The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-04-12
BY DIOGENES, JR.

"Ho, hum!" sighed couple of Republicans at the corner of Leavenworth and Grand streets today. Lets go over and take peak at the new merit system in the northwest corner of City Hall, the one J. Warren was cussing about all last month";
 For news" was in the making today for Republicans and Inde- pendent Democrats some said, Bad news and bad cess to him! If he's Republican, I'm a pig in a poke" was a general comment.
 You see.
 5serO Hour
 Zero hour for veteran Demo- crats employed many years in the office of the city controller ar- rived after "deadline' of the after noon newspapers yesterday. Tim ing his attack" Controller Sher- wood L. Rowland, dark horse Re- publican and merit system white hope, fired five of the staff of his predecessors, numbered the days for five more, wrote a figurative question mark after the name of James P. Purcll, the $4,500-a-year accountant clerk who allied him. self with the Republicans after his job was jeopardized by the upset in the election of the controller.
 While MT. Rowland was play fySn O back in the years approximate to 1906, Lieutenant Colonel William J. Shannahan, oldest of the five fired yesterday, was starting work for the City of Waterbury. Except for the period of the World War, which saw his enlistment and service for 22 months in France, his promotion overseas from cap- tain to major, Colonel Shannahan has devoted his life to service of the city.
 Service Ends
 So, yesterday, this service term- mated as of Saturday, ended its 32-year tenure with a f1ve-day mo- tice from the new servant of the people" who currently says he is attempting to qualify many scores of applicants for the 10 patronage positions which, he says he will fill; which Republican Town Chairman J. Warren Upson once said he would fill. So, the public awaits Controller Rowland'S ap- pointments, scheduled for the nuturing publicity of the Water bury Republican tomorrow, per pronouncement today.
 Controller Rowland started a regime of unpopularity back in January when, a few days after taking office, he took small laun- dry chores of the fire department away from two women who had derived a slight income from the work for years. Called to order by The Democrat, the controller quailed in the scorn of public opinion and returned this work to the women. But a Republican firm, operated by Watertown friends, kept the residue of this patronage.
 This is the man for whom the merit system" sun shines brightly in his announcements, many of which have been proved false to his face, however. It was Control Ter Rowland who gave contracts for brushes to Republican firm and denied knowing that 8 blind man, whom all in Waterbury know personally, had been men, toned to him in written note on a requisition.
 Asks Question
 It was Controller Rowland who, as recently as last week, told members of the board of finance that he had telephoned a city ofd- cial to inquire about acquisitions for fees for a service in the ofti- cial's department. The controller made no such telephone calls, the official remarked later. This ofn- cial did not attend the board of finance meeting at which the con- troller repeatedly insisted that T simply called him to inquire about the acquisitions"
 Waterbury, in figurative sense, wonders today over Controller Rowland's merit system" replace ments of the veterans, Colonel Shanahan, Martin J. Dunn, world War veteran, senior audit clerk and purchasing clerk; employed since 1922 in the office; Frank w.. Garry) Doyle, book-keeper, em- ployed since 1925: Elizabeth Me- Givney, stenographer and secre- tary, employed since 1922; Berna-