The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-02-19

ing campaign funds. The expenses
of this office are paid by the federal
government. However, the federal
government operates it only BY re-
mote control. In active charge ista
Long aestri appointee, Carl Dur
rett.
Out of this office one month be-
fore the first primary flower a
stream of mimeographed letters
soliciting funds for the Long
Maestri machine. The letters were
sent largely to people for whom the
employment agency had Obtained
Jobs, and not much was left TO
their imagination in suggesting
that they contribute. In fact those
making under 500 month were
supposed to contribute 5 per cent
of their salaries. while those MAX
ing more than 500 were called np-
on for 10. per cent. Unemplo yment
Chief Durrett made no bones about
the part which his office played ~
soliciting campaign funds. Question
ed regarding the incident, he re-
piled:
what happened was that somt
of the employees came to me anC
asked if 1t would be all right V
solicit voluntary contributions TO tins
campaign fund fro mthe employees
the same way Community CheSt
funds are solicited. II told them Il
would be all right, but I have not
told anyone they have to con-
tribute"
What Durrett apparently does no,
know is that the Community CneSt
and q political campaign fund ~
two different things in the eyesrOk
the law. His statement leaves him
open to a charge Of violating the
Hatch Act, Section Of which readsi
1T shall be unlawful for any per-
son to solicit or receive or be N
any manner concerned in soliciting
or receiving any assessment or SUBJ
scription, or contribution for any
political purpose whatever from any
person known by him to be entitled
to or receiving compensation, en-
ployment, or other benefit provide
for or made possible by any act -
Congress appropriating funds !,
work relief or relief purposes" ~
u. S. In Gambling Business -
Another neat racket which ! II
been pulled by the Long : Macs =
machine at the expense OF a coli - 7,
placent federal government is to p 4
book-makers. on the relief rolls be-,
tween intervals OF employment !.
These intervals usually occur whst
Mayor Maestro has his race track.
open, at which times betting Is enc,
couraged at the track itself, and
therefore the bookie establishments
in the city of New Orleans and away
from the track suddenly lost their
police protection and are closed
down.
This season the political powers
for the first time have been timid
about this, but in the past, bookies
have been able to get relief by ap-
plying to aforementioned A. r.
johnson. The same book makers
get their jobs through the New Or"
leans office Of the y. s. Employment
Service, a part of the Federal Sc
curity Administration, SO that the
federal government, in effect. sub
sidizes the gambling racket.
Another neat advantage OF fedora!
government generosity is taken BY
this same New Orliens office Of thu
u. S. Employment Service, run b.
the aforesaid Durritt. This is the
practice Of putting down on 1t
rolls the names Of thousands 9
people whom it has not placed u
Jobs. This is done by the simple ex
pedient Of copying the monthly pay
roll of private firms, including some
Of the biggest firms in New Orleans
Credit is taken for giving then
employees jobs, even though some o.
them have been employed since be-
fore the u. 8. Employment Service
was established; The benefit to the
Long Maestrt machine Is that the
more names appear on the o. s. EN-
ployment Service rolls, the more ex'
penses it can claim are needed Y
run the office. And the federal gov
eminent reimburses the state foi
the cost of running these local Una
employment Offices. r.
Copyright, 1910, by United Feature
Syndicate, Inc.)