New Britain herald., 1916-06-10
70u1n Topics

Those thoroughly cOnversant with the political situation in New Britain state that in all probability Howard M Steele, for many years tax col lector of the city and always prom inent politician, will be a candidate for election as one of New Britain's rep resentatiVes in the general assembly next fall. As yet MT. Steele has not formally announced his candidacy, but ''those in the know state that for number of weeks he has been work ing quietly, sounding various people in various districts to ascertain, if possible, just how an announcement of his candidacy would be received and what chances he would have at the , polls.
 It is also stated that prominent poli- ticians, especially those in the first ward, are priming Edward H. Hall, former chairman of the republican town committee, as a candidate for representative. But while these two men are being mentioned as possibil- ities it is by no means likely that the field will be limited to them and other candidates are expected to be announced as the time for the fall campaign draws nearer.
 While New Britain has two rep resentatives in the general assembly, she has but one senator and although he has said nothing publicly about the matter it is being strongly hinted that Senator George w. Klett will be a candidate for reelection. Two years ago Judge Klett was elected by a large majority and acquitted himself with credit in the senate where he was ranking member and promin- ent in the judiciary committee. Wheth- CT or not he will have an opponent for nomination, in case he gets into the campaign for reelection, is un- known, but he has strong following here and would be able to fight the issue to a bitter end.
 Concerning the recent civil service examinations given eighteen super numerary policemen who are seeking appointm ent as regular patrolmen there are several humorous stories going the rounds. Naturally, members of the civil service commission will not confirm the stories, out of respect to the candidates, but Chairman liar ry Brown has stated that while all of the men showed themselves to be per- fectly familiar with the police man ual, some exhibit a woeful lack of knowledge in other lines. Some of those who took the tests state that they considered them difficult. The commission will make a final correc- ton of the exams Monday night and on the following evening the safety board expects to make appointments from those eligible. Following are few of the most absurd answers al- legged to have been given in reply to some of the simple questions:
 Asked to name eight cities in Connecticut, the candidates are said to have included the following: Mon treal, Springfield, Holyoke, Manches- ter, Northampton, Plainville and Pennington.
 Another question as to how far it is to Southington elicited the information that it is twenty-five miles, but this was nowhere near as astonishing as was the information that the distance to New Haven, instead of being twenty mine or thirty miles, ranges miles.
 The capitol of Connecticut is Bridgeport, according to the idea of one of the candidates and the chief executive" of Connecticut is none other than Woodrow Wilson, if one answer is to be believed.
 At arithmetic several candidates failed almost entirely in addition and it is said that one or two were even worse when it came to spelling. As result of their efforts opponents of simplified spelling might be interested to learn that some Wouldbe police men in New Britain would suggest "horz' for horse; "corn" for corner; "acdent' for accident and other things just as wretched.
 Ignorance concerning locations in this city is also alleged, it being cred tied to one man that he did not know just where the hospital is, and another thought the Erwin Home and the Town Home were synonmOus.
 If stories of this alleged lack of knowledge be true, it certainly shows that even influence IS not eliminated, the civil service system will insist that safety board appointees be fairly well educated.
 People may look at the firemen's job from any angle they wish. They may look at it with envy, considering it the acme of jobs to be desired; or they may look at it with something akin to pity and call it a lazy mans job; nevertheless the fact remains, f1remen are a necessity and when peo- pie want the fire department they want 1t badly and Christmas morn ing in their childhood was never more welcome than is the fire department as 1t comes speeding up the street in +n hni A C CJ1oit tnI1 the f1remen have to do less actual la- borlous work than those engaged in other trades where manual work en-