The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-09-30
Congressman

of reducing the city's debt or itS tax rate" He said: "1t Is Q fact that ir spite of the Mutual Aid, the city's expenditures for welfare and for unemployment relief were very suh- StAntial. Claims made that other cities without similar program fared as well As Waterbury are simply not true. I remind you that New Britain, for instance, laid Q special e-inill tax before turning to tho Waterbury plan."
 Issues of the present campaign arc becoming confused. the speaker declared, saying, "but tho only Issue is the record of the present admin iStration." He then detailed the ace complShment of Mayor Frank Hayes and the city administration during the depression, reminding his listeners that many cities found 1t necessary to pay their teachers, police and firemen in script, or post pone salaries for months: that, many defaulted on their debts forc- Ing Congress to provide special pankruptcy reHet'
 Met Payroll
 "Waterbury, under the Hayes ad- ininistration, paid It's employees and bills on time and the credit of the city was kept up and improved" ho declared. "The city can justly take pride In the way these problems were met. It iS to be expected that tho record will be attacked by the opposite political party but 1t is being attacked on 50 many bases that the average voter must Dc see- ing c swirl of figures every time TO closes his eyes,"
 The text of Congressman Smiths address follows:
 At this stage of c political catn- paign it ig unfortunate, but ape parently inevitable, that tho straightforward Issues of the cleo . ton tend to become confused. There Is danger that the heat of argument, may obscure the obvi- ous facts.
 Tho issue in this election is the record of the present Democratic administration. The issue iS whe- ther this administration in the past eight years has been c suc- ceSSful administration In spite of unprecedented obstacles placed In It's path by tho economic depres- sion.
 I am, Of course, addressing my remarks to those who arc inter. ested in Q reasonable and temper ate decision in the election for the welfare of the city. IC Is my opinion that this administrators excellent record of financial man. ageinont stands out aS on example of BhreWd, hard-headed solution ! of financial problems that forced many . municipality into bank ruptcy.
 Out of Depression Waterbury has not been out of the depression for such long time that we can forget the sit- uation which was upon us in Jan- uary, 1880. Waterbury is an inc dustrial city. Following the crash of 1929 we were among the hard- est hit by the depression.
 The records kept by the Cham Der of Commerce show that the total number of people employed dropped from 30,000 at the begin- ming of the depression to 24,000 at the low point in March, 1883. At the same time that so many were thrown out of work, thousands more were placed on short time. many of them on such small earnings that the difference be- tween their condition and that of the unemployed was only @ tech- nicality.
 A tremendous new burden of relief to those in need was thrown upon the city. This situation had to be faced, while continuing the regular functions of city govern nent--educatio fire and police protection. public health admin