The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-10-05

Serious pilikia threatens the Tele-
phone company and it is likely that in
another day it will be felt by the sub
scribers, for the hello" girls are on
strike. At noon yesterday ten of them
walked out of the office and refused to
return. Only seven of the usual force
Of twenty remain in the office and of
these 1t is problematical how many will
remain today when the time comes for
them to go on duty.
The cause of all the trouble is the
action of ]. H. Cochrane in removing
from office the young lady who has
been the chief operator in the office ever
since the installation of the new sys-
tenn and placing another girl in her
position. Maria Brede has been the
chief operator In the office hitherto and
she was popular with the girls and well
liked by every one in the office. Louisa
Bal, the new chief, Is reported not to
be so popular, and at any rate as soon
as it was made known that she was to
have the position and that Miss Brede
was to be reduced to that of a mere
operator there was flashing of eyes
and a shaking of heads that BODIED Ill
for the management.
Wednesday evening the word leaked
out of change that was to be made in
the morning. A hurried conference was
called and immediate action was decid-
ed on. Miss Bal took her place at the
chief operators desk yesterday morn
ing while Miss Brede did not appear at
all. During the morning hours the girls
worked in perfunctory fashion, but
there was much whispered conversa-
ton among them while subscribers
waited for their connections in vain.
AT noon nine. of the girls went to
luncheon and did not return. One other
operator seeing that her companions
had left her, followed their lead and left
Immediately after luncheon.
So all yesterday afternoon the big
switch board was operated by but seven
girls, instead of from fifteen to twenty
as is usual, and the devoted ones were
kept scampering from end to end of the
board until at nightfall they were COM
pletely worn out, while the patience of
the subscribers-well the less said
about that the better.
| 1T is all because they went and put in
that Bal girl as chief operator" said
one of the strikers yesterday afternoon.
She was a little damsel with dark hair
ard eyes but she had mind and a will
of. her own. that was evident by the
way her eyes snapped as she spoke of
the interloper who had been placed
over her in place of the friend who has
had charge for so long
! Just as soon as we learned that she
was going to be made chief operator we
all said that we wouldn't stand it at all
and we would leave the place first We
| had a meeting last evening at which
every one of us promised to quit unless
they kept Maria Brede in her place
This morning there was the Bal girl as
chief operator and 1t was said that
Maria Brede had been put back to q
place on the board. So we just left a,
noon that was all. We won't work un.
der Louisa Bal, that is certain. MY
mother told me that If they put her in
charge was to come home, and I did
That is all there is to it. Ten of us
quit this noon and the rest are going tc
walk out tonight. What are they goine
to do to fill our places? / don't know
and 1 don't care. I'm through there
while that girl Is in charge, that:
sure"
Manager Cassidy said that what wa.
done was all in the interest of the sub.
scribers.
Mr.. Corcoran is in charge In there
now and he will tell you all about the
matter" he said
And said Mr.. Corcoran: THE chang,
was made for the good of the system
The subscribers have complained thai
something must be done to give them {
better service. They sent for me and
am here to try to put things in shape
This change of chief operators wa.
made by me, and 1t was for the purpos,
of increasing the efficiency of the sys
tenn. If the girls will not work undel
the new chief operator we shall hav,
to get others that is all. We shall GER
tainly not allow them to run our busi