The Washington herald., 1907-05-06

The labor troubles on the Panama
Canal. which at one time threatened 10
end seriously. are fully reviewed in a re-
port by Secretary Taft. made public by
the White House last night. These trou-
bles involved complaints Of the steam
shovel men and other canal workers.
They presented their grievances to the
President when be visited che isthmus
last year. and the President directed Sec
retary Taft to investigate them upon his
recent inspection tour of the Canal Zone.
In his report to the President. Mr.. Taft
recommends that the demand If the
steam-shoyel men for increased pay. the
most important matter involved be de-
MED. but suggests that other demands be
granted. In a brief letter addressed to
Secretary Taft. the President says:
I approve of the recommendations
therein made, and direct that the changes
as therein outlined take effect as OF
May /"
Wanted Old Leave Rules Restored.
In his report Secretary Taft says he
gave a hearing to three classes Of en-
ployes who had petitioned. First, steam
shovel men. including engineers. crane
men, and hremen; second, construction
locomotive engineers: third, construction
train conductors. All three classes petit
toned for a restoration of the old rule
granting six weeks annual leave, which
might be spent anywhere and allowed an
employe 10 permit leave TO accumulate
FOR two years. Under the new regula-
tons. which went into effect April ! last,
annual leave was reduced 10 thirty days,
unless It be spent in the United States.
and leave was not allowed TO accumulate
beyond one year Other changes In the
regulations forbid employees from taking
leave each month and changed the rate
for passage on steamers for employees on
leave from go 70 the regular government
rate. The arrangement for sick leave
was also limited
Governments Good Faith Involved.
On this point Secretary Taft says.
"The old regulations were advertised
In the printed announcement sent out by
the commissions agents to induce per-
sons to go TO the isthmus and enter the
employ Of the commission, 50 that every
man who has come 70 the isthmus has
come there with the understanding that
the old regulations were 10 apply as part
Of his contract Of service. IT seems to
me that good faith requires that the old
regulations as 10 leave shall not be ma
teTially changed. and shall remain as part
OF the contract Of service of those now on
the isthmus; and that while there are
some provisions in the new regulations
which would make for the more stringent
enforcement Of the governments rights.
and more certainly avoid possible fraud,
they should not be made applicable 20
men who come 10 the isthmus under the
old regulations"
The complaint against the rule Of dis
missing employees summarily without a
hearing is met by the Secretary by adopt
ing a. suggestion Of Col. GOethaIs. the
chief engineer. 10 follow the rule of army
engineers TO dismiss only after the report
Of a commission has sustained the
charges, one member OF which shall
represent the craft 10 which the empl0ye
belongs.
WAY Increase Il Refused.
Regarding the demands Of the shovel
men for an increase of the wages Of ths
engineers from $40 to $500 per month
that Of the cranemen from $lS5 TO $3.50
and that Of the fremen from $S3.33 tc
S110 per month. the Secretary SAYS the
increase asked for engineers is about 4.
pei. cent. for cranemea about s. per cent
and for hremeu about 81 per cent. The
Secretary recommends against the in
crease for the reason that the canal
employees already receive from p 10 g
per cent more than the average wage f0I
like employment in the United States, anC
were sure OF employment twelve months
in the year, while such employees in the
United States worked usually not over
nine months IN the year
Mr.. Taft enumeTates other advantage
enjoyed by the canal employees over thos5
Ia the States. az follows:
Every shovelman on the isthmus is
entitled 20 six weeks leave with pay as
a vacation, so that he receives twelve
months pay for ten and one-haif months
work
'Steam-shOyelmen on the isthmus work
but eight hours a day. whereas many
though not all, Of the m-shovelmen IN
the United States work for ten hours a
day
Every employe on the isthmus is per.
mitted. if he falls sick. TO enjoy thirty
days sick leave with pay.
Free Home for the Family.
I'm addition TO the sick leave abov,
mentioned. If the en1ploye receives an in
jury during his work, he is entitled q
an additional thirty days sick leave.
Every married man is entitled TO fur
nished quarters for himself and family
free, with modern plumbing conveniences
with water fuel, and light free: and
commissary which aims TO sell all neces
saries at cost 10 commission employees
The cost of food and necessaries is abou
what it is in Eastern cities, or slightly
/ higher.
Concerning the disadvantages OF EN-
ployment on the isthmus, the Secretary
says;
1T may be admitted that service OF
the isthmus is attended with greater dis
comfort and greater risk of illness thar
that in the States. due 10 climatic condi
tions; and that the distance from here
the difficulty of securing usual and ra
tional amusements. and the naturally de
pressing effect of continued high tenn
perature make the service on the isthmu.
/ less desirable than that in the United
States.
Conditions Have Improved.
But II is tc be remarked that the orig
inal conditions of unhealthfulness whicl
existed when the original rate for shove
men was fixed in 1904 have been great,
/ bettered. that the yellow fever has beer
stamped out, that the rate of death an,
sickness among Americans is exceedingI,
/ low. and that life on the isthmus is be
coming more and more like that In Ia,
+ United States, and this improvement il
/ certain to continue The opportunity I,