New Britain herald., 1928-12-28


farious fluctuations of a mayor. He
may have few ideas when he takes
office. but his best notions usually
are aftcrthoughts and come to him
in his sleep after he has been In Of
fice few months. At least. it takes
that long to discover the weaknesses
OF sundry commissioners and the
good points OF friends who are
anxious to become commissioners
and thus tinker with the civic ma
chinery.
The new plan under discussion
would model the commissioner bus
mess after the noble example of the
President Of these United stster,
who when he takes office immedi-
at.ly appoints new cabinet. Let It
be noted that the city commissioners
can be regarded somewhat in the
light OF a mayors cabinet. one SINH
larity being that the mayor. like the
President. is not bound to take ad-
vice from any of his satellites. but is
more inclined to give advice.
There is ar important difference,
however. which most effectively
upsets the apple cart. That differ
ence is that the President, elected on
the first Tuesday of November. has
until March I to weigh the abilities
Of the able citizens he contemplatcs
placing in his cabinet. Indeed. he
has sufficient time to confer with
them on the quiet or through inter-
mediarles. and usually nobody gets
into the cabinet after March I who
has not previously given evidence to
the President that he is thoroughly
in accord with the presidential
views.
The mayor Of New Britain, when
elected, il confronted with an en-
tirely different situation. He has no
four months in which to snalyze the
gifts OF citizens for commissioner
jobs-certainly not il the proposed
change were to 90 into effect. He
would have to make his choices al
most instanter. thus running the
risk Of choosing men so ill-fitted to
be commissioners that the result in
many cases would be civic tragedies.
Under such a system, indeed, his
choices would be ultra political; and.
We think. the pressure for the
scheme comes from political sources
who wish to be assured OF a thor
oughly political compile Aion to the
commissioner cab inet just as soon as
a new mayor Is thrown into the
City Hall.
The present system is good
enough. II gives new mayor time
to think before fooling with the
commissionership buzzsaw; and II
he desires to see efficiency in prac-
tice as we'll IS in theory. he need
not ask for the rexignations of out
standing commissioners regardless
Of politics. a practice which
fortunately has been followed 10
some extent in this city.
The plan to dismembcr all COM
missioners from the roll automati-
cslly just as soon as a new mayor is
chosen Is a political idea. based on
political considerations. desired by
politicians who wish to make sure
that all the political spoils will so
to the political party happening to
elect the mayor. These gentlemen. it
will be noted, are the same who
steadfastly oppose anything APP
preaching civil service in the city:
they are the identical political for
wardIookers who are more immersed
in political parties than in civic fit
ness. II Republicans. they are OF the
sort who think no Democrat knows
the meaning Of civic management:
If Democratic. they are of the type
who imagine no republican is other
wise than a political kite flyer.
Even as conditions happen to be
not perfect. as we said previously
there have been political msfts
incorporating in the role of conf
missioners; it would be many times
worse with new, raw and compare
lively ignorant mayor being COM
PEELED to choose whole batch OF
commissioners the minute he takes
Office.
Or is it the plan to have the inner
political circle relieve him Of such
difficulties by presenting him with a
political slate Of mjssicncrs
along With the perfunctory and