New Britain herald., 1916-07-01

i young men on the altar of patriotic de-
 votion, but those at home are also l doing their share. With one accord
 the city, the citizens, societies, busi- | ressmen and manufacturers have | joined together to do their part by ! providing for the families of the
 soldiers who might otherwise be left i destitute in case of eventualities, and
 for providing funds and other ma-
 terial things for the boys on the 1 border. The splendid, spontaneous, | movement towards these ends is born ! of the spirit which made this nation and which will always preserve her. New Britain's boys when they left for the border early in the week were to a man anxious to reach the scene or strife. The few who were left behind either because they were ph1- sically disqualified or not fully i equipped were most disconsolate and as the troup train bearing their com rades puffed away more disappointed group of young men is impossible to i imagine.
 While it is a just, but nevertheless 1 commenda ble, thing for the various 1 employers to make financial provisions for those who have gone to the front it is nevertheless just as fair that the common council hesitate before or dering full pay to all city employes in the service This would affect but three men, City Comptroller Hanford L. Curtis Assistant City Clerk Harry
 II. Hargreaves and Police Officer Thomas C. Dolan. As city comptrol-
 Ter MT. Curtis draws a salary of $1,OOO per year and in the quarter masters corp where he is a commits stoned officer he draws another lu- crative salary while on duty, more than than that paid him by the city. Sergeant Major Hargreaves gets
 S1,200 from the city and in the army his salary is even more. Officer Dolan's army pay Is but $15 per month. The object of continuing pay for soldiers is that their families may not want because of lack of income. Were Mr. Curtis and MT. Hargreaves kept on the pay roll of the city it is easy to see where their salaries would be enormous compared with what they ordinarily earned. Tn cases such ac these two there would be no fair ness in continuing their pay as city officials. Tn MT. Dolan's case it would be different as his S15 per month is far below his monthly salary as a
 
 concerns about the country are not permitting their men by army work to earn more than they ordinarily would. These more generous ones are paying the difference between their army pay and their customary salary and where their army pay exceeds the other the company does not feel called upon to do anything other than keep their positions open. Citizens of New Britain feel this way and when the matter is fully understood it seems to be the correct way of looking at it.
 Concerning the council voting to give monies to a soldiers fund the question has been raised as to the legality of the act. While not a single citizen would criticise or object, the question is nevertheless a good one for argument. Some hold that as the city meeting votes monies for specific uses a special meeting should be called, technically. Others contend that the council has the right to trans fer monies from one fund to another. By doing this and transferring money to the 'incidentals' fund such an emergency might be cared for.
 While the army still continues the topic of conversation, the status of a local soldier who did not report to leave with his comrades is also the subject of discussion, with the un- fortunate soldier receiving the sym pathy of the community. In 1898 New Britain had in her military com panies two men Who records of that date state were 1.-TWO Cutters and were drummed out of camp at Mantle in disgrace after being stripped of their uniforms. Those men were classed as towards, yet the poor sol dier of today cannot be termed that l for he is as willing and eager to light for his country as the day he enlisted two years ago. His wife, in a del icate condition, threatened murder of her child and suicide if her husband left her. So terrible was her threat that the husband hesitated. Not possessed possibly of the best req soning mind, the soldier husband was forced to choose between love of his wife and duty. He chose the former and really expected to get an honor able discharge. He did not try to flee as a deserter would. His case is just an unfortunate one. Technically he is guilty and will probably nave to stand court martial, but to brand the man as a traitor and a coward is cruel and unjust. Sometimes it takes a braver man to stand the abuse of the public for doing what he thinks right than it does to go on the firing line.
 In the line Of city beautiful. it might be noted that between the Wal nut Hill park property and $. H. Woods property on West Main street