The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-11-18
CANAL Y.M,C,A. WORKER
COMING 10 HAMMOND

A. Bruce Minear. railroad secretary
of the international committee Of
Young Mems Christian associations.
who viii conduct the railroad and shop
meetings of the Indiana state conven-
tion at Hammond NOV p and 20, IS
credited with having performed one Of
the biggest jobs in the history Of that
movement. 1t was Mr.. Minear who or
ganized and established the chain OF
associations for the thousands Of work
men the Panama canal and in four
years so tested and proved the work
there that government officials now
hesitate 70 tackle a big piece Of engi-
neering without the supplementary aid
Of this organizations facilities and
equipment for taking care Of its work
men and Improving social conditions
for Their families
Because of his wide and altogether
unique experience in this phase of tine
Industrial work OF the association Mr..
Minear's services were especially en-
gagged for the convention In the Calu-
met region. where he VIII demonstrate
this feature Of the association move
ment ard, perhaps. have something TO
say concerning the canal associations.
To an interviewer the other day he
gave an account Of the Panama work
from the human" standpoint-the side
OF the man who is digging the big
ditch. which Will be under water" BY
next July.
"The hardest problem faced in the
successful construction of the canal.
said Mr.. Minear. was not the question
OF a sea level or lock type. nor even
the question Of sanitation which was
then giving evidence Of solution. but
rather the question Of the leisure hours
Of the employees The climatic and
physical conditions in the heart of the
tropics so augmented the problem Of
the physical and moral welfare of that
army Of 5000 American workers that
solution seemed hopeless even in
comparison with the solution OF engi-
neering and sanitary problems.
John F. stevens. then engineer. put
the problem up to President Roosevelt
and the president turned at once to the
Young Mems Christian association for
a plan such was practiced among
the railroad men of North America
was selected by the international com
mittee to confer with the presinedt and
under special commission from him
was sent to Investigate the recreative
social and moral conditions on the ca
their betterment
The conditions I met in my investi-
cation were almost beyond description
In spite Of the governments heroic eff
forts to improve conditions as rapidly
as possible. thousands of men were re
turning to the state by the first steam.
er available. OF course. the govern
ment had to pay the men for theil
time from date of sailing for New Y orl
and received no return this big ex
penditure This state of affairs coult
be better understood were it possible
to picture accurately the state of mind
body and morals of our army of mel
who, after hours of hard labor unde
the most trying conditions of climate
saw the day fade away before suppe
was over and blacklist night settl
quickly; without even a brief twiligh
TO bring a moments release from des
perate Inconsistencies as one faced tn
long evening with no decent place t
go except to ones barren quarters o
where the only privileges We're to joil
the gang in playing poker. killing tn
booze and cussing Uncle Sam.
After thorough investigation
scheme Of club work was provided EN-
bodying practically all the varied ac
tivitiesc of the Young Mems Christia
associations in the states. except tn
housing and feeding problem, whic
was provided by government operate
hotels"
This scheme of welfare work. Mr. Mi
near said. was thoroughly democrat
ic movement including all classes G
Americans and their families. but a
first it was treated with some degre
Of skepticism. However. the persisten
the fact Of their receiving neither sal
airy nor expenses finally won the gov
eminent officials and disarmed tn
skepticism of employees. At the en-
Of several months OF preliminary wor
there were completed at one time fou
club houses, each costing s35. 900 Tire
additional buildings were constructe