The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-02-26
Politics
Passing


sngton's Birthday Dinner IN New
.kIaNenis Hotel Taft last Tuesday
niRilk was noted by more than
those who attended from this city.
Comments were both audible and
sharp on the fact that with both
Mayor John s. Monagan and ex-
State Chairman j. Francis Smith
preesnt neither received a prior
invitation to join those at the head
table. True, there were half-headt-
ed invitations to both after they
were seated, but both preferred to
remain where they were. In add
ton TO that arrangements to seat
the Waterbury delegation were far
&rom good. Although the advance
eale locally was admittedly the best
from any one community only two
tables Go seats each) were allotted
30 Waterbury. One was actually
ehe best table In the room - central
and close to the speakers dais; the
other was jammed into corner.
But the remaining twenty or more
people in the local delegation
simply scrambled for seats where
they could get them. SO, feelings
ran bit high among local officials
who anticipated consideration and
claimed they got none.
BY actual count Of names on
the program and those in attend
@nce Waterbury had 50 reServa-
GionS for the dinner - Is sponsors
($2S-a-plate) and IS subscribers
(S10-a.plate). Compare these fig
,ures with similar ones for New
Haven-9 sponsors and 46 sub
Bcribers; HartfOrd-25 sponsors
and 70 subscribers; BridgepOrt-2
sponsors and 81 subscribers and
It's easy to understand why local
ofI1cialdOm burned behind the
ears when they took . look
around the hall, checked mp on
faces, and did q bit Of mental
addition and subtraction. What
effect this Is going to have on
Waterbury's participation in o
Fifth Congressional District jack
son Day Dinner in April remains
to be seen. The beneficience Of q
New England spring may have
sOOthed injured feeling by then,
but never will remove memories.
The magnitude and difficulties
Of the task facing the special Wa
eerbury Pension Retirement Com
mission can be readily appreciated
Il any one takes the time to read
down the list of pensioners as con-
eained in the annual city budget. 1t
ISN'T the names Of the pensioners,
but the amounts being paid to
them. The range Is not sweeping,
but It's certainly varied. $1,000 Is
tops IN the pension payments, but
there are such amounts as $456 80,
e72O, 4702, $500, $3.50, $S27.65, 1896,
$500, $634.22. $1,000, $500, $1,518,
q ,62S, $524.69, and a host Of others.
Each Individual pension has to be
broken down to ascertain how 1t
originated and what charter pro-
vision or Special Act governs 1t.
There's usually q story with the
individual case and only research
Nnearths 1t.
Z One individual win profit im-
1seneely ~ = result Of the work
Gf the special pension board and
that's the Controller Of the City
OF Waterbury. The present incum-
bent, Cornelius r. MaIoney, has
indicated to the commission that
his records arc going to be inn
proved vastly by inclusion Of such
personnel figures as will be sought
shortly by the commission. II
there q one department I'm which
the municipal government shows
glazing weaknesses 1t Is I'm per-
sonnet. There Is no such govern
mental operation provided for and
3 beyond scanty records In the pos
session Of the Paymaster and 9TH
ers I'm some Of the larger depart
Ments there's nothing. The war
has proved the need Of having
adequate personnel files and has
brought home to the Controllers
office the last few years the real
ization that the city Is lacking In
this respect.
Whether or not another Joe"
Tone-'Tom" Hewes battle Is In the
offing Is problematical at the mo-
ment but certainly both Of these
prominent Democrats were circulate
ing widely and enthusiastically at
the Democratic dinner last Tuesday
night. Six years ago they battled
Il out ut Eastern Point win Senaor
Francis T. Maloney and j. Francis
6mih. then chairman, swinging the
issue to Hewes. However, this year
Ttmor has former Labor Commits
eioner Tone looking towards the
governorship and ex-governor Rob-
ert A. Hurley cycling the senatorial
nomination. To oppose them Smith
and Maloney might present Smith
Orchard Joyce or J. FranciS) and
8ewee.
kx-cOngresGmen were much I'm
Q1emce. too, at the New Haven
inner. william CitrOn Of Middle
town occupied q place 1T the head
table rs did Lucien MaclOra Of
New Britain. The former Il fresh
from duty overseas with the arm
! ed forces. Also observed were
James A. Stanley Of New Haven
and william J. Fitzgerald Of Nor
witch, now much occupied with
manpower problems in the state.
Not I'm evidence. though, were Lee
roy Downs Of South NOrwalk or
Herman K0pplemann Of Hartford.
Mayer Patten Of TOrringtOn wasn't
around 70 indicate II he's inter-
ested again In making . try In the
Fifth District. res noticeable this
year that IS yet Rep. Joseph Tai
! bot isn't mentioned for anything
IN COR ranks but the office he
now holds.
An analysis Of the unexpended
items IN the city's budget for 1913
brings forth many an interesting