New Britain herald., 1924-01-05
1.-THE OBSER VER- Makes Random Observations
 On the City and Its People

; The dismantling continued until
 Friend Wife remembered that she
 had put the milk out on the back
 porch and that the temperature had fallen. When she returned, she
 expressed exasperation:
 Are you taking down the Christ
 mas tree or are you taking lessons
 on the photograph she inquired
 with ice in every syllable. "Whatzza matter?" asked the Poor
 Man. Cant a fellow take a minute off once in while?'.
 "Yes, but some men don't know when the minute is up." was the
 acid-tinted rsply. "You're just like
 all men. ~ like to butter around and never get anywhere. I'd like to
 know where the world would be if it
 wasn't for us women. You men
 would die if you tried to do the
 housework we do. Here I just turn
 my back on you for a moment and you rush over to that photograph and start playing that silly Gliding
 With Gladys that you brought home just because your stenographer was humming it to herself today when she should have been mauling the typewriter.
 That's it, be sure to sprinkle those needles all over the room. I haven't anything else to do but sweep up after you. LOOK OUT FOR THE ELECTRIC LAMP! You almost knocked it off the table. Easy now getting it through that door. Don't scratch the varnlsh. You got Q branch in your eye? Well, don't make such a fuss about it-you men are such babies. Right out this way. I'll open the back door. There now, just pitch it down into the yard"
 A minute later: Well, I'm glad we have that done," to which the Poor Man, bristling up, inquired for once in his life in a bold voice: "Where d'y get that 'We?"
 Meriden is the latest city in Con- necticut to approve the two-platoon system in the fire department, there by falling into line with New Britain and other progressive cities.
 Inquiry among fremen in this city reveals the fact that they are happy at the way in which the two-platoon system is working out, They now have assigned time on duty and know when they can be away from their stations and arrange their lives ac- cordingly. They also have time to spend with their families and 1t isn't necessary for Little Willie to ask his mother, Who is that strange man that cats with us once in a while?"
 The greatest advantage is in the improved morals of the men. They are beginning to feel like human be- ings once again, instead Of cogs in q great wheel. While they are natural ly modest on the subject, itSs known that they have more confidence in themselves and are better fitted physi- cally to fight flames.
 When we look back and remember all the hullabaloo raised over the sub ject, we wonder If the average person isn't a bit obstinate when it comes 10 giving 10 the other fellow those things in life to which he is entitled.
 When the Municipal Home Service soon after it's organization, asked Miss Gertrude c. Conroy to bo- come secretary of the bureau teh com mittee was complimented upon its wise choice. This noon Miss Conroy retired from that office to take np an- other line of work in New York city. l After nearly three years of faithful service, she had demonstrated the truth of the belief now becoming more and more common that women are fully capable of handling the import ant offices of public life where one must be efficient in the performance | of ministerial duties and where tact | and diplomacy count.
 The Home Service Bureau was es- 1 tablished to meet necessity. There | were hundreds Of claims foA compen- sation pending. there were countless problems facing the ex-service men | who were carrying war risk insurance l and who were ignorant of rules of Then, too, there were the | men and their families com | stantly in need of help. The city wish | ed to avoid any action that would ! the men, so a fund was es- l ,ablished and it's distribution entrusted ]