The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-28
Politics
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Passing
~ RAYMOND ]. FITxPATRfCK

~ MNM@ = &sA%aN& ~ rs a "a - A@ANaA
IN spite Of the warnings, Ia spite
nf the dire possibility that we cor
lose this war It has apparently be-
come tho fashionable thing TO have
nothing but q feeling Of amused
nondesoenslon for the men ane
women among us who are serving aS
air raid wardens or In other volun-
seer capacities. That, In some cases
che feeling Is stronger than that
can be seen from the incident Of
Hast Mondays blaekout test in
which o young woman acting as q
warden was struck by q bystandel
because she told him to nave on.
OF course there are flaws In Wa
terbury's civilian defense set-up,
Of course IL Is unfortunate that
principal key posts are held by
members Of the city admlnistra-
tiOn-but how much better could
some Of the lOud-mouthed critics
have done II?
Work ON correcting the flaws In
being done daily. Az for the ma10r
appointments, the mayer. as
chairman OF the defense council,
undoubtedly felt that he had 10
name persons he could trust fully,
persons with whose abilities he
was familiar. fEe did not have o
flock Of volunteers from which
90 choose; he had to make swift
ChOlces from his own official FAM
lily, none Of whom, by the way, re-
celves any extra remuneration for
this extra service.
II Is very easy for the armchair
critics to loll back and do their best
10 tear apart, verbally, Waterbuyys
civilian defense system. II Is some-
thing else again TO ask them to vol
unteer for duty: should one dare t,o
that, they're too busy or they have
pther plans.
Outside Of the minority which
likes anything that has touch Of
authority connected with Il, most
wardens regard their Jobs as real
reSp0nslblllties--thelr contribution
to che war effort. Most Of them
take no enjoyment out Of having
to tell their careless nclghbOrs 10
turn out their lights or TO instruct
pedestrians TO take shelter. They'd
just rs soon be home, too.
Beyond the wardens, there are
several thousand more volunteers
who give their time and their serv-
tccS, without any hope of reward.
They don't have armbands or any
other symbol; they are the silent
army behind the visible army. There
Is the office Girl who gives up her
lunch hour to work on telephone
Mt q zone report center: there Ia
tho factory hand who gets I'D nj
] q. m. to go to the city hail TO
scan the skies for planes: there Is
ehe store clerk who foregoes his
regular supper hour 10 work at the
report center; there Is the high
school teacher who uneomplainingly
works the 2 TO Q q. m. shift ut the
civtl warning center.
Meme OF these people asks any
thing FOR what he or she does.
Certainly none Of them should
have 10 subject 20 the not.so-
gentle kidding and criticism
which currently IL their lot.
Perhaps the best rctort that any
civilian defense worker could
make IN 10 ask the critic. Just
what are you doing for civilian
defense?"
It's very easy 10 criticize, but It's
something else again 10 give up
POUR time and alter your own plans
~ do work for which you won't get,
Rnd don't expect, any reward, The
critics. who have
pnly Hdlcule for air raid Wardens,
Nho tell air spoilers that they're
their time,-they IRE the
real slackers OF this war. They are
Ehe ones who will be tirst and loud.
psi TO protest In the event OF bomb
lngs, that our civilian defense wns-
81 At all adequate,
Turing back IN the more mar
row political field. the Cox hear
ing NJ Hartford now threatens %
become one OF those marathon af-
fairs In which everybody but liIe
principals will lose interest be-
fore It's over. u looks now ~ II
the hearing before Referee Hin
man will 20 ON for weeks and
weeks.
From Hartford We hear that the
for attorney general In
The state election this year Is def
lnitely Mayor scully'8 II he wants
u. 70 which the mayor can again
reply, as he has In the past 10 your
solumniSt, Apparently you're rum
ming this campaign. / don't know
anything about H."
As . closing note. o brief com.
inent on the La flare COrcOran.
The fireman whose case was the
subject OF comment here o week
ago II going back TO work Mon
day, ct regular pay. The city gov
eminent Is 70 be cOngral ulated on
AnalIy recognizing the merits OF
Ms case.
My sincere thanks 10 those In
che fire department and among
the public who were kind enough
10 praise last weeks appeal, and
to "Chubby" himself -- "Stay In
there, iiremen, we're all with
yOu."
Let Us Show You The
SensatiOnalIy New
IA cir AAN A AHn