[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig]
More generally, regardless of the law, in an era of manual switching, administered by a female-dominated work force at a time when swearing in front of women wasn’t socially acceptable, and when there were more party lines (anyone could listen in) and frequent cross-talk, it made sense that a gentleman would be more discreet. Or at least, that he should have been!
[/QUOTE]
Oh, most of the time the people doing the swearing weren’t gentlemen. They were police. Specifically Messrs. Cramer, Stebbins and Rowcliffe…