The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-08-16

as far as possible, the service of the
administrative and traffic heads in
charge of general and departmental
affairs of the companies at the time
the government took them over, Will
meet with general approval.
In so far as this applies to the Cum
berland and the Southern Bell COM
panies, the people of this part of the
ountry will be particularly pleased,
for either of these companies without
W. T. Gentry, as the administrative
head, and J. Epps Brown in charge of
the tremendous responsibilities Gen.
ter 1 in the office of vice presiden.
anu g,neral manager, would not seem
the sau.e to the people of the south.
Mr.. Gentry has been with the South
ern Bell since its organization-locat-
ed in Atlanta most of the time, first as
local manager with handful of tele-
phones, his authority constantly ex-
tending until now as president OF
both the Southern Bell and the Cum
berland companies, it covers all that
rast section reaching from the Ohio
river to the South Atlantic On cne
side. and the gulf on the other. Wneth-
er or not under the new condition he
will be identified with the government
operation of the lines, or will be re
tained as the corporate head Of these
two great organizations. has not as
vet been announced; but it is certain
that his connection will continue il
one capacity or the other. Certainly
2 ser so long and so honorable a serv-
ice nothing else could be expected.
That ]. Epps Brown will become the
federal operating head Of both COM
nanies seems to be assured by all re-
ports Of the rapidly developing stu
ION in which the government is TAX
ing firm hold of the lines just as It
d;t' witt, the railroads.
Mr.. Brown has only recently return
ri s~cm conference with the officials
at washington who are to be the fina;
arthority in telephone matters, and
while he makes no statement of what
happened it is generally conceded that
it is to him that the government Will
.u-n in centering all operating re-
sponsibilities into the hands Ct inc
cne man who will direct the affairs
of this division
The selection of Mr. Brown for this
:-1rortant duty will create no surprise
for il has haen generally accepted
that his wonderful career in the tel
eDtone service ~,cIzas t:m the ,ogit2l
non for the place.
In all of the great corpor2 .'"s -
this country there are few Officers
-~;-'1 greater natural executive ability
+han that possessed by Mr.. Brown
His power for organization and for
producing efficient service is so keen
'v developed as to make him a genius
in that line. Scarcely less marked
is his power to bring his coroporation5
and their numberless thousands of pa
~~s INTO cordial personal relations,
and even in the days when it was Gus
4omary for the ratrons of most corr
-crations TO hold themselves at arms
length in their business relations over
,rhlic service roat-ers. there oTiSro'
an exceptional attitude of amlty ane
confidence between the Southern BEL.
md the Cumberland and Their patrons.
# government operation Of the tel
ephone service in this part Of the
country is to be successful no one can
-ender greater service to that end
han !. Ems Brown. and the people
If this section who lave watched the
vor da-fal developments CT tae gceat