New Britain herald., 1922-02-04
THE OBSERVER
Makes Random Observations
 On the City and Its People

yestment. Owners of shares in a pri- vate business expect dividends In the form of money payments, with an oc- casional gift of stock or opportunity to buy stock at par value. share holders" in the city expect dividends in the form of greater happiness improved police and fire protection, parks, paved streets, better water supply, etc. Share holders in private corporations are usually more amen able to reason than those In Il city. | In the case of the former the status of the company is reduced to set of figures which reveal con- ditions with clarity. But in the case of the latter 1t Is difficult 10 explain the exact state of affairs because the found in agreement on questions of vital importance. Usually considera- tions other than the welfare of the community influence their judgment Personal ambition desire for recogni- ton and promotion, affect their de- cisions and their votes. This is un- fortunate, but true nevertheless.
 Very few men in public office are immune to sectional pleas of par tisanship. That is the reason why we often read with surprise that certain members of the government are fath- ering movement to cXpend large amounts Of money for so-called i'm provements in certain sections of the city when it is q well known fact that the expenditure will cause an extra burden to be imposed on the city as a whole without commensurate bene- fits.
 Such incidents have been the eX- ception rather than the rule, in New Britain. The board of finance and taxation acts as check on the as- pirations of ambitious politicians. This board scrutinizes closely proposed ex- penditures By appointing himself a personal board of compensation and assessment Mir. Average Man will be- come more intimately acquainted with his city and will have a more intelli- gent understanding of its financial problems and possibilities.
 
 The day may come when New Brit ain will feel the need of a year round public recreation program but 1t would be doubtful wisdom to launch such an undertaking under present conditions. The public amusement commission has recommended the ap- propriation of s9,5OO for this purpose, and already official opposition has de- veloped in the objection of Mayor Curtis.
 No doubt the public amusement com mission could spend the money to good advantage and is entirely within it's rights in making such a sugges- tion. However, there are more inn portant expenses to be taken care of and it will work no hardship to post pone action for a year or two on the |commission's program.
 According to the Herald's account of the common council meeting, Coun- cilman Crusberg volunteered the opin- ion that he failed to see where there was a single city position that re- Qu1EeQ UIlc ScTNlCSo ol tAii S->SSP'ioi' ally capable man." Such remarks as these explain, perhaps why confidence in the common council is non-existent, although in justice, it must be said that the council as body does not agree with such nonsense.
 Almost every public office of re- spunsibility should be filed by "an ex- ceptionally capable man." Many, of course, are occupied by men who are incompetent, but that is the-fault of our form of government by which each new administration turns out ex- perienced office holders and appoints it's loyal friends to the vacancies. It is possible that MT. Crusberg has par ticipated in just such activities, and is, therefore, partly to blame if incompe- tents do feed at the public. crib.
 MT. Crusberg clearly shows that he does not appreciate his position. As private citizen he might be excused for making such statement, but as an office holder he cannot so easily escape his obligation to encourage confidence in government. MT. Crus- berg's post is one that requires the services of "an exceptionally capable