Newspaper Page Text
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HE Alla i 6 bluNDAY AMERICAN,
TEAp. I A. OA.,
SUNDAY, JUNE 13. 191f>.
«
General Goethals’ Own Story of the Building of the Panama Canal
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How the Human Problems in Connection With
the Great Work Were Solved by Making
the Toilers Contented With Club Houses and
Recreation, Bringing the Women Together.
By GENERAL GEORGE W. GOETHALS.
Ancon Baseball Park. General view from Tivoli Hotel during athletic meet, July 4, 1912. Below, at the left, a typical
commission club house with band stand. Formerly concerts were given here by the Canal Commission Band, composed of em
ployees. The lobby of a commission club house is shown at the right.
ters on the subject reached us from the United
States. The work was of the earth earthy, and
the men engaged on It were more of the sin
ning class than saints. We employed the min
isters to look after the spiritual welfare of our
people, and I suggested to them that If they
would make the men more saintly through their
teachings and labors among them the saloons .
would disappear without the necessity of ad
ministrative action. So long as flqnor was eo
easily purchasable In the terminal cities, T- !
much preferred that the saloons be kept In the
Zone, where our men could remain under the
observation of our own people and where un
adulterated liquor could be bought.
When I.as Cascades was turned over for oc
cupation to the Tenth Infantry, the saloons In
that community were closed, and later, after
discussing the question with the Secretary of ’
War, Mr. Henry L. Stlmson, I agreed that at
the expiration of the term of the licenses for i
1913 the saloons at Empire, the nearest settle
ment, would be closed also, for they were too
accessible to the enlisted men. I was very
anxious to start a canteen for the benefit of the
employees and the soldiers, but the necessary
authority could not be obtained.
When the closing of the saloons at Empire
was discussed at the commission meeting In
April. 1913, it was decided to close those at
Culehra and Gatun at the same time, those be
ing the only remaining towns In the Zone where
liquor was sold. By this time the construction
work was drawing to a close, making It neces
sary to reduce the force employed, and many of
the drinkers were selected for discharge, so
that the drinking element was reduced mate
rially though It did not disappear entirely.
Sunday mornings were not the only times
devoted to the human problems, nor were those
presented then the only problems In connection
with the human element that received atten
tion. I was accessible to any one desiring to
see me whenever I was In the office; my morn
ings were spent going around from one place
(Editorial Note.—In last week’s Installment
of his own story of the building of the Panama
Canal, General Gotethals told of some of the
administrative problems he was called upon
from time to time to face because the human
element Is an uncertain quantity In the build
ing of a work so monumental as the Panama
Canal. He recounted some of the difficulties
he had to overcome in housing the working
foreo—how the questions of quarters and fur
nlture were a continual source of complaint.
In this, the closing installment of his story,
he tells of various other problems that were
forced upon him by obstreperous human na
ture, and how he disposed of them.)
EXT to the questions of quarters and fur-
N nlture, the wage scale was the source of
more complaint than anything else.
A table prepared by direction of Mr. Shouts
in 1906. comparing the wages paid In the va
rious trades with the average wages paid in
the United States in similar employments,
showed that the Increases were not uniform in
amounts. The same was true also In regard
to positions not belonging to the trades. Un
der the organization in effect prior to January
8, 1908, the heads of departments were largely
responsible for the wages In their respective
departments, and men were Induced to transfer
from one to another on promise of an increase,
which not only caused dissatisfaction, but tend
ed to disrupt the organization.
Much thought was given to the wages for
the trades, and while some minor changes were
made where Increases were possible, on the
whole the wage scale was maintained, for to
have decreased the pay of any craft would
have caused trouble. It was deemed better
policy to bear with the complaints and hold
the wages undisturbed until the end of the
construction period.
