The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-04-01
FOR TELEPHONE GIRLS
Isn't She Entitled to the Same GalIan.
try Over the Phone Extended
to Others?

Usually the telephone girl is a
much abused young lady-principally
because she fails to respond on the
instant with the number that is
wanted and the case is very frequent
that there is smothered i:nvre ition
on the part of the man and q s.lte-
ment to the effect that 10 Wi re-
por to the management. We are in
clined to grow a little restful under
the waiting hat has to be done m
times, but as a general rule the cen
with hundreds of wires to be answ-
cred time and again during the day
or night. If busy people will stop
and think that perhaps the central
young ladies might be somewhat
busy at the same time, perhaps the
%gallantry would find a place in his
accomplishments for the young lady
at the other end of the line. The
Sioux City News takes up this phase
of the lack of gallantry in an editor
ial that is quite applicable to the
situation in most any town where
an extensive exchange is operated:
Every day in the street cars we
see men leap out of their seats and
bowling gracefully, present them to
ONE
Fine, but will the same man speak
kindly to the telephone central when
she gives him the wrong number?
At the church, the theatre, on the
street, we witness the gallantry OF
our housekeeping aside while the
lady passes, gently assisting his com
panion with her cloak. taking the
arm of the timid woman among the
tearing autos, the rafting trucks and
changing cars.
Beautiful. but if central fails to
answer promptly, will these same
gentlemen be tolerant of her lack
of activity, or will they scold her and
report the delay to the manager?
Out of sight of gallantry, the cour-
tesy that is not seen by the world is
the real %gallantry. There is plenty
of gallantry on display, but is there
much of it under cover?
DR.. Robert Dryer, of the Univer-
sity. of Toronto, an expert in ne
vous diseases, says that the work of
the telephone girl is one of the most
terrible occupations to American
working women. He says: after
these girls have served the company
four or five years and have got mar
ried and left the service, they turn
out badly in their domestic relations.
They break down %nervously, and have
ervou children, and it is a loss to
the community. 1 think it is the
duty of the state to legislate in mat
tiers of this kind. 1t is this sort of
thing that is laying the foundation
of the asylums."
DR.. Jas. NJ. Anderson, ano her
specialist, is quoted as saying: II
have treated a number of telephone
girls, most for eye troubles, headache
and nervous strain. After a service
of three or four years I would ev-
pect to find an exhausted woman
hood"
After hearing these experiences
what man or woman is there who
will not blush at the thought of any
~mistreatment of these slaves of the
industrial system? OF course. the
penny skimping telephone trust is at
the base of the evil. 1t employs toe
few women, at ridiculous salaries
considering the hazardous work, and
it allows the girl to take abuse of the
public when the service is faulty.
Many people will claim that the
; testimony Of doctors quoted above
is an argument for debarring all wo'
men from industry. But the tele:
phone girl is working because she
has to live, and hat knocks thai
argument fiat. AS the social system
will not be changed in a day, i
might be we'll for us to think O:
plans for changing the industrial
!, system-devising laws that will force
employers to deal fairly with theil
workers.
Exhausted womanhood after g;
:. or 4 years." and for three or fou,
: dollars per week-bread money!
is unthinkable.
= Patrons of the telephone, until re
form comes. can help the girl at thu
other end of the wire by refrainin.
from abuse and venting anger 70.
poor service upon the real cause o
the trouble.
; START ON GOOD ROADS