The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1911-12-01

always was called David and so the military acad-
envy held friendly David and Goliath, thereby
establishing better record for amity and friend
illness than that contained in the Scriptures.
When the army engineers went to Panama to
take charge of the work they knew that in order
to make progress with the digging they must have
contented family of laborers. They also knew
that they must maintain discipline. In the army
discipline is maintained as a matter of course,
the men who enlist knowing that they must sub
nit themselves without question to the proper
orders of their superiors.
The men who work on the Isthmus of Pan.
ANA are mostly civilians, and Colonel Goethas
and his assistants knew that they would resent
anything like army disciplinary methods, even
though they were intended for their benefit and
would soon prove their worth. Goethals is a
most tactful man With his assistants, he secured
army discipline the isthmus without allowing
the civilians even to appreciate that gradually
they were coming under the guidance of rules
laid down for men who wear the uniform of the
service. The army officers worked at first In a
suggestive way. Men we're directed to try" GER
tain things and see how they came out.
Trial was made and then other suggestions
were made and finally the big working force
found that 1t was living regular, healthful life
with time for regulated recreation and that 1t
was possible to get pleasure out Of existence by
other means than by drinking it in Sugges-
ton rather than command made disciplined
force out of the forty-odd thousand laborers.
There probably is not healthier place on the
face of the earth today than the canal strip Of
the Isthmus of Panama.
Colonel William c. Gorgas of the medical de-
partment of the United States army is the head
of the department of sanitation the isthmus
Under his direction disease virtually has been
killed and fear itself has been set at defiance.
A large part of the food for the isthmus is
purchased in the United States and II is shipped
under the most favorable conditions. paper
called THE Canal Record" is published at fire.
quent intervals and its last page is devoted to
a list of the food which can be obtained at the
commissary department with the prices affixed
Living on the isthmus is just cheap If not
cheaper than 1t is in this country and the food
is of the highest possible quality. Many Of the
civilian employees constituting clerical and eng
neering forces have taken their families to Pan
ANA. They have fine quarters and they buy their
food virtually at cost price.
The army on its metal when It was put in
charge of the Panama canal building. Thus far
admittedly. its work has been nothing short of
wonderful in all lines Of sthmian endeavor II
may be that President Taft's prophecy will not
come true and that the canal will not be opened
until 1915, but 1t should be remembered that the
latter date is the set for the opening by
Colonel George w. Goethals, the enginer-in-chef
1t is probable. however, that he hopes to see the
procession of ships, with the old Oregon leading,
pass into the great waterway on some day within
the next two years.