"White House Report" on Myrtle Bergheim by Bryson Rash

"WHITE HOUSE REPORT" September 18, 1950 Bryson Rash American Broadcasting Co. White House close-up. Personal Secretary to the Press Secretary. Miss Myrtle Bergheim is the good right arm to Charlie Ross in one of the most difficult jobs in the White House. Myrtle is a petite, well dressed young lady who weighs less than a hundred pounds. She doesn't smile often, and occasionally she is brusque in manner and sharp in speech, but who wouldn't be, with a hundred reporters hounding you every minute for information, more details, a new lead, a new query. Miss Bergheim has been in the Press Office at the White House for ten years longer than anyone else. She worked for Steve Early, then came Jonathan Daniels, and now Charlie Ross about whom she says "There is no better boss." Myrtle is a native of Howard, South Dakota. She attended school there and in Minnesota. Came to Washington 14 years ago and started work at the Veterans Administration. Then came the White House and the momentous and exciting news stories of the decade Pearl Harbor, D-Day, F.D.R.'s death, V-J Day, V-E Day, the atom bomb, etc., etc. But in spite of all these major news stories and the hard, grinding work they involve, Miss Bergheim says her most difficult year-round job is answering phones millions of calls and not telling people what you know. It's really the high art of diplomacy, parke practiced by the little girl from South Dakota. THERE -