New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1916-10-14

lnen proposed. l had it all figured
o"' III advance mat the senator from
me 0lAth was the man I was going to
use as a horrible example of the bad
ieElSlator' the man who forgets that he
IS representing the many in his eager
ness TO advance the interests of the
few including himself. I used to look
at you and think pretty smooth.
At that stage in my experience [
couldn't conceive of a manufacturer
and man of social position voting
Aye on law that would take money
out of the pockets of his class just be-
cause some Workingmen wanted the
law. imagine with what surprise /
saw you vote right, according to my
ideas Of right, as each measure came
up, and I can tell you that on labor
questions I expected a lot. It was such
a surprise to me that I have never for
gotten it and, while I have never be-
come really acquainted with you,
never hear your name or read it with
out smiling. | am confident that if
the files Of the Bridgeport and Water
bury Heralds were before me now I
could show you by quotations how
your pro-labor activities surprised me.
And when I heard that you were
making fight for a return trip to the
Senate this year I decided that If, for
geographical reasons T could not vote
for you, [ could at least encourage you.
knowing how much unfavorable crit
cism q public man has handed to him,
and often very much deserved, I don't
think a few good words will do you
any harm.
l am as strong today for the wage
earners and their rights as ever I was.
sciousness'' as I did when T was a
candidate for the state senate on the
Socialist ticket in this city. It makes
my gorge rise as high now when I see
raw deal given the worSingman as
when I tripped up Capitol Hill on the
first day of the 1913 session. But I
have learned since to separate classes
into groups and treat different groups
of the same class in a different way.
[ know now that some employers,
some OF the upper crust, some Of the
folks are willing to give
the average man q chance if it does
cost them som ething. And I believe
it is to labOr's interest to recognize this
eroup whenever it has an opportunity;
just as I believe it to be to the interest
CT labor to watch every head in the
greedy, grinding, grasping group and
crack them as soon as they show
above water in politics.
I hope during the campaign you
will find q means of placing before the
Oters of your district the records Of
the last two sessions, that of 1913 and
that of 1915. I attended both. The
contrast was SO marked that there is
20 comparison as far as labor is con-
cerned. II 1913 you and your col
10 11T W
previous session, I believe more than
my two previous sessions. In 1915,
after change of administration, labor
lidn't get smell. Or, reversing the |
Gea labor got a smell but it had a
terribly unpleasant odOr In that ses- |
,iOn labor was treated shamefully and |
low members of that session who by |
silent consent or open approval per- |
nitted the great bulk of the people to |
9e disappointed in what seemed to me |
modest demands, can seek the en- |
,orsement now of the workers is 20
7ond me. They have their nerve with |
hem, for certain.
Give the session of 1915 its due, if |
you please, and say that session passed |
law cutting down the hours of labor
or women and children. One Or two
>ther favorable law were passed. But
hey were passed as one throws bone
@ a dog. There was no hearty VIII
ingness to do the job; no spontanelty
If feeling about it. Nor was there in
ended to be. The very makeup OF
he labor committee was ant-labor.
rne speaker Of that House saw to 1t
hat his labor committee would stand
With out hitching. Martin German OF
Oanburv was the only man on the
committee that could be called ntcll-
gently a Tabor man and he was as
HELPLESS against the antagonism of his !
chairman, Mr.. French of Essex, as a
,abv in the claws of a Bengal tiger. .
With you back in the senate the
working class of the state could feeI
ure that it had q live wire to be de-
pended on, such a live wire as would
hook the enemies of labor, and those
Indifferent to labor, into q state or
csuetude which in it's innOCuOuSneSS
would rival that of a highball without
he ball.
/ wish you luck,
Yours very sincerely
ALFRED STFWA RI O'BRIFN.