New Britain herald., 1926-12-18
HAMLIN BITTER AT
 COUNCILS INSULT
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council so lose their heads, and be- come excited enough to threaten, when the people are trying to show them what sentiment 10 reflect.
 Hints at Secrecy
 "I wonder, if secrecy has not been the dominating feature of the new | monument campaign. just what the mayor meant when he said to the l council. in session. last Wednesday | evening: The amount Of the cost i has been brought out but that is all | beside the point
 "I wonder about the sincerity of l the mayor, and read his letter of i November 23. as follows:- T feel so . deeply about this matter that l do | not believe that anyone really wishes ! to cut down the trees and level the 1 hill on the public entrance 10 a | public park. l wonder about that | sincerity. when it is known that is 1 the intention of those in authority l to cut down many trees, and tear | away the hill side. at great expense, | to ohtrude upon the public gaze, : something it would prefer 10 hide the same hin that cost such vast sums to build up. so that grass might grow upon il.
 "I wonder if a succeeding city council, with an equal regard for the people. and with equal sentiment. and with an equal itching near to their hearts, and with equal plausi bility. might not tear down the of lending memorial. and restore the most wonderful park in the state, to the rare beauty which preceded its defacement.
 'I wonder why and how the Le- zion has been led from its first de- sire for a memorial building, then for the court of honor, and finally, for stone pile on the hill.
 T wonder If the sentiment behind the new monument is that sentiment that brought about the seemingly spontaneous parades, of Armistice day, in 1919; or if it is the same sentiment that gave birth 10 the court of honor which Is still so wide ly cherished by nearly all the popu- lation Of New Britain. as well as by thousands of people who pass through the city, and who pause, in their journey to admire and won- der. I wonder.
 Calls 1t "DisgracefuI Thing"
 q wonder what the boys who are sleeping in Flanders field might think of the sacrifice they made in the name of democracy, if they could realize what disgraceful things are being done in the name of pa triotism, and in their memory. ] wonder what they would think about a situation where people who were enthused about the court of honor, at the beginning of the campaign to preserve it, and then 10 cool down to stocal sullenness and silence, in less than Q week from the time it became known that they were interested in it.
 T wonder who does not believe that the dedication exercises at the new Nlli bio oAio' tlHNF In the breasts of the audience, the hatreds of a few years ago. won der who We could get to deliver the address, who would not refer to the glory the boys gave their lives to buy. I wonder if We could get a man to speak of the horrors Of human butcheries. I wonder if he would tell the reverently silent multitude, that for the mothers 10 raise sons to be butchered, and then used as a preteXt for the erection of monument, should be a thing of the past wonder if the names of the members of the city government. together with that of the architect, are going to occupy places upon that sky split ting pile of stone. and go down in glory, to posterity. with the names of those who did something for their country.
 'I wonder why one member Of the monument committee has said I go to all of their suppers, and smoke their cigars, and l admit that I do not dare to say a thing. l wonder why he also said We, the Legion and service men, want the monument, to hell with the pub lie I wonder why he said, again. | when speaking of our petition: If | you had a petition a mile and a | half in length it would not make | any difference, so determined is the : committee, to have just what it has | planned I wonder why the sup | pers and the cigars.
 T wonder whose the cunning | mind that forcsaw the possibilities of resurrecting the monument | question, after the people had | killed it, by destroying, not only the city meeting board but by leaving out of the charter, all pro- vision for an appeal from the peo- pie. I wonder why the voters of New Britain do not adopt the city manager plan of government.