Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-11-21

phone company's building, Mir. Hicks said that pickating is the natural se qucnce of a strike; that this strike was intended to be sudden, and that when it was called crowds of curious ones assembled. He said the injunc- tion "is new piece of machinery" to many people, and was not fully un derstood. Then he referred to tho rumors that "sNike breakers would be brought in, and said this was all ways a good way to attract a crowd. He mentioned the calling out of the Home Guards and the commissioning of special deputy sheriffs to preserve order, and said that as soon as peo- pie understood the import of the in- junction they began to disperse; and that precautions were taken by the la bor leaders to see that the order would be obeyed.
 Mir. Hicks indicated that legal ad- vice was that the injunction could be dissolved because it was mot legal". as there had been no attempt at vio- lence," but the people want to obey the law, and Pine Bluff can rest assur- cd that the labor people "'want no rioting. and are not going to have it'' The speaker asserted that the union men of Pine Bluff, at any time during this crisis, will submit to arbitration. and are now willing to arbitrate tn" telephone situation, Aud said if government mediator is brought in they will leave the case to his decis- ion. In support of the organization, MT. Hicks quoted Judge Elliotts state- ment that eff he were in the girls place he woud join the union" and said that while labor is willing for the government to regulate it, if oth- CT movements are regulation, labor is not willing to surrender it's rights while 'others go on making big prof. it's"
 D. l.. Goble was then introduced, and said he preferred for the people to hear the situation from "the girls who were born and reared here, rath- CT than from an outsider" and he called upon Miss Pearl Coons to ad- dress the audience. Miss Coons said: Miss CoOns' Experience.
 "I have been in the employ of the Telephone company twice. came back the last time as all experienced operator, and I began at S6 per week. Ny sister and I were trying to keep light housekeeping and she was not ! getting much more than that. My salary is now $S per week When the girls first began talking about organizing union, l was not inter- ested. The officials told us that we did nos. need union. and l thought that I was getting all l was worth, so felt that way about it myself Then they told US that a German spy was coming to be our organizer. It was not long before I received an in yitation to little party and found out he was going to be there. I did not want to- go. but I found that he was not so bad as they said. Before I know it, about 30 girls belonged to the union. and I was left out. Be- cause did not belong to the union they would not have anything to do with me, and because they would not let me in their meetings. I could not find out anythin., about the union l Finally, I found that it was pretty | good thing and decided to join my ] self. Then a committee of some of the business men, barker, preach 1 CT, a sheriff or two, the Mayor of the city, and others came to the office 1 and asked us to be more patriotic
 and not organize at this time; that
 we did noa need union, but to wait until after the war.
 l "I want to say that if Pine Bluff
 wants to Bring up the standard o1
 womanhocd, they should pay the
 working girls enough to live on. ]
 thini. Pine Bluff has a mighty gooc
 bunch of working girls. I happen ts
 b, home on Saturday night with g small pay check, and the grovery man
 is waining With large bill, and the
 dry goods man, and a lot of others
 they find it mighty hard to get by
 If the people of Pine Bluff want tt
 make better girls and happier girls
 and keep the girls good, I would ad
 wise them to pay the girls a living
 salary. I think here is the cause O
 lots of girls deciding there is no L,
 ter use to care.
 My sister and I have been tryins
 light housekeeping and we are find
 ing 1t very hard. We are very mucl
 in debt now, and unless we can carr
 more money, we will stay in deb
 until after the war.
 "But, whether am here ao enjo,
 it or not, I hope to see the telephon.
 Girls in Pine Bluff drawing Twin:
 aa1arv aorno dovO