So far as the salaries attaching to other posi
tions were concerned, a uniform wage scale
was established on January 1, 1910; an attempt
was made at that time to fix the pay to con
form to the position and the responsibilities
attached to It. Under a resolution of the com
mission dated September 5, 1904, officers of
the army, navy and Marine Hospital Corps,
while serving on duty with the commission
were to receive an increase of 50 per cent
of their service pay. This was not fair to the
civilians, and was resented. Effective Septem
ber 15, 1908, I had this resolution revoked, and
officers from the various services received the
pay attached to the positions filled by them;
if this were greater than the service pay the
incumbents received the difference, otherwise
they served without extra compensation.
When the law for the permanent organiza
tion was under consideration this question of
the unbalanced wage scale was discussed ( with
the committee of Congress. I believed that
service on the Isthmus merited an Increase over
the pay for similar employment in the United
States, suggested that provision be made for
this, and the law provides for an Increase of
25 per cent. The result will be that as wages
Increase in the United States there will be a
corresponding increase on the canal, and vice
number of the tangfes that needed unravel
ing were due to nothing more or less than the
braggadocio of some of the men who claimed
to be receiving greater pay or more privileges
than they actually were, and which others felt
they should also enjoy.
An Instance in point occurred as I was mov
ing my belongings from Ancon to Culehra the
Sunday morning after I had assumed charge.
The train was crowded and the vacant place
beside me was taken by a man I didn't know,
who regaled me with the fact that there were
to be “great doings” the following week, for
a party of New York capitalists was coming
down en route to South America, where the
construction of a continental railroad was to
be undertaken, and engineers were to be taken
from the canal. He had received an offer of
$400 per month, hut as this was no better than
the pay he was receiving, and as he had six
weeks’ leave with pay due him, he was holding
out for $500, and expected to get It. I had met,
I thought, all the men drawing such salaries,
and he certainly was not among them. We
parted at Culehra.
The following morning I again met this com
panion of mine at the site of the Sosa-Corozal
Dam, carrying an instrument. We passed the
time of day and met again at the Corozal Sta
tion. There was time, before the train left, for
me to go to the hotel for some Ice water, and
he joined me after inquiring where I was go
ing. At the hotel I found that the steward was
a man who had served at West Point while I
was there; the recognition was mutual, and
he inquired what he could do for the colonel.
My companion stared at me somewhat dazed,
asked who I was, and, on learning, exclaimed:
“My God! And I was talking with you yester
day!” It appeared that he didn’t want a drink,
after all, as he left abruptly. I found that he
was employed as a rodman at $1,000 a year. He
left the service later to accept a more lucrative
position in the States, and we parted good
Wends.
That type of man is found everywhere, and
&Jb “yarns” furnish cause for discontent. Of
oourse we also had with us the men whose
(services were not appreciated at the value
jtfaced by themselves: this class was hopeless.
«jd the only advice that could be given was
to try some other locality where such talents
were in greater demand.
In the endeavor to make the Isthmus attract
ive and to secure a contented force, clubhouses
were built by the Government and turned over
to the Young Men’s Christian Association man
agement for operation. These clubhouses were
constructed In the larger settlements, and did
much to accomplish the desired end. They
were in course of construction when the third
commission assumed control, tut the Young
Men’s Christian Association had appointed a
superintendent to have charge of their opera
tion and management, and he was on the Isth
mus.
The first one, which was at Cuiebra, was
opened for activities in May, 1907, followed by
those at Empire, Gorgona and Cristobal.
Each of these clubs was furnished with a
library, supplied with a graphophone, billiard
and pool tables, bowling alleys, checkers, chess,
card tables, a lecture room with piano, and a
general lounging room, where were magazines
and daily and weekly papers from different
sections of the United States. It had been de
cided, prior to my arrival, that danclnc would
be permitted, and clubs were formed for this
purpose. This, I believe, was an Innovation in
Y. M. C. A. establishments, and It was an ex
cellent one, for there seemed to be a greater
desire for dancing In the tropics than in the
temperate zone, certainly so before the Intro
duction of the modern dances.
Each clubhouse was in charge of a secretary,
and later on to each one an assistant secretary
was added to look after the athletic features.
