The telephone is too useful not to be treated properly. It is always an
affair of two parties and each is in duty bound to be considerate of the
other. The bell rings, it is answered promptly, and patience becomes
well nigh exhausted before “central” succeeds in establishing the
connection, and the time of the respondent is wasted. The reason for
this rests on the thoughtlessness or selfishness of the one who makes
the call. He rings and asks for a certain connection, and then hangs up
his instrument, goes away to wait for a summons. In the meantime the
respondent answers, stays by his instrument, “central” endeavors to call
up the caller, perhaps through another office, the connection is often
broken, and after much tribulation the connection is fully made. This is
of very frequent occurrence and could be avoided, for the most part, by
the caller staying by his instrument for the few seconds usually
required to make the connection. There are occasional instances of bad
management and some ugliness in the central office, but they are quite
rare, and the service is very prompt. More delay and annoyance are
caused by thoughtlessness of the users of the telephone than by any
neglect of duty on the part of the operators at the central offices. One
who is called up has a right to consider that he is wanted, and that
promptly. It is the duty of the caller to be careful not to annoy the
central office or waste the respondent’s time. Moral: When you call,
stay by your instrument till the reply comes.