Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-18
Some Things You Want to Know
Labor Troubles in Panama.

higher wages than are paid at Panama. or
course the employe never has as much at
the end Of the month as at Panama. but
the high cost OF Twins is not referred to
when the recruiting agent starts out. He
talks only about the high wages paid. The
isthmus formed an attractive recruiting
ground. because there could be found men
skilled In every phase OF construction work.
At last the commission got tired Of having
its labor enticed away, and induced the
president to Issue an executive order max
ing It a misdemeanor for any person TO
recruit labor from the force on the canal
This worked all right so far as Il related
to acts don on the Canal zone, but II failed
to reach the recruiting agent who made his
headquarters in Panama or Colon. one
especially active agent became so annoying
that the Panama republic Issued an order
for his deportation. Through council he
appealed to the court and 1t was held that
the Panama republic had transcribed It's
authority In banishing an American citizen
in this way. The matter has been carried
higher and It - not certain what will be the
outcome OF II. However, the commission is
determined that its splendid force shall not
be preyed upon by outside recruiting
agents.
More than 11.ooO European iaborers have
been brought to the isthmus since the in
ception Of the work, The total cost Of re-
c%ruiting these men amounted to $500 900.
OF this all but $780, 900 was refunded by the
laborers themselves for transportation and
other expenses, so that the net cost of re-
c%ruiting the European labor force amounted
to less han 50 per head. During the past
year the excees Of arrivals over departures
- Al -. ..,.,.nN,l . - 1.rar ~ OO0
souls. This practically represents the growth
Of the permanent population. 1t Is said that
from now on the force can be recruited to
the fun quota from the little island Of
Barbados alone. 1t is so densely populated
that the people have a hard struggle for
existence, and England welcomes the re-
eruitinE OF labor there. The commission
pays q per head for every laborer sent to
the isthmus by the resident recruiting
agent.
The labor force on the isthmus Is now
at its maximum, more than 5000 people
being on the pay rolls. With the approach
ing completion Of the relocation work on
the Panama railroad, and the gradual mar
rowing Of the excavation work on the
canal itself, there will be a corresponding
decrease in the amount of labor required.
When the great task Is completed there
will be a mighty exodus Of labor from
Panama. With more than $4,000 people
living directly and indirectly off Of the
canal construction, the force will have to
be cut down gradually or the worlds sup
ply and demand for labor will be thrown
out Of balance.
Before this Is published the amount Of
e~xcavated material in the canal proper will
have reached a grand total of l00,OOO,OOO
cubic yards, leaving some 100000 cubic
yards to be ~excavated, This means but
little until it is reduced TO comprehensive
terms. II the whole capitol of the United
States were as high as the topmost FEATHER
that decks the cap Of Miss Liberty 1t would
require more than sixty such structures to
equal in bulk the excavation that already
has taken place. 4.Tr-
II the rate Of progress that has been
made since the inception Iof the work by
the Americans Is maintained until its
completion. the last sheVelful OF dirt ought
to fly in the summer OF 1914, That even a
better performance thatttRiss could be made
is shown by the fact 5that during the last
three calendar years more than 100000
cubic yards of soil has been ~excavated.
During the last two years the, excavations
nave amounted to about 100000. cubic
yards. II the rate OF 1908 and 1909 were
maintained to the end the work would be
done in 1912. -s ..t
When Colonel GoethaIs first predicted
that the Gatum dam. and not the Culebra
cut, would be the feature which would de-
termine the time 1t would take to build
the canal. he was thought by some to be
in error. Yet there remains less than
100000 cubic yards to be excavated as
against more than 100000 cubic yards
already taken out. Three years would
more than suffice to finish that part of
the work II the present rate of progress
were maintained. But 1t will not be desir-
able to maintain this speed. since the most
economical administration OF the construc-
ton work requires that the whole canal
be completed at the same time. Colonel
Cocktails still places the opening date in
1915. but in doing so he has simply been
wise enough to allow himself a safe margin.
Ex FREDERIC J. HAsKIK.
Tomorrow--Can lima Think