The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-13
Interested Citizens Will Accomplish More In Govern mental Reform Than Charter Changes
 Or City Manager Plans
Editor, Waterbury Democrat:

Gu1VOl, WdtcIOuIy OeLnUCrdt.
 Interested" contributor to your letter column has requested "con" to the "pro"-paganda of the Citi- zenS' Good Government scheme for a city manager form of government for Waterbury.
 But first, let's be frank. The La- bor party of Connecticut local group, the political party behind the following thoughts, is the only party that has fearlessly come out against the plan. This organization has no paid promoters, propagandists, or of- flee force. It has no $15,000 to play with, and nowhere near 5000 mem- bership,-all thing the CGG group has.
 The Labor party's only asset is a small determined nucleus of Water bury factory workers and little busi- ness people,cin, or sympathetic to organized labor, national and state legislation that is progressive, and 8 strict adherence to the principals, and utilization with,-the Socialist party, USA. None of its members have ever held public office in Wa terbury, probably never will,-but they are interested in honest, ef- ficient. democratic, city government It can be had, even under the pres ent city charterl
 Before stating reasons for oppo- sition to the city manager plan as 1t has. been introduced into commit te, of the State Legislature. it is entirely within reason to suggest re- forms that have EVER been consis- tent with good city government. Waterbury needs The party system of government,-but with the direct primary for selection of party nom- inees. This change would eliminate the selection of party candidates by a political machine, political bosses, or a bunch of stews in the back room. Waterbury needs Civil Serv- ice Examination for the selection of city employees the Merit System for promotions of the city employees, Tenure of Office. These three pro- posals insure competent workers and any discrimination of them for political or personal reasons. Without these provisions, even the city manager system will be farce!
 After this. Waterbury needs .oth- ing else but an honest. interested. and unselfish citizenship, willing to put its shoulder to the wheel to get it out of the rut of patronage, priv ilege. and plllnder,-and silk stocking class that is willing to serve,-not hire!
 We have read much of Wheeling and Cincinnati. Opposition to the plan is not based on these cities. Certainly not. Opposition to the plan can be based on the horrible example of Kansas City or any of the other cities mismanaged under this system.-some of which have reverted to the old method after be- coming discouraged with the plan. Liberty magazine only lately car ried 8 whole series of articles on Kansas City. This city administered under the plan and the notorious Pendergast machine is hideout for criminals, gangsters, racketeers. and fast women. These people are pro tected even against outside authori- ties. It is a city where good gov- ernment and the social services, of government are completely disrupt ed by graft, connivery, and corrup- tion.
 Contrast this with other cities,- or one which we are particularly in- terested in. Milwaukee, a city under the Socialist mayor, Dan Hoan, $ 8 shining example of what can be done without experts" The whole story is too long to print here but investigation will reveal that 1t las operated under this system for Q quarter of a century. Crime is at the minimum, and the social labor, and government services are op- erated for the whole of the popula- ton to their advantage.
 This Socialist government should not be confused with the Socialist Republican and WPA subsidy sys- tenn of government as employed by the McLevy regime in Bridgeport. This system is as faulty as the Kansas City plan, ,--but let the peo- lple of Bridgeport find THAT out. All of organized labor is not for the city manager plan ,ither. As a matter of fact, where 1t is fully dis cussed, it is condemned. Tn Du- lluth, Minn., 1t has been condemned 4 N 2