New Britain herald., 1923-02-05
I,IPARTIALifS

1MfAlsliAIIlt
 The person or publicity organ wh' or which undertakes to advocate o' oppose movements of men impartially realize that the written words Of ap' proval or disapproval will occasionally be mlsinterpreted. If man says something good about movement h' is at once placed as sponsor or tha' movement notwithstanding the tae' that he may see and call attention to other aspects Of 1t of which he does not approve. If one says something good about the Mayor, for instance or the common council, the minimizing place him at once as supporter or the Mayor or. one who can see no wrong fin the common council. lmpartiality IS not common enough to be expected in anybody or anything. People who listen to a speaker, listen carelessiy often; people who read. often reau carelessly. They do not take in exact- ly what is said or written; they taii utterly to get the significance of modi- fications of previous statements There is SO much loose talking or loose writ- inr that much is said and written which carries an impression not in- tended by the author, and for thls the loose speech or writing of the author is to blame. The people have been educated to read and hear this loose talk and they often are in doubt as to just what is intended.
 Legal opinions do not have this fail- ;rq iudge may write some words in an opinion which have nothing to do with the direct point at issue. The lawyer examines these statements, II they were not necessary to decisioh of the case he disregards them except as indicating the manner in which the mind of the judge who wrote them works. Those statements are caileu "dicta," and they are not Jaw. The only flaw" contained in a written opinion are the statements which have to be made in order to decide the case. All other words might well pc eliminated from the opinion.
 It would be well if public speakers and writers were similarly judged; II they would write with as great care as do those judges who, be 1t said TOT them, would not be guilty of writing irrelevant statements if they did not know that such statements would be regarded as .'dicta' merely.
 The Herald has opposed restricting the expenditures of the school com mittee, for instance, to $500 unless ap- proval of the common council were first obtained This newspaper feels that the work of the school committee would be handicapped beyond all req son if it's affairs were to be handled by the common council.
 But because this newspaper stands back of the school committee Tn thls matter does not mean necessarily that it stands back of the school committee in everything it does. Blind partisan ship or blind support of any men, measures or organizations is about as dangerous characteristic as any per son or institution can possess. support of unhampered hands on the school committee does not necessitate shaking of those hands on every oc- casion. The school committee has probably made mistakees in some ot it's purchases; it has probably made unwise and perhaps unfair contracts; there may be many practical ways in which the affairs of the school com mittee might be improved. And this is the time to make that improvement from within. The people are burden ed by taxation. It is hard for most of us to make both ends meet to say nothing of getting them 10 overlap a bit so that provision may be made for rainy day. Economy, wise buying, a study of practical affairs on the part of members of the school committee would help in this matter of taxes. Such economy should be practiced now; such study made. The school committee should justify the faith i placed in it and prove as efficient in | a business way as it has in it's educa- tional achievements.