Bisbee daily review., 1906-10-30
HAS A STRONG y.M.C.A.
 ORGANIZATION
MT. Thompson Who Was a Visitor In Bisbee This Week, Requested By the U. s. to Report Social Conditions.

.Everythina possible is being done for the health and comfort of the men ,ssorkina on the Panama Canal" said Janes R. Thempson, industrial seere- tary of the international committee Of the V. N. C. A. with headquarters m New York, who has been In attend ance on the southwestern conference, and who is just back from Panama. scosonei Gorcas, who had charge of the work Of placing Havana in a san itary condition after the Spanish war is on the isthmus, has charge or the work of improving the sanitary conditions there. His long experience in this work is the very best assur- ance that the most healthfui eondi- tions possible to obtain will prevail on the isthmus."
 Mir. Thompson is one of the most interesting men brought here by the conference His duties have taken him all over Latin America within the last three months and in his travels has been a very close observer of the conditions of the countries he visited An standardization reporter found MT. Thompson at the Queen hotel last night and in an interview he talked quite freely of his recent visit to the Panama canal zone, where he spent a month at the request of the national government.
 Government Recognizes Y. N. C. A.
 When the United States govern ment decided to build the Panama canal" said MT. Thompson, those at the head of the enterprise felt they owed it to the young men who would be employed there to see that they were given the very best of social sur roundings. Many of them who have gone there to aid in the stupendous undertaking are young men who have been used to the most wholesome sur roundings at home and the need of surrounding them with suitable op- portunities for social intercourse dur ing their stay on the isthmus became at once apparent.
 AS a result or tnls conviction on the part of those in charge of the en- terprise the industrial department oi the Young Mems Christian associa- ton was requested by United States Minister to Panama John Barrett and Chief Engineer Wallace to send rep resentative of the association to the isthmus for the purpose of making a study of the conditions in the canal zone and decide what was best to be done in order to make the stay of our young men there as pleasant as possible I was selected to make the investigation and accordingly visited the isthmus and made a thorough study of the conditions there, and on my return to the United States the matter was presented to President Roosevelt and Secretary Taft.
 Association Has Building.
 The outcome of this investigation has been that the government has come to the conclusion that the '. NJ c. A is the organization best fitted for carrying on this work According lv 1t has been decided to erect and eouip under the supervision of the as sociation several buildings at various points in the canal zone. Plans fol the first building, which is to be erect ed on Ancon hill, short distance from Panama City, have been completed and a secretary is already on the ground to take charge of the work. The other buildings will be constructed as soor as the plans can be prepared. So i'm portart does the government consider this matter that the work of erecting these buildings is given preference over all other work on the canal. This action shows the high esteem in whicf the men at the head of our government hold the work of this organization"
 West Indian Labor.
 When work on the canal was frs started" continued Mir. Thompson the government found considerable trouble in getting suitable labor as i is not every nationality that can stant the severe tropical climate found O. the isthmus. After great many ex periments with different classes O labor it has been demonstrated tha the West Indian negro is the natura and logical man for the work. Tn wages paid these men are good ant a great many of them are sending money home. At present about 15 OeO men are employed on the isthmus which a great many people think i