New Britain herald., 1927-02-02
NO CURTAIN FOR CURTIN

For years the efficiency ane knowledge of Cyril J. Curtin, cleo trical inspector, were recognized wherever such things were apprecl' ated. That included the city hall. The city considered itself fortunate 1T possessing the services of the man and in the past any politician witt the hardinood to call the inspectors ability into question would have beer regarded as slightly if not radically defective mentally.
 Perhaps out of desire to provide q city berth for some machine poli- tician comes the astounding infor- nation that the resignation of Cyril J. Curtin has been requested. And after it was given the members Of the building commission, sensing some of the public indignation ap- parent hereabouts became reluctant to accept it. Only the chairman, A. P. Leavitt, felt disposed to stick by the guns of the machine. How I.eavitt acts is one thing; what he thinks and says is another. For 1t is on record that his estimate of Cur tin was correct: Curtin is an efi- cient inspector and a fine man for the job" Leavitt was quoted as say ing. Yet the author of the words wanted Curtin's resignation accepted forthwith instead of placed on a table for week.
 If the building commission and the political gendarmes behind it know what they are about they will act carefully and well before they go through with this Curtin dismissal. An examination given Curtin by those who wished to assure them selves of his knowledge and ability in his field resulted in a verdict that must have been highly pleasing to Curtin's many friends and admirers and perhaps somewhat nettling to the building commission. Even Al derman Nair, whose identification with the grand old party is in no respect yelled, felt moved to con- gratulate Curtin upon the remark able knowledge displayed. The fact that Alderman Nair has begun to struggle valiantly for the retention of Curtin would indicate that there is a strong division of opinion about the issue within the Republican ranks one that ought to result in injecting common sense into the building commission, if public opin- ion and the petition of the electri- clans of the city fail Of that ot ect.
 The charges that were originally made against Curtin have been found to be composed of dream stuff. Curtin was supposed to have neglect ed to examine papers properly. IL has been found he examined them with extreme care and with ef1l- eiency, and that if mistakes were made they were the fruit of another examiner who was not responsible to Curtin. It was claimed that he had lost some papers. It was learned up- on investigation that he had not lost the papers, but that he had placed them apart from the others for safe keeping, and when he was suffer ing from a bad tooth or some such ailment and was incapacitated from work for the day someone made a call for the papers, could not find them where the others were kept and a report ensued they were lost" The facts were Curtin, on be- iug asked about them. went to the city hall and laid his hands upon them in q iiffy.
 These ridiculous occurrences, how ever, formed the excuses that some politicians were looking for, and the hair-raising charges were at onco made and the inspectors resignation demanded.
 The public is not deceived in the matter, no matter how much politi- clans may work to deceive thom- selves. The public believes the prime reason for attempting to get Curtin's scalp is political. He is a Democrat.
 Nobody but a fool would claim there are not some efficient Demo- crats ill the world, in the state. in the city Curtin is one of them, Even Chairman Leavitt admits it. Then why try to hurl him from the post he has been filling so long with honor and credit to himself and with profit to the city? There can be but one answer, and the public must be correct In it's deductions.