The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-02-26

" III GI16 O1SIl"
 e ral Assembly \, ..1-,,..-.-,. has adhered to J. W.bftsPafrick a principle which seems to me al- together sourd. It is the principle of Home Rule in local govern ment. Not only is 1t in conform ity with the American theory of the rule of the people but 1t serves as a bulwark against the steadily increasing drift towards the com- plete socialist state, which means not only destruction of the free- dom of the individual but also abolition of the right of individ- ual communities to conduct their own governmental affairs as they deem best. Crises and situations, of course, arise in which the pow CT of the state must be agumented even if the local communities which compose the state have to suffer some curtailment of their liberty of action. But, taking it by and large, intrusion of the state into local government is from the Democratic view to be studiously avoided and almost always to be fought to the finish. The less the hand of the state is permitted to grab off the functions of the con- munities the better for the state and the communities. As has been written in these columns before and may be written again, where the state is concerned the cities and towns of Connecticut are in the position of the tailor in the fable who let the camel insert it's cold nose into his shop to get 1t thawed out. At the finish it was the camel which was inside lock- ing out and the tailor who was outside trying to look in. Once the state moves in on local govern ment or is invited in nothing is ever going to get it out. The sen- timents expressed in the fore- going lines were stirred up by the action of the state senate last week in passing a measure to re- store the pay cuts of Bridgeport teachers, policemen, firemen, and others.
 On the Button
 The bill was introduced by one of the Democratic senators from McLevyville and was supported by the Democratic town chairman. The stand of the supporters of the measure was that Bridgeport was in a financial condition to give back the salary deductions brought about by the depression and still allow 8 reduction of the city's tax rate. Mayor Jasper Mo- Levy who is no slob in politics, contended that a restoration of the cuts would not be possible if taxes were to be lowered and any, way 1t was not the depression which brought on the salary. slashes but the Democratic man. handling of the city's finances prior to his election. In answer to this retort courteous the propof1- ents announced that Jasper's pro+ fessed affection for the taxpayers was a lot of baloney. He had changed loves since taking office Whereas in his soapbox days he adored the small taxpayer, he now worshiped the big fellow, was cud- ding up to the Chamber of Corn- merce, and swapping kisses with the moneyed inoguls. Also that since he was coming up for re- election his opposition to the bill was nothing but try-out speech for the campaign and his interest in the small taxpayers was just so much swill for the voters to sWal- low. Whatever the truth may be the senate did not conquer the temptation to take a sucker shot at the McLevyian jaw and passed the bill. The sucker shot may turn out to be a real sucker shot so far as the seekers are concerned. It looks to me as if they asked for plenty counter punches to their own buttons. 5a