New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-10-18
GENTLEMEN or TnE COUNCIL


led by Aldermen Dehm and Judd las
evening acted In just such a manne'
~ We have been led to suppose lh'
council would act when they re-
fused 20 allow a representative of th'
WAR Veterans bureau 10 make n pleu
in the case of appointing Finger
Print Expert Dolan on the police
force. Their deliberate. unprovoked
: insult TO a representative of the gov
eminent board and their single mind
ed thoughtlcss, stubborn procedure
with the achievement OF political
goal only In sight. let the chips fall
where they might. Is quite character
istic of the political machine OF tho
city. to which they belong. The peo-
pie. the government. cx-soldiers, ethics
and common courtesy be darned when
they bindly set their mind on goal,
small and picayune though IL may be.
First let us understand the Doan
situation. in order that the complica-
lions might be clearer. Dolan was. be-
for the United States became involved
in the argument with the late Will
helm of Germany, attached to the To-
cal police force. He then became a
soldier. During the war he served,
and when he returned he went to the
police force again. His health. i'm
paired in the war, was not such as
to warrant keeping him on the force
when he returned from service, al
though it was tried. Consequently he
availed himself of the opportunity
offered all veterans to take a rehabili-
tation course under government
supervision ana government pay. He
chose the trade of linger-print ex-
pert and took his training. In the
latter months of the training period
he was assigned TO New Britain and
put at work here. Last July his train
ing period expired and his pay ceased.
He wished reappointment. but the
council has meanwhile found, others
being the butt. that Dolan is
too old; he is over S5. All of his serv-
ices, SO far, have been free to New
Britain, part OF the time he has given
them without recompense from either
the government or the city. But he
cannot be appointed and the council
does not want to hear any more about
1t.
He lately became involved, unwit-
tingly perhaps, in political attention
from the council which took steps to
prove an ordinance had been violated
in appointing other policemen as they
were over the age set in the ordinance,
IS. AS far as the age goes the politi-
clans of the council were right, Dolan's
second appointment would be made
after he was 35. The first objective of
the enemy in the Council had been
achieved. 1t was achieved by boring
from within" by New Britain's famous
borers. not by fight in the open such
as Dolan, in common with millions of
other United States soldiers and
sailors, was accustomed4sto conduct, a
square fight, man to man and gun to
gun. OF course, with few exceptions,
members of the Common Council of
the city of New Britain, had not be-
come accustomed to this kind Of
fighting, particularly those who led
the ungentlemanly fight against him
last night. There are some ex-service
men in the Council, those wished, at
least, to hear Capt. Bannigan speak
on the subject. He might be expect
ed to speak for one of his proteges,
and common courtesy should be ex-
tended to him even by the all-powerful
Republican political gang.
But the Council would not let him
speak, Dolan was over age, that was
all and that was enough. Broadmind-
edness may be practiced by the Coun-
Gil at times, when those times fit its
ends Last night was the first time,
as far as VIC know, that person
from outside was refused permission
OF the floor to make a plea of any /
kind. Yep, the Common Council is
quite body of legislators and law
makers-but 1t doesn't function from
the Council floor.
IT is simply another demonstration
of the heedlessness of the republican {
organization, Dehm and Judd are both
staunch members of the organization |
The people, ethics. courtesy. every j
thing. be darned as long as the peo- {
pie can be led by the nose at election s
time and made TO vote the same old
ticket in the same old way. The gang Z
can virtuously sit back on its heels (
and. raising its eyes TO Heaven. state '
that Dolsn was an outcast. made so
BY our ordinance and that there was {