Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-02
us. TELEPHONE, SYSTEM
IN FRANCE WONDERED IT ;,
Work of Operators, Linemen and Electricians Really
Marvelous-"Hello Girls" Duly Enrolled as Mem
bers of American Expeditionary Forces

PARIS. Feb. among all the
American workers in the complicated
business OF bringing peace to the world
which Paris now Observation-Disclosures
tiarics, secretaries, officers wearing the
gold anchor OF the navy and the gold
oak leaf OF the army. correspondents
and clcrks--there arc some whose part
Is no less important but whose faces
never are seen. These are the telc-
phone girls who sit behind American
switchboards in eight central stations,
and with their def fingers assist the
high and the low TO send their voice
one mile or near n thousand. as the
exigencies OF the business demand.
American girls. all OF them, between
OF Il uniform with the crossed flags of
the signal corps at the shoulder and
duly enrolled as members Of the Amer
lean expeditionary forces. Here is a
body of the American army which never
has been Elorited in dispatches from
the field OF action nor had crosses be-
slowed upon individual members;
great effort America has made to bring
victory on the side OF right, these
hello girls" in uniform have pulled
a strong oar 1t is their due that they
anonymity Of number, please
CONVICTIONS ESTABLISHED
QUICKLY WITH CENTER
il, IS one OF the surprises of Paris
to the newly arrived peace army hav-
running peaccmaking machinery cs-
taolishcd here that at certain centers
of American official life, the familiar
nicke!ed American telephone instru-
ments hang ready TO hand. Just a
word in the transmitter and you may
instantly raise any of the other eSccu-
tive or army officers in Paris, a base
hospital at Neuliy, general hcadquar-
bassy in London Off one has the
proper authority--thc farthest outpost
OF the American army of occupat ion
at Cobicn1, in Germany.
Without intending any uncompiimcn-
rather than use the established Paris
telephone system time would be gained
by sending letter.
The speed over network OF wire
communications extending throughout
France. wherever an American base
is. established: is due to the genius
of Brigadier- General Edgar Russell,
chief signal officer on General Perish
ing's staff, and to the unremittins
toll OF twelve battalions of expert
tricians and operators. in which com
enrolled.
1t was General Russell who saw al
tervention in the war the absolute ne
efficient lines of communication for the
low. John F. Carly. chief engineer
for the New York Telephone and Tele-
graph Company. and now colonel
on Russell's stan, recruited the twelve
oattalions OF telephone and telegraph
experts from all over the United
states. sent over the equipment and
followed himself TO assist in the trc-
units in France from the point of
embaykation to the listening post on
the battle line.
AMERICAN LINEMEN OWED
INTO SEWERS AT PARIS
In Paris the French government
granted the courtesy OF the estab-
iishment of n parallel American tele-
phone system. Result: American line
their strands of copper between Amcri-
can officers miles apart. American
electricians set up switchboards and
al the delicate machinery Of the teic-
reas. American telephone girls came
in from the front and from the big
bases at Tours and Bordeaux TO clap
They even took possession OF the
famous Crillon bar. one time gather
ing place for all the notables of the
American colony and the Englishman
who was loafing in Paris with guineas
TO spend In just five Gays this home
or the American cocktail and the Brit
iSH - anu WIS Scu or the rum
demons and converted INTO an up-to-
the minute telephone exchange with
eight boards" and two chief opera
tors.
Colonel Carly took me down there
this afternoon to show me how thor
oughly the old gods OF the place had
been routed. There on their high stools
before the maze of plugs sat eight
American Girls--so good TO look at in
their velvety cleanness and freedom
from the heavy cosmetics that mark
hn irl NJ he nj I'd ~
Summers. who used to be in the Broad
Exchange. in New York City, was sit
ting at the chief operators desk.
Everything was running like an oiled
spindle; not a voice raised: not an in
slant of confusion as the flying fingers
threaded among the green-and-red-
bound wires casionally one of the
operators put question in pure
F'rench--for they all speak it-and
now and then low laugh from one of
the girls marked the efforts Of an un-
W0MEM nE