Evening star., 1937-07-03
Cooperative Store Offers
Foods From Experimental
Farm-Four Cafeterias
Feed Employees and
There Is Dancing
in the Patio.
THE communication system Of this
huge building is irnnressiue

he communication system OF this
huge building is impressive
A multiple panel switchboard is
provided with stations for 10 op-
orators These girls are constantly
busy. Under the multiple hook-up
the call for any phone shows at every
station and any one Of the 10 op-
orators can answer it.
The operators require more than
switchboard experience. They must
learn the personnel of the building
and the nature of the work OF each
They must know to whom to connect
the outside inquirer seeking informa-
ton
For instance. recently a hesitant
voice inquired concerning control of
bedbugs. With no delay whatsoever
the operator connected the inquirer
to an expert on household insect
control. II data on proper feeding
of lawns is sought the operator knows
just the branch to answer the ques-
tiorls.
OF course. the operators cannot
know the extension number for every
one of the II 900 persons whose names
are on the departments registry. To
help out when the operator Is stuck
two girls are at the informa ton desk
They. too, are constantly busy. Han
ding the directory. which covers 5000
telephones, is a task in itself.
Telephones by no means exhaust
the communications system. -Four
telegraph and two teletype operators
are in consctant employment. Radio.
too. finds its place. with wires leading
from the departments microphones to
the Naval Radio Station, NAA, at
Arlington. Over this station frequent
broadcasts are made to the Midwest
and Far West
If you are scientific minded. the first
wing will intrigue you. From base
ment to top floor each corridor is
lined with laboratories. In them is
tested everything from soaps to patent
medicines, from poisons which kill
plant pests to the diseases which kill
animals. from the foodstuffs sold for
human consumption to the germina-
ton of seeds sold the farmer. from
wood to dress fabrics. The scientists
OF the Food and Drug Administration,
Of the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils
of the Bureau of Plant Industry, of
Entomology and Plant Quarantine. OF
Agricultural Engineering, Of the Forest
Service and other branches Of this
vast establishment find their en-
ployment in the many and varied
laboratories, varied in many ways. but
uniform in one, the possession Of the
most modern equipment.
JUST as no expense was considered
in erecting this highly efficient
building, so none was spared IN pro-
viding for the equipment which went
into its many rooms.
In connection with the Laboratories,
one interesting exhibit is maintained,
known as the chamber of horrors.
Located in room 2l5l, it is we'll worth
visit. On tables and pasted on the
walls are many examples of mislead-
ing and often vicious packages of
food and drugs. Along one wall are
lined up one famous old patent medi-
cine after another, names familiar to
every one. Most of them offer the
purchaser a cure for many diseases,
while, in fact. giving only pleasant
jag induced by the high alcoholic con-
tent of the remedy, which is no rem
edy at all, but merely stimulant.
AS an example, one remedy was
accompanied by a testimonial Of an
invalid who said how much he was
improved after taking three bottles,
"As long as I live" he wrote, I'm