The copper era and Morenci leader., 1913-10-10

families, whose members possess edu cation and refinement, and those tha
 are there are not especially fond O Americans. Consequently there is no
 much social intercourse between tn, 1 two races. The social activities of tn, Americans have three general center 1.-the Tivoli club, the Washington Go tillon club and the Young Mems Chris tan association. The first two art dance organizations and give balls al
 ternate fortnights at the Tivoli hote
 in Ancon and the Washington hotel il Colon. These affairs are quite forma
 and attract the best of the Americani 1 from all parts of the zone.
 As for the r. M. c. A., it's work or the isthmus really deserves a chapter | to itself, for it has been one of the bis | factors in the successful building ol
 the canal. At first 1t was found i'm possible to persuade men from the Uni ted States to remain long on the, isth
 mus. The pay was good, the work in teresting, but homesickness found easy victims and they resigned and
 went back to the States in discourag | ing numbers. Several remedies were tried, and finally the commission es tablished a club house in every zone town of any size and wisely put then in charge of the r. M c A. In these houses are billiard rooms, bowling al leys, gymnasfums,- soda fountains, II braries, lounging rooms and a dozen other conveniences, and each house has hall large enough for dances and nr 1~n tainments. The secretaries in charge have been exceedingly active in the organization of bowling. baseball. bill Hard and other leagues, and the tour neys are continuous and ot great in terest Of course no intoxicating drinks are to be found in these clubs but in other respects they are conduct Y ed on lines so liberal as to be some times surprising. In one of them, fol Sinstance, I saw a number of young men and women dancing in the hall, to Ehe music of photograph, immediate iy after the close of the Sunday eve hing religious service. This may have peen an exceptional case, as 1t was in
 me of the more isolated towns.
 In Ancon, Cristobal and some oth-
 rs of the larger American towns flour
 hing women's clubs have been main.
 lined, and these were united in
 me federation which dissolved only
 is year, feeling that it's work was
 me with the virtual completion of the
 nal. The clubs have done great
 al in the way of philanthropy and
 dy, and many social functions are
 en under their auspices.
 Is may readily be comprehended, life for Americans in the zone is much like life in an American suburb an town, and 1t has some of the.disad. vantages of the latter. Gossip and so cial jealousies are prevalent here, as there, and not a few women have been driven back to the States by them. Disputes over promotions and the as- signments of living quarters cause bit terness and arrangements, and of course there are innumerable com p1aints of undue influence these matters. In some cases it must be admitted there has been cause for these complaints, and, sad to say, often woman has been the cause. Her influence with certain of the high of. ficials cannot be doubted, and some times it has results that are to be de- plored.
 Here is one instance of the power exerted by 'pull." A man for some years has held a responsible po- sition with the Panama Railroad com pany, and who has wife, two daugh- ters and a young son, has been waiting long for housekeeping quarters. which sre at a premium Two minor clerks of the railway had been attentive to the daughters, but, being objectionable to the father, were discouraged. But the clerks had some Influential con nectfons, and in revenge have so con- trfyed things that the family in ques- tion has been passed by repeatedly in the assignment of housekeeping quar- ters. The father and son live in one building, the mother and daughters in another, and all must take their meals at the hotel
 Naturally, not many of the Amer jeans on the isthmus will remain there after the completion of the canal. A few of the doctors may en- gage in general practice there-some already have done so-and some or the workmen may find the tropic cft mate SO to their liking that they VIII atay. But nearly all are looking rath- CT eagerly to the time when they can return to tho states. The engineers and physicians no doubt will find that the experience they have had VIII be invaluable to them in the getting of positions and practice when they come home. But to readtust them selves to the old conditions of living may not be easy for the men and women who have been fD the some tor EaarA