Howard was leaving Paris or
route home, on the night o.
Wednesday, Nov. 8. He knew
then that the war was practically
over. with his wife and Fergu'
son, Howard crossed Paris In
wheeling taxi-2a survivor Of thu
ancient fleet OF cabs which moyet
troops TO the first battle Of thu
Name, and so saved Paris:
II the cab, which broke dowr
three times, had broken dowi
once more. Howard would have
missed his boat train for Brest
and tire story Of the first armistic'
would never have been written. Thu
margin Of circumstances was tina
close.
But the venerable cab 60
through by frenzied repairing
, Howard caught his train and ar
, rived In Brest ct 0 In the morn
ing OF Nov. z, Just In time TO heal
manifold rumors that the arms
| tice had actually been signed.
CHAsEs PEACE RUMOR
Here was news of earth-shak
ing inlportance--if the rumor wer
: true. And Brest was the cablehead
and D dispatch filed there wen
straight To New York, wherea
those filed at Paris frequently too
from three TO seven hours even =
; get transmitted to Brest.
n Howard by any chance coul
!. verify that rumor that morning
!. he would have tho scoop OF tn
J. world.
He hurried to the office q
J. Lieut.. Arthur Hornblow, Jr.. chic
Intelligence officer on the staff
!, Gen. George il. Harries, com
! mander Of the American forces Q
Brest. Lieut.. Hornblow had hear
: the rumor. but had no official ~
] formation.
admiral Henry D. Wilson. com