Various teams were organized to advance and
encourage sports, such as bowling and basket
ball, and competition between the various club
houses became very keen.
Prior to the opening of the first clubhouse,
1 found that considerable feeling existed among
the men against the institution, for there was
a lange Catholic element in the force, and there
was an idea extant that those of this faith
would be excluded from membership through
the exercises of religious ceremonies to which
they could not conform.* The affairs of the
clubs were to be in charge of an advisory board
to be appointed by the chairman of the com
mission, and I appointed on this board a Cath
olic for the very purpose of overcoming this
feeling. It was also arranged that Bible classes
and other religious services usually held in the
Y. M. C. A.’s in the United States would not be
organized by the management, leaving such
activities, should any develop, entirely to the
membership.
There were other wrinkles that required
smoothing out, but they were only such inci
dents as are liable to occur whenever there is
a lack of tact on the part of the local manage
ment, and they were soon removed. The ex
pense of these clubs was a greater'drain on
our appropriations than we anticipated origi
nally, yet they were fully justified by the Re
sults secured.
The women and children w r ere admitted, and
the children between certain ages had the priv
ileges of the clubs during hours which would
not interfere with the men. The women liked
to lounge in the lobbies of these buildings in
the evenings. This proved attractive to the
class some times scornfully designated as
“pen-pushers,” but I fear deterred numbers of
men who. In Isthmian nomenclature, were
known as “roughnecks,” from taking advantage
of the attractions offered by the clubs.
With all the good that the clubs accomplish
ed, I didn’t feel that they went far enough.
Sunday was one of the days when some sort
of amusement was required. The clubhouses
on Sundays afforded diversion and recreation
through their libraries, magazines and news
papers to those classes of employees who were
given to reading, but the construction men—
those in the ditch and on the locks and dams—
found little enjoyment in that way, and could
not take advantage of the games which were
provided, for they were prohibited on Sundays.
Their only recourse, therefore, was to seek
their pleasures In the terminal cities, Panama
and Colon, where the saloons, shooting galler
ies, billiard and pool rooms, and bowling alleys
were open. 1 strongly favored the use of all
the facilities of the clubhouses on Sunday, but
I found a strong opposition to this on the part
of the management, though a canvass of the
force showed that a majority preferred such a
course.
When the general secretary of the Y. M. C. A.
visited the Isthmus we discussed the situation,
but I could make no headway with him; he felt
that such a radical change in their policy
would be the cause of just criticism and cen
sure, and announced that the Y. M. C. A. would
withdraw from the management of our club
houses should such a course be adopted. Con
ditions on the Isthmus were so entirely differ
ent from those In any locality in the United
States that I argued in favor of an exception;
men at home had no such cities as those at the
terminals of the canal, the temptations were
greater and the restraining influence less.
While admitting this, he contended that oth-
lf there would be so very many who would for
sake the flesh-pots and the devil, as offered in
Panama and Colon, for the benefits of the club
houses. It Is true that there might not have
been many, but, having seen a number of men
go to the bad, I felt that if one were saved It
would offset the criticism that would follow.
He was obdurate, and, realizing that I would be
unable to effect a change of policy because of
the influence that would be exerted against me,
I gave up the idea for a time.
When the reorganization of the force was ar
ranged the largest canal settlement was in such
close proximity to Panama that I again took
up the question, and through the Influence of
Mr. Cleveland H. Dodge and Mr. Cyrus H. Mc
Cormick, both of whom, fortunately, visited the
Isthmus at an opportune time, Sunday opening
was secured, with the proviso, to which I gladly
consented, that games would not be allowed
during the hours set aside for the church ser
vices.
Arrangements are made to bring to the Isth
mus some of the traveling companies of enter
tainers which make the circuit of the Y. M.
C. A.’s in the United States, and, In addition,
motion-picture films are rented, thus giving
the members, their families and friends many
pleasant evenings at these clubhouses.
