The Washington herald., 1912-01-21
GUAYAQUIL NEEDS
BIG CLEANING UP
Ships from that Port to Be Refused
Entry 10 Panama Canal on Ac-
count of Sanitation.

up" Guayaquil. the plague-infested port
of Ecuador. has again been brought
| forcibly TO the attention of the govern
ment by events Of the last few days in
that region. The case in point is the
seizure Of Commander l. C. Bertolette.
Of the gunboat Yorktown, by yellow
fever, in the midst Of the critical situa-
tion at Guayaquil which he was sent
down TO watch.
The serious menace 10 the navy signl-
| fed by Commander Bertolette contract
ing yellow fever In Guayaquil is alarm
| ing enough, but Il is as nothing COM
/ from that port after the Panama Canal
| Is opened for the sea traffic OF the world.
Reduced TO its simplest terms, the sltua-
/ tion in regard TO Guayaquil Is so grave
that either II viii have to be made san
itary or else the United States will have
to refuse admission to the canal to all
ships touching at that port. The United
States government will never so betray
its trust Of total responsibility for the
/ canal by permitting the worlds traffic
to be subjected to the menace Of disease
carrying ships from Guayaquil.
While there is at present absolutely no
movement upon the part of the United
aquil. students of the situation are con-
vinced that Il will be the inevitable So
\ luton Of the problem. Ecuador has not
| heretofore shown the enterprise and the
realization OF its responsibilities and self
interests which would lead TO the belief
that the South American republic will
eventually do the job, and do it right.
Has Bad Reputation.
Guayaquil enjoys a foul reputation
throughout the world to-day as the most
pest-ridden port OF all South America.
The city has stayed behind. while other
South American ports have been made
Mt to receive ships engaged in Interna-
tional traffic. Yellow fever is always
present In Guayaquil: bubonic plague Is
there practically all the time, and so Is
smallpox. Malarial fever and typhoid are
taken as a matter OF course. Such is the
reputation Of Guayaquil. that to-day, pas
sengers coming In ships from Guayaquil
TO Panama are held in quarantine for
several days, carefully observed, and not
allowed to land in the city until all dan
ger OF their bringing infection has been
eliminated.
The city, while known as a seaport, is
really situated thirty miles up the Guayas
River from the coast. The river opposite
| the city is about a mile wide, and there
are many fats near its banks. The city
has a fairly good water supply. but sewers
! are lacking. 1t is infested with rats,
which are in turn infested with plague
carrying fleas. Mosquitoes carry the yell
low fever infection. The natives seem
able to Withstand the yellow fever with
out suffering death as does the white
man from the North.
At present, there is fair prospect OF the
first steps being taken toward the sani-
tation Of Guayaquil. A Frenchman named
Coignet has contracted with the govern
ment Of Ecuador TO put in water, paving.
seem under the impression that these
measures will prove all that are neces-
ssry. A contrary opinion prevails here,
however. where these are regarded as
merely the preliminaries to a real clean
ing up Of the city.
Army Omcer Assisting.
coignet, II is understood here. Is sub
mItting his plans to Col William c.
Gorgas, Of the Medical Corps, United
States Army. the man who transformed
the Canal Zone and adjoining Panama
cities from fever sores like Guayaquil
into a region more free from disease than
many localities In the United States. Ger
tain # is that plans for the sanitation
Of Guayaquil which do not meet with
the approval of Col. Gorgas and the
Canal authorities will be effort wasted.
1t Is feared that the upheaval now in
progress in Ecuador, which has thrown
the existing government into the bal
ance, is likely to retsrd the execution
Of Colgnet's plans. The revolution II
bound to give a setback to the finances
of the country, and Coignet may find
himself without a fair prospect Of get
ting his money. In that event, II Is
certain he will not do the work.
The canal Is due TO be opened 10 the
worlds commerce in a little less than
three years. II will be a rude shock
to the commercial life Of GuayaquiI ~
the city is, when the canal is opened,
ia an insanitary condition The very
life of the country will be threatened,
as Guayaquil Is the only port Of impor-
tance OF Ecuador, and is the main outlet
for her principal product. cocoa Many
believe that II that situation comes
where GuayaquiI will be q losing port TO
ships using the canal, Ecuador will
be found appealing to the United States
for aid II will, Of course, be to the in
terest of this government to give such
aid, and clean up the port.
Ecuador has often expressed an inten-
ton to clean up Guayaquil in fits diplo-
matte intercourse with this government
little more than year ago she came
forward with a most interesting PROPOSE
ton, which involved the Galapagos Isl.
ands.
Politics stop Progress.
Ecuador proposed that the United
States purchase from her the Galapagos
Islands, and offered. II the bargain were
concluded. to spend the purchase money.
or part OF 1t. in making GuayaqufI sanI-
tary. The State Department lent a will |
ing ear to the proposal, but before any-
thing could be done Ecuadoran politics |
were injected into the situation and the
Ecuadoran administration, in fear for its |
existence, hastily withdrew its offer
Since then nothing has been done.
It is not at all unlikely. however, that
the Galapagos Islands and the sanitation
of Guayaquil will again appear on the
scene as a two-sided proposition. The
islands are important only from strategic
considerations, and 1t may be asserted |
as a positive fact that the United States |
will never permit them to fail into the
hands of any non-American power The
Monroe doctrine makes this a certainty.
They are Of no value to Ecuador, Not
even the most meager settlements exist /
upon more than two or three islands OF /
the group. and their chief interest now
Is as geological curiosities.
Strategically. however, they hava
risen to vast Importance since the pan
anna Canal became a reality instead OF
a visionary scheme. They command the
entrance to the Panama Canal on the
Pacific side, Just as the United States
naval base at Guantanamo, Cuba. COM