New Britain herald., 1921-08-06
SPANIARDS DENY
PAYING FOR JOBS
Rev. Vincent Attire Gives His
View on Municipal Labor

ish faborers, violation of Mayor Curtis
orders not to hire any workmen ex-
cept through the city labor bureau
and that no Spaniards should be hlrso
and dissatisfaction with many OF the
Italian workmen by former or the
street and sewer jobs, are reasons
given by the Rev. Vincent Attire, the
local Spanish priest for the charges
being made that city foremen were
selling jobs to Spaniards.
There is not a foreman in the city
taking any money from Spanish peo-
pie and there is not an "Espanoia' III
the city paying a foreman cent for
any job" said the priest. Rev. Attire is
here without q congregation and until
he came the Spanish residents of New
Britain had no spiritual advisor. He
has taken a keen interest in his peo-
pie and has done everything he could
to make them happy and alleviate tho
sufferings Of poverty. He was still un-
able to understand the discrimination
against spaniards in giving out jobs
at the city labor bureau
Mayor Stood Firm
When the mayors edict first went
into effect that no more jobs were to
be given to Spaniards, the priest went
Gus calls upon Mayor Curtis in an ef-
fort to have this order rescinded. The
mayor felt that he was justified in
giving such orders, inasmuch as there
were few Spanish in the city long
enough to become citizens and these
were being taken care Of. He did not
want newcomers in the city to be
given work and the older citizens and
taxpayers crowded out
But the priest felt that his people
we're wronged and accordingly he set
out to do what he could for them in
whatever maner he could. He began
sending men to the different foremen
with notes. telling them Of the cir
cumstances Of the bearers and asking
said foreman to do what they could to
hire the men. He claims that the men
he sent were better workmen than the
Italians. The Spaniards were engaged
he says and Italians discharged. Thus,
he claims, jealousy arose. Then anoth-
er circumstance cropped up. The
priest, having no parish or congresa-
ton, had no source of income. He
worked for some time in q local fac
tory but that did not last, 30 in order
to do what he could for his people
and at the same time keep the wol1
from his own door, he constituted
himself sort OF an employment agent
for the Spanish people, for which he
is said to have been given fee b,
those who registered on the book Of
vacancies, according to the statement
Of one Of his parishioners.
But none of this money, he alleges
ever got to the foremen. In fact, h,
sad, he would not permit any Of hi
people to attempt to bride foreme1
for work. A significant gesture of tn,
hand across the throat left the inter
viewer to imagine how he would lik
to see those punished who would b
guilty of such bribery.
:.'Everywhere I went" said tn
priest, 81 saw Italians and Pole
! working on the street, but no Span
iards. I felt bad for my people
Sometimes I gave them notes to tn
foremen and some times I went wit
them. Now where there are 10
Italians there are 10 spaniards TIL
spaniards are good men and thei
| fcremen like them. The Italians ar
Jealous"
1t is impossible to trace the hir
ing OF men of the street through TIL
city hall payroll. II man is hire
| at the labor bureau he is given
card to the foreman. The forerna
takes the card and gives him bras
check with number on it, He
known thereafter by number alon
and not by name. His time is ker
according to his number and he
paid by number. II a man is hire
by the foreman, there is no record {
that mans name anywhere and h
nationality cannot be traced