Every encouragement was and is given to
tennis and baseball. For the latter an Isth
mian league was formed, and employees or
ganized stock companies, laid out grounds, and
bflilt grandstands. There was great rivalry
among the teams in their efforts for the cham
pionship; professionalism crept In, finally, and
practically ruined the game.
With the changed conditions due to the clos
ing down of construction work, the abandoment
of old settlements, and the building of new
ones, the old baseball fields disappeared as
well as the league, but recently a new league
was organized, lands were assigned for the
fields, grandstands were built by the Panama
Railroad, and good games of amateur ball are
played on Sundays and holidays. The minis
ters on the Isthmus entered a protest against
these Sunday games, but they are played at a
time of day when they do not Interfere with
religious services. It is a form of wholesome
amusement and recreation which the men can
have at no other time because of the work
hours, and It keeps them away from other and
possibly more hurtful desecration of the Sab
bath.
The tropical climate is more apt to prove
injurious to a woman from the temperate zone
than to a man, and, while the children thrived,
the women often suffered in health. The men
had their work, and therefore had only the
evenings to dispose of, but the women, their
household duties finished—and these were nec
essarily simple—had the days as well as the
evenings, and with them time often dragged
heavily. Those who stayed in the Zone willing
ly and cheerfully and proved genuine help
meets to their husbands were also strong in
fluences for good in the places where they
lived; and they deserve high praise.
In September, 1907, Miss Helen Vartck Bos
well, of the Federation of Women’s Clubs in
the United States, came to the Isthmus to look
over the field with a view to making sugges
tions which would encourage the women of the
Zone to form organizations to be affiliated with
the General Federation of Women’s Clubs. As
the result of this visit meetings were held In
the clubhouses at various places along the
line, interest was stimulated, and women’s
clubs were finally formed in all of the princi
pal settlements.
These clubs, no doubt, did considerable good
in bringing the women together, getting them
acquainted, and In other ways. But with a
population that shifted as ours did, not only
from the Isthmus to the United States, but also
from one station to another along the line of
the canal, it was difficult for any formal organ
ization of considerable membership to retain
Its solidarity.
With our employees drawn from all classes
and every place—from every State in the Union
and from the large cities as well as the rural
communities—It is not surprising that there
was some discord and instances In which hus
band aud wife failed to pull together in double
harness. In the United States such cases would
be carried to a law court, hut this was rarely
done on the Isthmus; Instead, the complaining
person came to my office, and, after I had heard
his or her (more frequently her) side, a formal
Investigation would ensue, with statements
from those directly interested, and from others
who might know whether Mr. Smith was real
ly abusive and cruel toward Mrs. Smith, had
refused to purchase for her a proper amount
of clothing, had come home Intoxicated the
previous Saturday night and broken the dishes,
had been unduly attentive to Mrs. Jones—or
whatever might be the moving cause pf the
complaint.
In some cases we were able to pour oil on
the troubled waters so that the domestic ship
sailed on smoothly thereafter. If this could not
be done, the arrangement was made that was
considered fair and best for all concerned. A
lot of what amounted to alimony—an agreed
sum of money given monthly—has been paid in
the Zone without the intervention of a court of
law. I fear that my decisions have not been
uniformly wise, but the procedure has had ad
vantages to the principals they were not kept
in suspense, but were given a quick decision,
and they had to pay no court costs or attor
ney’s fees.
Gambling became a serious source of com
plaint from the wives of employees who suffer
ed the consequences, for rather large stakes
were Involved. It was difficult to break this
up, but finally, by using the information ob
tained at these Sunday morning sessions, and
appealing to the players themselves, most of
the games were stopped. From Information
received, the games In Panama City were ap
parently not "straight.” Whether these reports
were founded on facts or resulted from the
losses sustained I was not able to determine;
the stakes were high and the losses were the
cause of much distress. Through President
Taft pressure was brought to bear on the offi
cials of the republic, but the apparent attempt
to stop the games was not effectual.
