New Britain herald., 1916-10-28


 rules are unfair to the ranking offi- cers of several years service. AS it is virtually raw recruit of fireman has an equal chance of jumping over the heads of lieutenants older in the service and becoming captain. It has been suggested that, as is the case in some other cities, candidates for the captaincy should be only from the ranks of the lieutenants.
 When is vote not a vote This has been very perplexing question in Berlin since the election of several weeks ago. Democrats, and some re- publicans, thought 1t was definitely settled when Judge Futile announced his decision in the superior court not long ago, but now, if1reports are true, it will be many months before 1t is finally settled for it's is said that the republican nominee, finally declared defeated, will carry the matter to the supreme court of the state Tn the meantime, who's who in Berlin will be a pertinent question.
 Freak bets are now being made every day and we may look for some amusement after election day.
 Due to the fact that they failed to n Otice the small advertisements in the papers stating that all who desired to be made voters must apply before Oc- tober 16, an unusually large number of young men in this city will be un- able to exercise the right Of franchise this fall. In past years notices were published in large type, attracting general attention, but due possibly to a desire to curtail expenses, these ad- vertisemnets were made smaller this year and were passed unnoticed by many. Almost every day the regis trars have to turn back some hopeful young voter who wished to ''be made' that he might cast his first ballot for either Wilson or Hughes
 
 It has been learned with satisfaction that the board of public works that has charge of installing the new white way system does not intend to leave the broken concrete walks about the center in a patched up condition. In order to lay the subway wires it has been necessary to rip up big blocks of side walks, and property owners
 
 by simply filling in the broken places, ! The public works board gives assur- ance, however, that this is not to be so and entire new blocks of concrete will be set in.
 Members of the local military com panies are now warning their friends that they must no longer refer tc them as militiamen. According to the recent army bill the state militia units ceased to exist. All such mili- tary bodies are units of the national guard and the members, unless in the federal service should be termed guardsmen or national guardsmen. F * *
 Lovely womans instinctive desire to get a bargain wherever possible has cost a number of New Britain women, particularly the younger ones a number of dimes that were weaned from their purses by an alluring ad from a supposed Minneapolis con- cern. This fake concern advertised that any woman who would send 10 cents in silver and write to five of her friends urging them to join the end less chain would receive a "new, 1917 model petticoat." Some of this city's fair sex, in common with those | throughout the country, "bit." Fed eral agents are now on the trail. look ] ing for the clever swindlers who did not even have a petticoat for a sam T.le.
 Either maliciOuSly or on spirit of fun, a local soldier returned from the . border played a trick on a local mer- l chant during the past week that cost | the business man the price of neck tie. With considerably noise the re- 1 turned soldier entered the store, sought out the proprietor and shook kim by the hand. Later he sauntered through the store and picked out a Eeck-tle. Instead of paying for it he told the clerk that 1t was all right, E1r-- said I could have it. Having seen the two in discussion the clerk accepted the statement as true, when as matter of fact it was pure fabri- cation
 Without detracting one whit from their courage or their willingness to scrve their country, it may be stated that it was indeed a happy moment for the local soldiers when they were finally mustered out of the federal ser vice. While they were on the bOr- der the routine was not so bad. and there was ever the possibility that the morrow might bring exciting devel- cpments. But back home, the time vas most wearisome. To be freed from the shackles that bound them to the armory and permitted to go their separate ways was certainly gratify- ing. Especially since the privates who in the role of citizens were cab able of earning, in many instances, their s3 or $4 per day, had to con- tent themselves with their meager army pay of fifty cents a day. With the higher regimental officers this was different as many of them received