The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-10-03
Cross Opens Campaign In New HaDen---
Urges Creation OF Industrial Board


vast sum, half Of which went
into food, shelter and clothing,
has been distributed to the mu-
inequalities of the state through
Miss Eleanor Little, secretary of
the emergency relief commission,
who was appointed by the fed
eral government as relief admin
istrator for Connecticut. In this
way the state and the federal
government have worked in CO.
operation.
State Rights?
Curiously enough republican
campaign orators are in dilem-
ma over whether they should
approve or disapprove these
grants. One spellbinder seeking
reelection thinks that the state
should look after the relief of
the unemployed without the aid
of the federal government. He
poses as strong state-rights
man. On the other hand, an
other spellbinder seeking re-
election argues that Connecticut,
in consideration of taxes 1t pays
to the federal government,
should receive larger grants. AS
matter of fact, the $2S,000,00O
is several millions more than the
combined income tax which the
citizens and corporations of Con-
necticut have been paying annu-
ally to the federal government
during the last few years. 1t
would be well for these two cam
paign orators to get together and
to see If they cannot come to
some agreement on a single line
of attack. You. may recall the
perplexity of the clown, Launce-
lot, in Shakespeare's Merchant
of Venice" who was uncertain
whether to stay with Shylock or
to run away. Bulge not" was
the advice Of his conscience,
but "Budge" was the advice of
the devil. The clown decided to
run away with the devil.
Labor Disputes
AS always at the beginning of
strikes become common. Within
the last year approximately one
hundred and sixty labor dis
putes, including strikes, have
been settled within the state
through a state recovery board
and the commissioner of labor,
in cooperation with the federal
government. 1t is splendid
achievement. Nevertheless, the
manner in which these strikes
and disputes have been settled is
denounced in the republican
platform and by Congressman
Blackwell. am asked why L
have not made use of the state
board of mediation and arbitra-
ton, competent for the purpose.
/ will tell you why. The board
of mediation and arbitration was
established in 1895. During the
thirty-nine years of its existence
1t has been called in to arbitrate
only one strike 1t cannot func.
ton because 1t has only advisory
power. At various times the
board has asked the general as
sembly to give it adequate power,
but no action has ever been
taken to this end, The state
board of mediation and arbitra-
ton Is a joke.
Guards Called Out
am accused -of making the
board partisan whereas the
statute declares that 1t must be
bipartisan. I did indeed get into
some trouble there when, to my
amusement, the republican mem
Der turned democrat. But I
could not help that.
/ have used the very best
means at hand for the settlement
of strikes and all labor disputes,
and ! stand by the record.
visited the textile strike area. !
had conferences with the manu-
facturers and workers. sent
into the strike area the commits
sioner of labor, who remained;
there until the strike was over.
The republican platform de-
nounces the use of uniformed
officers" in strikes, despite the
fact that the National Guard was
called out by a republican lieu
tenant-governor, now renomin-
ated for the same office. On my
return to the state I Immediately
ordered that the machine gun
company be disbanded; and all
the other companies of the Ma
tional Guard were demobilized
one by one as fast as quiet was
restored. =.
Democratic Program
If much has beeR accom-
plished much remains. I wish
that every citizen of the state
might read the democratic plat
form, a copy OF which may be
obtained from the office of the
State Central Committee, rs
Pearl Street, Hartford, Connecti-
cut. There you will find the
democratic program of legisla-
ton. The democratic party still
urges every measure which II has
advocated since my first nominn-
ton and which the republican
party has opposed in the last two
elections: such as a complete re-
organization OF the business OF
the state: a revision OF the tax
laws Of the state, so az to insure
a balanced budget and dis
tribute equitably the burden OF
state and local taxation; legisla-
ton providing for employment
insurance and old age security: q
revision Of the public utilities
statutes 80 an 70 give 70 the
commission for the protection OF
4 the people authority 10 institute
rate proceedings on ~ own mo-
tffon. authority over the innu1nro