The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-05-19
W0MENINWhR
TAKING FRONT
DU TIES
Telephone Girl Has
Already Demonstrated Her
Infinite KesOurcefulneSS.
CAPACITY FOR
ACCURATE WORK
Neither Men nor French WO-
men Have Proven as Satisfac-
tory as American Girl

WASHINGTON, May iS.-Since the
early days of the war women of the
allied countries have distinguished
themselves in various lines of war
work. Whether fighting shoulder to
shoulder with men in the Russian Bat
TALON of Death, driving amublances
over shell-torn roads, nursing in mill
tary hospitals or performing thous-
and and one duties at home, women
have taken an important part.
However, there has been thrown
open a new field in which the Ameri-
can woman already has demonstrated
her infinite resourcefulness, innate
versatility and racial capacity for
speedy. accurate work. The new task
is that of operating an American tele-
phone exchange, often a short distance
behind the trenches in France. =
In modern warfare, the telephone ha
assumed such Importance that fire.
quently it is referred to as the nerves
of the army. 1t was not to be expect.
ed that General Pershing's expedition
airy forces were to rely on foreign sys-
tenn of telephone communication, aban
doning the more eXpedient service
which this nation as a pioneer in the
field, had developed. Accordingly, vast
quantities of telephone material were
taken overseas and installed by the
! army signal corps. During 1917 men OPP
orators and French women were usei
for the work but neither group was
satisfactory.
The great difficulty was procuring
operators, capable of speaking both
French and English, who were neces-
sary in order to maintain accurate
communication between the French and
American armies. In November, last
year, General Pershing called upon
headquarters of the signal corps to
forward overseas as Soon as possible
a force of 100 trained operators, able
to speak inteIilgently in both tongues.
Believing it possible to obtain opeT-
ators with a command of both Ian
guages in parts Of the continent where
there were large French populations,
an effort first was made to fill the
quota from the French pioneers OF
Canada and Louisiana. Want ads
were placed in the French-Canadian
papers, but from more than 300 appli-
cants only could be considered. Then
the announcement was published in
newspapers of this country. and from
2,i00 applicants there were procured
p experienced operators and IS pos
sible eligibles. At the present time
and from that list the first group Of
100 was selected and sent across, i50I
more are now in training schools, and
reserve force of 400 more is on file
Under existing regulations, wives Of
army officers or enlisted men are not
eligible to those units. Unauthorized
stories to the effect that wives of army
officers had found it possible to reioin
their husbands in France by enlistingl
in the phone units caused the office OF
the signal corps to be flooded with
applications which necessarily had to
be rejected.
Each applicants character and ability
was certified by her previous employ
er before she was considered. A psy-l
chologist gave tests to the prospective
operator, using methods employed byI
the army in judging qualifications oil
officers. Also, since the work TO be
performed was largely of a confidential
nature and would give the operator
carefully-guarded information as to,
troop movements, each candidates 10y
atty and motive for applying for servicel
were thoroughly Investigated by secret
service agents.
On January IL, the first group enter