New Britain herald., 1924-04-04
MAYOR DENIES HE
 IS THROWING MUD
PaOnessa Claims Hsllberg and Porter Were Machine Victims

An audience Of about 300 men
 greeted Mayor A. M. Paonessa. the democratic nominee, when he appear ed at the r. X F. Corbn factory gate this noon for his daily rally.
 The mayors attack was again con- centrated upon the republican ma chine. He pointed out cX-CounciI- man Clifford w. Hellberg who stood on the sidewalk nearby, as a victim Of the machine" Helberg has sup ported the administration .s' the past two years on many matters in which the republican mempers were lined up almost to man with the oppossi- tion. The mayor declared that Hal- berg had been warned and when he declined to abide by the dictates of the machine he was busted at pri- mary. The mayor claimed that the same fate met eX-Counclman Max we'll s. Porter because he would not be lined up.'
 Continuing the mayor said:--
 'Is it mud-slinging if I ask what my opponent has done in behalf of the republican voters Of this city in reference to appearance and assis- tance before the Public Utilities Com mission to see that the trolley fares were not increased. If he was there or NJ. Klett was there I failed to see them. Were either of them present before the Public Utilities Commission urging the elimination of Clayton grade crossing.
 Twill my opponent, Judge filling, deny that while he was a member of the general assembly as New Britain's representative he exerted effort to wrest from the mayor his control over the appointment of deputies in the offices of the town clerk and the collector. What was the motive be- hind this: Was it not so that the clerk and collector would reinstate discharged employees and keep intact the republican machine,
 "This has been my line of inquiry all through the campaign. It is an honest search for the truth. And yet am accused of mud-slinging. have never thrown mud, I am not now throwing mud, and nothing will eyer persuade me to throw mud for the purpose of securing . public honor.
 T have handed copy Of this state- ment to a representative of the Hart ford Courant. Now let us see if the Hartford Courant will give us an ex- ample of the American spirit of fair play by printing this statement.
 Mayor A. NJ. Paonessa this morn- ing issued a statement replying to claims made by Judge R. w. filling during the course of republican rally last night in Judd's hall. The mayors statement follows:
 My republican opponent, Judge Aliing, has been quoted as having challenged me to prove where there has been a salary saving in city hall during my administration, and he has also been quoted as saying that while some employees. were fired others were hired and new jobs created.
 'I gladly accept this challenge and herewith submit facts and figures. Included among the jobs upon which an actual saving was effected. are several ex-employes whose services were dispensed with and others who resigned and in whose place no one was hired. . saving being effected in every instance. During the fiscal year of 1o23-is24, a net saving in salaries of sl1.3ei was brought | about. There was salary saving of thousands of dollars in the fiscal year that preceded that of 1923-is2f, but for the present I will touch upon The year inst concluded only
 Tn the department of public | works ff1.37s was saved in the fol- lowing positions, the incumbenfs Of which, in some instances, were let go while in other cases there were resig- | nations and no one was engaged to I all the place: Chairman, $500; su-