New Britain herald., 1921-03-05
THE OBSERVER
THE CITY AND ITS PEOPLE.
MAKES .. d. RANDOM OBSERVATIONS

In the course of a statement issued this week a person or large girth and prominent as one of the landmarks on Main street questioned the moral right of New Britain firemen to en- gage in campaign for the two pla- toon system. He said that the firemen are becoming diplomats That probably wasn't the word he meant to use as its meaning is entirely foreign to what the firemen have been doing 10 gain their point but those who know the author of the state ment are we'll aware of what he in tended to say.
 It is doubtful if many will agree that the firemen have not the right to try to improve their own working conditions. It is true that the board of fire commissioners did not recom- mend the adoption of the two pla- toon system after the subject had been presented to them and there is probably a technical breach of diSci- pine in the campaign of the firemen, if one has large, very large, imagination.
 If memory ServeS,-we may be wrong in this and will stand for correction by anyone better posted the recent war was fought partly TO permit democracy to remain un- strangled to give to small nations the right of self determination and for the preservation Of freedom of speech and freedom of action. It may be a far cry from the carnage ot Europe to the situation the firemen found themselves in. However,, none but those who had an ulterior mo- tive, seemed to object very strenuous ly to the tiremen seeking something which everyone else seems to have freedom.
 The difference between right and wrong frequently depends upon what side of the fence a person is on, whose OK is gored or whose corn is stepped on For an individual to say that so and so is wrong is to set himself up as a superior sort of man, fit to judge the actions of his fellow beings Candor compels the Observer to con- fess that tpe person who made the statement criticizing the firemen is not suited by possession of a calm and dispassionate judicial mind to pass Judgment on the right or wrong of an act.
 To say that the firemen, or any other body of public servants, should not conduct campaign to improve the condition. of themselves and 1amllleS. IS to deny the right of free speech, that most precious of Ameri- can institutions. As long as they do not allow their efforts to interfere with their duty, as long as they stick to legitimate paths (which nearly everyone agrees they have done) they are above criticism or reproach. The firemen conducted a clean, if aggressive cam paign for permission to live as others live. When the board of finance and taxation decided against including the estimate for a two platoon system in the budget they took the news like good sportsmen and did not criticize the board. When other obstacles rose in their way they promptly climbed over them as best they could. They fought to win, but they were clean in their fight. In a few words. they simply sawed wood and kept silent about their maligners.
 It is to be doubted very much the firemen's critics would accept a position requiring IA hours duty during a week. Can't you imagine some of them already sweating at the very suggestion? Can't you imagine some of them beginning to quake at the very mention of the : word "work?" !
 Really. it's too bad. two times too ,