New Britain herald., 1923-05-17
0TR Fk.sFRyIeE MEN,

. [ hy the New Britain club as soon a that club lsrTes and takes un its new quarters iR the hotel new heinz built
 Briefly the plan, as outlined in tn, ! communication 10 the common eouR
 eil and signed hy officers of the var ious organizations, is to give a room
 ta each Of these organizations fol
 their own, and ta allow the larger
 room, now the New Britain clubs
 dining room, 10 he used on specified
 evenings as q general assembly hal
 by these organizations in turn,
 Although the general sentiment
 seems 10 be in favor of the plan. and
 although the representatives Of the
 es-serHtee mems organizations are ems
 fhusiastie over il. objections have
 naturally arisen. First there Is n
 possible loss to the city Of the Income
 from those rooms, The New Britain
 club pays 5000 n year. IL Is doubt
 ful fl another tenant could be found immediately which would pay this
 amount. In addition 10 this. the city
 would not lose all Of that s4.ooo. Tho
 city once promised the c. A. R. a | room in the city hall. The city has
 not carried out that promise. but 1t
 now pays s75o n year to provide for that organization. Deduct this from
 the 5000. There are certain sleep-
 ing rooms which the ex-service mems
 organizations would not be given. The
 city could either rent these or use
 them itself. Deduct this from the
 5000.
 Another objection raised is that
 granting the use of these rooms in
 city hall to these organizations would
 destroy the chance of the organiza-
 tion's ever having fine. new building of their own. This Is not true. There is talk even now of new city hall. The situation would be changed com pletely if this should become reality. Moreover the chance of the ex-service mems organizations obtaining that fine, new building is so remote that this contemplated action should not be frowned upon because of that remote chance. Another objection is | that possibly the old Normal school would be a better place for the for mer fighting men. Certainly it would not be as convenient place and in addition there is decided feeling that this old building will eventually be used to house the school depart ment's offices. There is the further objection that some house. say on West Main street, could be rented for these organizations. No chance! And, far more important is the fact that such action would take away all the splendid sentiment that would come with the housing of these organiza- tions In the place which represents the city's life.
 These are some of the confessedly half-hearted objections that have been made to the idea of having all our ex-service mems organizations given a home in city hall They are mentioned merely to present the situation as fairly as possible
 Now comes the inspiring thought that grows more and more convincing as the plan is considered. There, in New Britain" would be the home of the men who marched away from this city to answer the call of the country of which New , Britain is such a representative part. In those rooms where members of the different organiza tons could asso- ,iate together privately if they so de- tired, all ex-service men would meet. at first, then. it is to be loped, more intimately. member If one post would enter, find his own organizations room deserted, per aps, and would run onto the mem- 'er of another post whose room, too. ( vas deserted for the moment. These 2 wo men have one of the strongest onds imagina ble--they fought under f he same flag. Would not the situa- V ion make for greater understa nding s f each other? Would one bow for 1ally and pass on? Any man who ', as fought or trained under the flag a ny man who had gone through the y igorous work of the army knows etter than this. They would talk 1 ,gether, strangers though they might Il ave been For two men new joy T oud have come-the creation of a ew friendship. |, Examine the objections and then n lrn to d consideration of a plan that {, ould bring 10 the ex-service men of lis city some of that spirit of com deship which prevailed in the army, D
 France, In training camps on this Y de Of the water And then remem- sr that if this thing were done the ty Of New Britain would at last m INC shown a little Of the apprecia- " pn for the sacrifices made by these a on who marched away to fight; who '. rved gioriously, who returned to be R