The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-05-01
Let's Go Back To Work

In their disappointment over the loss of the battle just concluded at Hartford. the proponents of the so-called Council Man ager" Charter seem to be in that condition known in ring parlance .as punch drunk We see them grossy. but still on their feet lasl,ing out wildly in all directions in the hope of landing just one effective blow. while the cry of double cross fills the air.
 The targets for the moment seem to be Mr Roraback and Congressman E. w. Goss While we would normally welcome such signs of disruption. in the opposition party. yet this attack seems to us to be just little un- fair We have not observed any activity by Mir Roraback either for or against this propo- siticn. From our knowledge of the efforts of Mr Goss. reinforced by his own state ments. it would appear that they were in the direction of favoring the referendum which the legislative committee has seen fit to deny To those who are disposed to view the whole matter dispassionately. it would appear that certain salient features of the entire affair have been consistently over looked
 The legislative committee apparently gave much time and thought to the proposed Council Manager plan. They realized, more fully than did its proponents, that it was impractical. unavoidable and in many respects unconstitutional. They were no doubt deeply impressed by the clear cut statement of Attorney William E. Thoms who pointed out to them the golden opportunity which 1t would furnish for endless litigation. They properly turned a deaf ear to the suggestion \ that members of the former Charter Commis- sion could reetify any defects in this Charter in few days. They were unable to coneede that the so-eallcd experts who after eighteen months of intensive and expansive labor. had brought forth such an offspring. could by some magic of corrective surgery stransfofm this misshapen infant into healthy, normal child. They realized. too. that the vast majority of the citizens of Waterbury (as was exclusively shown by the poll con- ducted by the Waterbury Demoerat) was opposed to this fantastic scheme.
 Yet they also realized that special elections are invariably characterized by general indif- ference and that there was a bare possibility of seeing such indifference place the minority in q position of inflcting this charter upon city which did not want it. They realized most of all that if by chance tnis did occur and this monstrosity were saddled upon the city. the blame would inevitably and proper ly revert to the Legislature whose earelessness had made it possible. Their reasoning throughout appears to us to have been sane and logical and their decision eminently fair and just.
 Meanwhile. they have given to Water bury revised Charter which is satisfactory to all but few of the more radical minded. Waterbury. on her part. has placed the con- duct of her municipal affairs in the hands of an administration whose efforts in the right direction have earned the plaudits of friend and foe alike. Those who claim that the in- terest in the City Manager plan was based solely upon the public good have golden op- portunity to show their sincerity by standing squareIy behind Mayor Hayes in continuing his excellent record.
 The contest is over. Let's all get back to work.