New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-02-17
Civil SERVICE BILL
DEAD AS king TUT
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merit and without political affiliations
being considered, Theoretically such
an undertaking was ideal. but after q
short time the practical side OF the
civil service program began to be
noticeable, II vas claimed. Some
state departments applied to the gov
ernor for exemption from the Tegula'
tons OF civil service. Department
heads stated that subordinates Of OPP
posite party faith, or assistants with
different ideas OF policy. interfered
with the progress Of department work,
and they. the department heads. were
helpless 10 discipline them, Ex-
emptions were granted, one after an
other. until In 1871 but seant few
of the state departments remained
under civil service jurisdiction.
Loud Dispute Expested
The legislature OF l22i voted the
Civil Service commission out Of exis-
tence In the opening week OF the
session. At that time, many OF the
proponents OF this system were highly
ineensed at what they termed the
high handed action OF the Legislature.
and although attempts were made to
reconsider the matter, they proved
futile. Since the 1921 session. and
more especially during the time prior
to the converting OF the present legis-
lature. II was generally understood In
the state that a determined effort on
the part OF the proponents would BIZ
made to reintroduce civil service IN
the state departments this year. In
the opening weeks OF the present ses-
sion, civil service was the topic OF
many conversation In the capitol.
and big time" was confidently cx-
pected when the matter came up.
The hearing on the civil service
bill was held before the judiciary
committee on "wednesday; and II was
n disappointingly tame affair to those
who expected any protracted debate.
The judiciary committee sits for hear
ings In the odl senate chamber, the
most spacious committee room In the
capitol, and 1t was not even COM
fortably filled. The hearings on the
birth control bill, held the day pre-
vious, brought out a crowd consid-
erably larger in number The pres
entation OF arguments by the civil
service proponents was lacking in
the force and enthusiasm that was
expected. Following the hearing. the
committee met in executive session,
and voted to report the bill unfayor-
ably.
In the house Thursday, Represen-
tative Darbie of killingly, one of the
judiciary members, reported the COM
mittee's action, and requested the re-
lection of the bill. mo one has
given a good reason why the state
should try this again." he said. Mem
bers looked around the house. and
spectators waited for the expected
debate to start. c. Dennison Tall
colt of Vernon, long known as a
hearty supporter of civil service,
arose, and to the surprise of the ma
jority of his listeners. concurred with
the decision of the judiciary commit
tee. A few seconds elapsed while the
house waited expectantly, and then
Speaker Nickerson put the motion to
a vote. Not one voice was heard dis
senting with the committee report,
and civil service died then and there.
This matter was the single topic of
discussion when adjournment came,
and is still on the tip Of many
tongues in the capitol. The unani-
nous vote was the most unexpected
thing that could have happened, and
many members are still nonplussed
over the quick-collapse Of the battle
that was to be.
Birth Control
The hearing on the birth control
bill before the judiciary committee on
Tuesday was the biggest hearing of
the session SO far. Women and men
from various parts of the state, cap
itol employees egislators--everybo
literally speaking, was packed into
the committee room, their sense OF
curiosity compelling their presence.
Other committees were meeting, and
vacant chairs here and there when
these committees opened their hear
ings attested to the fact that the alb.
sentees were occupying seats in the
judiciary chamber. Legislators who
who DESTROYS of being shaved had to
locate the capitol barber in the same
place. From the standpoint of an
audience, the hearing was sure
fire success. Mrs. Margaret Sanger
proved a most engaging chief coun-
sci for the defense of birth control,
and although no particular weight
had been given to the subject previ- |
ously, there were many legislators
after the hearing who expressed their
opinion that the subject was worthy
of a great amount of thought. OIL
course the birth control bill, so called, |
will be rejected for the reason that |
this legislature does not believe
Connecticut should go on. record as
blazing the way for such a departure
from present legislative restrictions
which do not permit of birth control. |
The Railroad Hearing.
The hall of the house was well
filled when the railroad hearing
opened at $500 o'clock Wednesday
afternoon, many members of the leg
islature being noticed in the gather
ing. The heads of the striking shop
men presented their side, and Decd
pied most of the time until 500
o'clock. when there were few people
still remaining to listen. One state
n1ent made during the hearing, by
Ira N. Coburn, head of the Connecti-
cut Federation of Labor, was illumin-
ating. He states that the commits
sion appointed in 1919, OF which he
was a member. recommended certain
remedial measures to the legislature
the Connecticut company,
that this legislation was finally passed