The greatest part of the force did not belong
to the teetotaler class, nor did the prohibition
movement have many supporters outside of the
clergy. When the United States assumed con
trol there were saloons In all the settlements
that existed, and these were continued, but
when new settlements were established saloon
licenses were not extended to them. Conse
quently, we had some “wet” and some “dry”
towns.
The license fee was a high one, $1,200 a year,
and an analysis of the liquor sold within the
Zone was made from time to time, with the
penalty of the revocation of the license In cases
where adulteration was found. Licenses were
limited at first to a certain number of saloons
In each locality, but, as this caused charges of
favoritism and required discrimination, the
number was unlimited, though care was exer
cised in their Issue.
The saloons were segregated, kept under the
constant surveillance of the police, and the
hours for business prescribed and strictly en
forced. Later regulations prohibited the use
of chairs and tables In the barrooms, thus re
moving those comforts which might tend to
loitering or conviviality. Giving credit by the
saloons to their patrons was discouraged
through refusal by the authorities to render
any assistance in the collection of bills. Again,
all cases of alcoholism treated In the hospitals
were reported and noted on the personal rec
ords, the men understanding that alcoholism
was a cause for discharge from the service.
It is a curious fact, but the police records
showed that there were more arrests for dis
orderly conduct due to liquor in the townB
where liquor was not sold than In the others,
and this was for the reason that in the former
places the men would bring the liquor out from
the terminal cities by the bottle and drink until
the supply was exhausted, while in the latter,
being obliged to stand as they drank, there was
not so much temptation to overindulgence, and
the men, after they had satisfied their thirst,
went to their homes or about their business.
The ministers employed by the commission,
and others, protested against the granting of li
censes within the Zone, and occasionally let
to another inspecting the various phases ol
the enterprise and gathering Information, not
so much from the officials as from the men
These were consulted about their particular
tasks and encouraged to express their views
freely as to the methods employed and the man
ner of doing.
Not only did the Individual take greater in
terest in consequence, but I obtained a knowl
edge of details which could have been acquired
In no other way. This knowledge of details
was described by one writer as “uncanny,” and
was responsible for the report In circulation
that "gumshoe” men were employed and scat
tered over the Isthmus for the purpose of keep
ing me informed about everything that went
on. I was amused to learn from the chairman
of the labor commission which visited the Isth
mus In 1908, some time after Its arrival, that
he had employed and brought with him a Rus
sian. who had experience in the secret service,
to ascertain if there were any foundation for
the charge relative to the “gumshoe” men.
The executive order governing accounting
provided for time Inspectors, who were engaged
In checking up the men employed on various
parts of the work with the time reported In
the time books, and they were obliged to re
port any irregularities; there was also a man
connected with my office who Investigated com
plaints that had been made in order that all
parties concerned might have an opportunity
to present their side of the story. There was,
however, no “secret Bervlce,” nor was there
need of any. . The Isthmus was forty-seven
miles of gossip; information and misinforma
tion circulated rapidly, and through the com
plaints that resulted everything of the kind
reached me sooner or later; furthermore, I
could always get any Information desired
through my visitors, who, In fact, were the real
and only “gumshoes.”
Of the various administrative problems that
had to be taken up and solved, those outlined
herein were the most difficult, constituting th»
most tiresome and exhausting of civ
They were assumed voluntarily and for a pur
pose. I had learned by experience, both in the
army and on civil works, that the best results
are secured through the co-operation of men
who are contented, and who have respect for
and confidence in their leader.
At the “smoker” which was given at Corozal
on March 17, 1907, I realized full that the advent
of the army was by no means popular; on the
contrary, that there was a strong feeling of
resentment against it. The force had to be
won over or the new regime would end in fail
ure. At that gathering I made certain prom
ises. and I kept the faith; the labor and time
expended have been more than repaid by the
results accomplished.
(THE END.))
(Copyright, 1915, by Charles Scribner’s Sons.
All Rights Reserved.)