Atlanta Georgian., 1913-01-24

A Womans g heart is the same the
world over--a heart full of sympathy,
and yet heart to be steeled and hard
at times.
But the sense of duty varies with the
different women. and whether Wanda
Kelly. operator heroine of the play,
The Woman" was right when she cut
off a call to save a womans name and
refused to divulge the number called,
still is a matter of dispute, although
twenty telephone girls of Atlanta have
spoken on the subject.
Telephone girls from Atanta's
switchboards have a variety of opin-
ions Twenty of them saw the play
last night, and although all of them
love Wanda Kelly for her pluck and for
her sympathy, there are some who
think she should have been on her job
and not "butting in" on the affairs of
other persons.
They are in the minority, though.
Most of the girls give enthusiastic in
dorsement of the plucky heroine who
defied a lobby of old line politicians,
and won out
Problems Of Girls Differ.
The difference of opinion comes be-
cause there are operators and opera
tors, and as many viewpoints as opera
tors. Because. after all, Wanda Kelly
spoke the truth when she said that the
switchboard was the whole world. The
"hello" girl of the public board is not
of the same sphere as the operator of
the private boards of offices and hotels
and stores. Their problems are differ
ent, the girls explain. Their philosophy
is different. For instance:
Wanda Kelly had no business but
ting in, but when she was in, maybe
she was right in going as far as she
did," the girls of the Southern Bell
switchboard-the public 'centrals'-
will tell you.
wanda Kelly did as l would have
done or as any other telephone girl or
other woman, either, would have done.
She was fine" is the consensus of opin-
ion of the P. B. operators-as the girls
on the private boards aFe known tech
ncally in the switchboard world.
Think Only of Service.
The girls themselves explain it. The
T
touch with things about her She has
more prvileges. they say. Her sympa
thies are with those about her, most of
whom she knows
But the public board operator. work
ing with thousands and thousands of
persons, serves the Great Public and
like a true public servant has her
thought and her conscience directed
only toward efficient service. That is
why the Southern Bell girls say that
they would not kill a call. Maybe they
would as a p 3. operator, but never on
the public switchboard.
But be that az it may there is none
who does not pine, after last night 10
do romantic service as did Wanda kel-
ly Whether their viewpoint is the inn
personal one of the Southern Bell
board, or the warmly personal attitude
of the private board girl, they are girls
after all, and very much smitten with
the woman of their craft who fought
for another woman.
All Call Wanda Good Operator.
They all admit that in one way OF
another. They may not all approve
Wanda's methods. but oh, how their
hearts went out to her when she was
in trouble!
They all think she is a good opera tor.
They laughed sympathetlcally when sine
cut off the fellow who wanted date"
They knew that she was on her job
when she told the cranky old woman
the time of day-when she handled
angry men and women all with the
| cool, tolerant, patient tone.
AT last the people can see that we
are human beings" said one delighted
| operator today.
But the girls all frowned al Wanda :
occasional eavesdropping They were
shocked in fact
They Never Listen!
"Oh, no, we never do that" they said
in unison.
The girls who saw the show loved
Wanda Kelly from the first. They gig
eled, right out, plainly gggled. when
they saw and heard her do things that
they do every day. They hung breath
| less on the tense periods. and there
were three who displayed smarting. red
palms this morning from their enthusi-
astic manner OF applauding the hello"
girl of the Washington hotel
The girls who saw the play last night
as The Georgian's guests, and who gaze
| their opinions of Wanda Kelly and of
her problems today, were Miss Oma
Harbin. M. Rich e. Bros; Miss II. c.
McDonnold, Keely's; Miss Clara Kelly.
j. M. High Company: Miss Flora Reed,
| Chamberlin- Johnson DuBose; Miss Jo-
sic Rice, Davis Paxon Stokes Mrs. T..
Lawler. Jacobs Mrs. Dora Thompson,
Georgia Railway and Power Company;
Miss Ruth Phillips. Federal building
Miss Mary Mcconnell, Central Bank
and Trust Corporation, and Mrs Bette
Mitchell, Misses Ada Mealor, Alice
Means, Sallie Coombs. Cora Eta Aus
| tin. Edna Schwartz, Hazel Elrood. Ruth
| F'urral ElmOnia Tutherow and cath.
lene Haybach OF the Southern Bel
! Company.