New Britain herald., 1922-11-14
MemMv Aud,t Eureas Of 1areuiasion
A SURRENDER OF AUTHORITY.

SURRENDER UT hliHcN''
 Members of the common council should resist with every effort any at- tempt by the charter revision commit tee to transfer to the judge of police court the power to appoint the puphc prosecutor. This change was suegesten at q meeting of the committee last night and surprising to say 1t seemed to meet with no opposition. Even the mayor, apparently without giving the subject any analytical consideration, said he favored it.
 The prosecutor is the representative of the people. If a crime is committed If is his duty to present the evidence to the court and ask that proper pun ishment, we'll defined by the ordl- nances and statutes, be imposed on the guilty party. In following out this procedure, under present conditions, he speaks for the people of New Brit ain and so long as he is responsible to the common council he will con- finue to be alert and fearless in the discharge of his duties. To some extent his appointment is colored by politics. If the republican party has majority in the common council, the prosecutor will usually be republican and vice versa. But this point should De made clear-thc common council would not dare to fly in the face of the people by appointing to the post man whose ability is questioned or one whose integrity is not above suspicion because, in theory at least, there IS Close contact between the members of the council and their constituents, and constituents have a way of expressing themselves which is not always pleas ing.
 It is proposed to transfer this au- thority, now reposing in the people through their common council, to an individual who is a creature of the State of Connecticut, the judge of po- lice court being appointed by the Gen eral Assembly. In effect, this would make the prosecutor independent of the local public and responsible to body whose interest in New Britain cannot be great because of the mass of general state business which it has before it while in session. Regardless of local indignation at criminal con- ditions which might arise, the prose- cutor, who would no longer be an swerable to the people, could afford to ignore their demands that these conditions be remedied. He could not be held to account by the public so long as he basked in the sunlight Of the judges favor, and it must al ways be remembered in this connec ton that the judge is selected by d state body in which political intrigue is well entrenched
 
 judge should not have authority to appoint the prosecutor. Despite the high standard of ethics by which law yers are supposed to be guided, there is great deal of wire pulling when a vacancy on the bench is to be filled. Naturally, with such splendid patron age as prosecuting attorneys job at their disposal, candidates for a judge ship would carry on a lively campaign for support among members of the bar so that instead of taking the courts out of politics. which is in line with modern progressive thought, we would be forcing politics on them ltl would not be an uncommon spectacle to see a lawyer lobbying for certain candidate for a position on the bench, with the expectation, of course, that he would receive the appointment of prosecutor if the candidate for whom he was lobbying, were appointed judge. Back Scratch1nS would be- como even more common among members of the bar.
 Delegating to the judge the author ity to appoint a prosecutor would ere ate political clique at court, a con- dition which no one is anxious to see develop.
 The proposal 10 change the method of appointing the prosecutor is an at tempt to take from the people some of their powers and transfer it to the state. which never loses an opportun- ity to encroach on local authority. Ii Is a bold stroke. If it reaches the common council in the form of rec, ommendation is should be rejected without ceremony unless that body is willing to surrender it's authority and admit that it is no longer capable of Interpreting the wishes of the people of New Britain. FISHING FROM THE RESERVOIRS