New Britain herald., 1927-12-15
WELD IS AGAINST,
 CITY PAY RAISES
Comes Out Openly at Meeting Of
 Salary Committee

UuiulJ VVlllultlW
 Councilman Samuel Sablotsky Of
 the sixth ward started what appear
 ed to be a losing fight, as far as
 the salary committee of the com-
 mon council is concerned at least,
 at meeting of the committee last
 night, when he declared in favor of
 the recommendations of the board
 Of police commissioners for salary
 increases for the chief, captain, lieu
 tenants and sergeants. and criticized
 the board of fire commissioners for
 mot being men enough" to approve
 the request of the tlremen for an in-
 crease in pay of 50 cents per day.
 Mayor G. C. Weld. who attended
 the meeting on invitation of Chair
 man Maxon, was obliged to request
 Councilman Sablotsky to let me say
 a few words please" after the coun-
 cilman had held the floor for sev-
 eral minutes and still gave no indi-
 cation of an intent to relinquish il.
 The mayor said he believed that
 fully go per cent of the salary in
 creases which will be requested are
 justified. but he cannot reconcile the spending of the taxpayers money 1or increasing salaries Of city off cials and employees, with the exist
 ing depressed conditions. Person. ally, he would like to great increases br- he could not lose sight of the ;act that the same people out of whose pockets the money would come are actually earning less
 money themselves at present than they were last year. T do not see how there can be any salary in crcases this year for anybody. much as I would like to have some in- cQualities corrected" he said.
 Factory EmpIoyes On Short Hours
 Councilman w. G. Gibney men, tioned that factory employes are not receiving increased wages but are working short hours, while the city employees have not had their in come reduced. Councilman Sablot. sky replied that it is improper to compare city employees, especially fremen and policemen. to factory hands. "Why not?" inquired Coun- cilmen Larson and Gihney. to which Councilman Sablotsky replied that flremen, for instance, cannot be late for roll call or they will be punish ed. and the men having charge of the tape on which alarms are re- corded are in danger of being fined several days pay for making mis- takes. Councilman Larson replied that factory employees cannot report late many times without being spok- en to about 1t, even though they are "docked."
 Well, worked in the factory once" Councilman Sablotsky re- piled. T was late about five morn- ings a week and I was not fired for it. finally quit because there was not enough money in the job. l was a hurry clerk and once I shipped an order of goods to the wrong place, 1 land all I got was a call down for it. Councilman Larson replied that fac tory employees were dealt with l leniently when labor was plentiful | but conditions have changed of late /, years Councilman Gibney remarked that hurry clerks do not have charge l of shipping in the factories now.
 Cites Firemen's Daily Risks
 Councilman Sablotsky asserted | that factory employees do not endan- ger themselves In their daily work to the degree that the firemen take risks when going to fire and work ing at fires. When that bell rings and those men go out, they never know whether they will come back [, or not" he said. They have families depending on them but their first thought is to fight the fires for you and me. In the factories there are so many safety devices that a man can hardly hurt himself in any way.'
 Councilman Warner replied that If Councilman Sablotsky would fol- low him around the Stanley Works for a few hours he would find him. self in some rather hazardous places. AS the dispute waxed warmer. Sablotsky advised the members who believe the firemen have good positions, to leave their factory positions and join the fire department.
 Relative to the clothing allowance Of s55 which the police commission CTS recommend for the policemen, Councilman sablotsky said a private citizen can pay $22 or even s15 for D suit or an overcoat but a police mans overcoat costs approximately $50. He told of the comparatively simple manner in which damage can be done to a uniform. Do you know that practically every back yard fin l the city is inspected at night by po- icemen, who go through mud and dirt and everything else In the 1ark?" he asked. 'I don't know ( anything about the back yards but know that some front verandas Ire inspected,' Councilman Gibney 'eplied.
 Says City Money is Wasted
 The amount of money involved in salary increases should not be per nitted to work against the individ- ,als who are deserving of consider ltion, Councilman Sablotsky said. In he police department, the proposed pcreases would entail approximate y $500o and many times that ould be saved in the department of public works alone, he said. T do rot mean this administration or any in particular. but it s a fact that many thousands of ollars are wasted, thrown away. tome of this could be used to give he firemen and policemen and ther deserving city employees raises. 0 keep them contented and show hat their services are appreciated"
 As he touched on the paving of Hen street. formerly Hungerford 'ourt. Mayor Weld remarked that