The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-06-06
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HASKIN. Director
Washington, d. C.
PASSING OF THE HELLO GIRL.


history is that the automatic phone is
now being used in rural districts.
The automatic telephone. which
makes every caller his own central. is
far from new in the cities, where it is
being used extensively. In fact, it is
Tar from new anywhere, considering
that it was invented in a crude form
three years after Bell produced his in
strument. But as a practical PROPOSE
ton for the benefit of the farmer and
long distance commuter, the auto
matte is just coming into popularity
To the city man the automatic sys-
tenn means chiefly that he is response
bic for his own mistakes and cannot
blame central when he gets 1928 when
he wants 4582- To the farmer, how
ever, the automatic means more than
this as matter of progress.
The most important advantage is a
24shour service. By the manual sys-
tenn, the farmer has been unable to
get service after eight or nine o'clock
in the evening, because central closed
the switchboard in the dining room
then, and went out on the front porch
to rest. The automatic system is han
died for rural districts from the near
est city exchange, SO that the farmer
has city service at any hour.
The telephone is be coming even
more important to the farmer than to
the business man as a means Of trans
acting bushes sand keeping up social
connections. The party line that is
the subject of much joking, is a very
real and serious factor in country in
tercourse. It is, perhaps. the surest
rapid system of disseminating news
SO far discovered.
The party line is now called into
use in spreading news of market re-
ports. When the weather forecast
and the government crop reports are
sent out by radio every day, the news
is in some communities received by a
wireless operator who telephones it at
once to a long line of listening farm
ers The messages go out at certain
times every day-Stock market reports
at one hour, grain and potato news at
another,Sand a general summary in the
afternoon-so the farmers know ex-
actly when to expect them
The Popular Party Line.
AS social factor the party line has
well nigh proverbial functions to per-
form. Every member of a party line
knows that the telephone is a town
meeting place and in carrying on a
conversation chooses his words ac-
cordingly. Listening in is regarded
as quite in the rules of the game in
most places. So popular is the system
that in some instances when party
the subscribers protested and some
had their phones removed.
There are now about 100000 auto
matte telephones in the United States.
Philadelphia cut over 47,O00 phones
one day recently. The state OF Ohio
is over one-third automatic, telephon-
| ically speaking. AS switchboards wear
out they are being replaced generally
| by the newer system whenever condi-
tions permit. The transition is ne
! cesar ily worked in this way because
a large switchboard exchange is ex-
! pensive, costing several hundred thou
sand dollars. 1t lasts from six to fif-
| teen years, depending on the amount
| of use it receives.
| We are told that the automatic sys-
| tenn gradually extended does not throw
| the telephone girls out of employ
ment as was predicted by some. The
regiment of girls needed to make con-
nections by the manual system is not
wanted for that purpose with an auto
matte switchboard, it is true. But
| there is still much central office work
| especially repairs. Despite the fact
| that girls are not generally so adept
| at understanding electrical apparatus
| as boys are, the telephone companies
! find that the girls are more satisfac-
! tory in making delicate adjustments.
The girl repairer has patience and
| fineness of touch which is more ne
!
a thoro knowledge of the workings OF
a dynamo.
The repair work is absorbing some
| of the girls. Others viii be needed
still to record toll calls and supply in
| formation. There will be few, if any
girls actually dismissed. for there have
| never been enough operators available
to keep pace with the rapidly growing
| telephone systems. Companies have
always had to take it for granted that
the average telephone operator would
| get married in two years. During the
war; the turnover was even-100 pei
cent in a single year. This meant
and still means, a heavy overhead ex-
pense, and telephone company schools
perpetually in session to train new.
corners.
A Preventive of Kicks.
The phone girl shortage has always
lowered over the companies and they
are glad to be rid of that worry wheI
possible. 1t must also be rather pleas.
ant for company to feel that the
subscriber can no longer blame cen
trail for delays and mistaken numbers
The dial on which the numbers are
registered is before the caller and nj
one touches it but himself. The sigma
that the line is busy is also a direc
response from the number called, and
central cannot be suspected of loafins
on the job.
Another difference in the direc
contact sphone is that there is nj
chance of central listening in. w
have often been assured that TIL,
switchboard operator is as impersona
in her attitude toward our converse
tions as she is toward us, that she neve
repeats anything heard during bust
ness hours. This is no. doubt true
and most OF us never think of cen
trails presence when we talk over tn
phone. All sorts of diplomatic ant
military matters were discussed fraeI-
over the telephone in Paris and Wash
ington during the war, and with neve
a record of any indiscretion on tn
part of the operator. Still. when af
fairs of importance and secrecy ar
|, involved. the telephone undoubtedl
becomes more satisfactory means o
communication when the conversation
) is felt to be strictly private.
/ In still another way, the self servic
system claims an advantage. Man
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