Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-07

- 1870 ~
ton. This is an Indictment Americans can
we'll afford to let stand. Thanks to the
medical department Of the army. as repre-
sented by Colonel Gorgas. sanitation ap-
piled to the canal zone has taken away its
~reproach.
Death Rate Brought Down.
The death rats is less than that of New
York City. Already in consequence a do
mestic civilization has been grated on to
the colossal undertaking. and this has been
done with an apparent unconsciousness Of
its larger import and u-niqueness in the
history OF great undertakings that is as
amusingly naive as il is wholly admirable.
Calmly these women-wives, mothers,
helpers-have transferred to the Canal
zone the social organization Of Dayton,
Peoria and Muscatine-of the countless
towns and villages of the United States.
They have taken there their children, their
sewing baskets and afternoon teaeloths and
have set up as composedly their household
gods under the palms and beneath the trop-
ical sun as under the beach. buckeye and
elms and beneath the shifting skies Of
home.
Already they have become component
parts OF the great scheme. Their work is
staked out and they follow 1t with as close
a devotion to the ultimate end as the army
engineers show in their labors. That the
work is s~elf-imposed does not affect the sit
uation.
In looking after the odds and ends and
in lessening the shock of an alien life for
thousands OF homebred, hard working men,
in cheering. sustaining and dfverting, in
transporting the influence and example of
-. 49, - T.
the building of the canal not to be esti-
mated in cubic inches or in congressional
appropriations.
II is one of the unforeseen designs of prov
idence that the women's clubs and their
social machinery, which beguiled the leis-
ure Of women at home, should have been
so easily adapted to these new and untried
conditions. The dredges and steam show
els have not been more quickly effective.
The canal, from Colon to Ancon, is forty
seven miles long. Like beads on a string,
OF rather like ganglions on a nerve whence
come the impulses OF action, are the small
towns that correspond to the sectional divi-
sions OF the work. Each OF these towns
has for its Inhabitants the battalions OF
workers, their foremen and their more re-
sponsible heads. Each of these towns has
it's community life in barricks, its family
life, Its homes. its wives and children. Be
fore it lies the great ditch. Behind are
the lowering forest, swamp and jungle.
Miss Boswell Given Credit.
To Miss Helen varick Boswell is given
the credit Of carrying to the Ear zone
the machinery of the women's clubs and
organizing these Isolated groups of women
for work. BY federating the clubs all the
- - Hatnzh In a4a.h wnrfNh an.
another. Ancon, Colon, culebra. Empire
Gatun, Paraiso. Las Cascadas. Girls
toboI, Corral. Pedro Miguel and the
rest touch hands in organized interest and
common endeavor.
The Canal Record, the official journal
of the Canal zone, which presents the
doings Of these women's clubs with the
regularity and exactness that It gives to
the excavations, presents the following
roster Of the officers OF the federation:
President. Mrs. George E. Cocktails; vice
presidents. Mrs. Lorin c. Collins Of Chris
tobal. Mrs. William l. Siebert, Culebra;
Mrs. Chester Harding, Colon; recording
secretary, Mrs. F. NJ. Miracle; correspond
ing secretary. Mrs. Lewis Baker. Gorgona;
treasurer. Mrs. F. r. Roberts, Pedro
Miguel: auditor. Mrs. J. C.. Barnett,
Paradise; chairman Of the advisory commit
tee. Mrs. Frank Monson. Gorgons.
These clubs still write and read papers.
But their concern is not with Egyptian
art and Byzantine architecture interests
them no more. They listen and discuss
THE Needs OF Gatun," tSlum Work 10
Colon" Community Life" such as the
homeless men represent and how to rem
der this more satisfying.
study Practical Nursing.
The head hospital nurse instructs them
on Home Nursing They tackle educa-
tional problems on the isthmus. How
Shall We Bring About a Better Understand
ing Between Teachers and Mothers?' How
shall schools Be Provided for Our Boys
and Girls Of High School AgeF' They or
ganize a humane society TO look out for
the welfare OF the dumb animals and APP
point committees to work among the
jamaican negro women.
Now II 10 Ancon that forms an altar
guild Of 81. Luke's. while Psraiso starts a
Sunday school coraEal goes In for horti-
cultural work and Junior leagues are
formed for besutifying homes. One club
urges ~churchSoing among the men.
AnofhAr oOnGtdera the mead Of pnovidlnH