New Britain herald., 1922-01-03
HUMANITY IMPORTANT.

III f'sEbNtI siib Wa sN+N
The common council committee OH
salaries of city officials and employees
has been given plenty of advice for
md against cuts. Now it seeks au-
horitatiNe facts, 1t has decided TO
about the matter in the right way;
It will seek what further information
actly what each employe is getting
and who are the best judges prob
earn those salaries; It is to give hear
ings which it will be the duty Of those
possessing the necessary knowledge
to attend.
At the meeting of the committed
per OF the committee said that tire.
out of every four taxpayers of the
the committee said that people had
been after him for six months in re
meeting letters were read from heads
If departments opposing cuts,
of course, because they wish TO SCI
the tax burden made lighter. The
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their stand because they believe the
lalaries are earned and possibly be
II salaries would be a penny wise
md pound foolish" policy resulting il
eity business and hence fnancia
waste which would not. in the end
oring a reduction in taxes.
The heads of departments oppos'
'lts because they desire to have will
.ng, satisfied help and because they
oelieve that help earns all the wage
received, They are in the position any
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paid his employees did not come out Of
his own pocket. or if the position he
lid not affect his own, personal sue
cess.
Frankly, the members of the salary
committee would gain In popularity
we're they to recommend general re
luctions There would be more peo-
pie, if numbers alone arc taken into
consideration, to praise the action OF
cutting salaries than to denounce it.
II general popularity is sought salary
cuts will be recommended. This, en-
trely aside from the merits Of the
natter But members of the com
mittee should scorn to do the pop
ular" thing unless the popular thint
is ON the side of justice and fairness
The committee will sit iudicially al
the hearings. IN order to listen te
the 'evldence" with judicial mind
the members will be Obliged to forget
this aspect of the situation. They
aust forget popularity and seek to Dc
Justice. Each member will have nc
difficulty in putting himself in the
shoes of the taxpayer, for each is {
taxpayer Each member will have
more difficulty in putting himself in
the shoes Of the incumbent of the Of.
flee or position, but each member will
do this if he wishes to satisfy hmse'
that his decision is the fair one.
Similarly those who appear at the
hearings will try to look at the mat
ter from the viewpoint OF the taxpay.
er and The employe or official If he
wishes to be absolutely sure that he is
presenting the facts fairly,
Comparatively few people in this
city are not vitality interested in this
question; it is humanity important
both to the taxpayer and to the city
nmp1nyc or official, Tho salary com
mittee is to he praised for the adop-
ton of a plan to investigate thor
oughlS.
Finally, the ta>paying worliinLman
TO whom taxes are a heavy burden
now Is sympathized with today as sin
cerely as he Nas envied in the days OF
extremely high wages. The salaried
office worker may be envicd today,
but not as sincerely as he was sympa-
thized with in the days of high prices
and conn aratively little raise in pay.