Omaha daily bee., 1919-07-13
AZ ga " 3, = 49,
MH"J arssa 4 80 ~ ~ ~ Il. sa

WE speak of keeping abreast of
w the times, but what would
W you think of being one step
ahead? To know all the world
news long before it is given to a
waiting public through the medium
of the press, in short to have your
finger on the pulse of a great, throb-
bling universe, that is the unique
position held by woman in Omaha.
Mrs. Grace Demarais was never
on the battlefront. nor does she fly
over land and sea by dirigible or
aeroplane; she merely sits very
quietly in front of her typewriter
beside a tiny clicking instrument in
the office of The Bee and transmits
the doings of the universe from the
wires to the paper in her machine.
This slender little person who
knows when empires crunble and
thrones totter long before common
morta1s even hear the rumblings of
disaster has the distinction of be-
ing the only Associated Press wo-
man operator in the United States.
Her position is indeed a responsible
one, for her reports must be abso-
lutely correct and not an infection
of her instrument is lost. so keenly
does she listen and concentrate.
The only woman representative of
this great service, the Associated
Press, has won her position by dint
of the hardest. most combining labor.
In little town tucked away among
the primeval forests in Canada a
little girl watched her father as he
sat by his telegraph instrument, TAX
ing messages. This mysterious in
vention of science which makes all
the world our next door neighbor
fascinated the little maid and she
determined to solve its mysteries.
Painstakingly she learned the alpha
bet, the first rudiment to be mas
tered, and slowly she gained skill
in translating the innumerable
click-clicks.
The fleeing years found a clear
eyed young woman valuable en-
ploye in the Offices of the Western
Union, for the lessons i'll telegraphy
learned in childhood had not been
forgotten and she had chosen this
most fascinating work as her voca-
ton. Mrs. Damarais was not con-
tent, however, for that slave driver,
Ambition, goads his menials on and
on until the. very pinnacle of their
talent has been reached. When her
days work was done, this energetic
woman practiced in taking the AS
sociated Press messages in a news
paper office. She. did not seek
cooler clines or amusement when a
vacation was given her, but spent
the entire time in grilling work that
she might gain speed and efficiency
in this important line.
The reward came with the offer
of position, and she entered her
career in Mitchell, South Dakota
Many newspapers have claimed Mrs.
Demarais' services since she began
year ago, for one of the joys of
being affiliated with the Associated
Press is the opportunity for travel.
Enthusia SIN and love OF her chosen
profession is very evident when Mrs
Demarais speaks of it. Many of the
operators complain of the long, con-
fning hours, but the only woman
operator in America is more enam-
CURED of the work every day. While
we are occupied with the petty
round of everyday duties Mrs. De-
marais is granted the vision of the
entire universe. She literally has
the globe at the tips OF her 10 fin
gers, for it makes no difference
whether Mrs. Brown in Hoboken
sues for alimony or whether some