Atlanta Georgian., 1913-10-17
IN PERIL
BY DELAY LAID
To WILSON
No Steps Taken for Operation,
GoethaIs' Advice Ignored.
Workers Grumbie.
BY WILLIAM hOSTER.
Special Cable to The Atlanta eeOrgI


PANAMA. oct. IA crisis 10 I'm
pending \ tIe canal situation DIE 20
the neglect or Washington 20 uphold
Co.Ouel GoethsIs The canal - near
ms completion ana the locks are
ready TIE flow OF vd,er IS con
stantly increasing. With ,he Cuca-
racha siGc out Of the way not more
than a month hence the waterway
will bs ready for commercial use
The Adamson act provides for re-
organization Of the canal force. in
volving d mandatory reduction OF 20
per cent In pay. Du. at the discretion
Of the President
News comes from Washington that
Wilson will not order reorganization
until 1915
This means that the organization
of the force Of 1,5oo, estimated as
necessary to operate the canal, will be
postponed until the great waterway
actually is ready for use, whore Il
is vitalb important that the force
should be selected Immediately.
Pay Reduction Opposed.
The men must be carefully drilled
BY Colonel Goethals, for there can be
no slips at the formal opening.
10 the reduction OF pay. Already
grumbling is heard and a strike is
possible, although forbidden by the
Government rules previously enforced
by Colonel Goethals himself. This is
made more likely II reorga nization Is
left until the canal opening. when the
Government would be at the mercy
OF the workers.
Moreover Colonel Goethals an
nounces that he will retire as soon
as the canal is ready, maybe before
1915. Thereby organization and drill
Ing Of the force to operate the canal
would have to be done by some one
other than the man best fitted for
the work.
Colonel Goethals refuses 20 discuss
the situation. but it is known abso-
lutelv that he regards It as mos;
important that reorganization should
be effected immediately.
Strikes Possible.
The canal Is his life work He
knows every details. He mas in mind
the /, 500 he would Ike TO select now
and get TO consent to the reduced
pay. He could begin to now to train
them to operate the canal, which will
in the end have cost the nation $500,
OO0. 900
" "tSOn SUCKS TO MS ueCiSion
navies of the world would assemble
no we'll drilled force for the work OF
operating the canal and the great
locks. Probably there would be
strikes and bungling, and even inmi-
nent danger of catrosphe.
The situation is incomprehensible
to Americans here. Washington
seems to lack interest Consequent
ly there is disgouragement here. and
broad hints that politics is being
played at Washington. 1t is a fact
that not a single member Of the Will
son administration has ever been
here, save Bryan on lecture tour
wherefore no member Of the admin
lstratiOn understands the situation
Appeals for some member of the
administration to come here have so
far been unheeded. II is believed
that If a responsible agent of Wilson
came he could he made to see the
necessity Of promptness
Goethals Being Hounded.
At the same time Colonel Gosthals
is being bounded to get through.
Governor Metcslfe, 5ryan's man, has
put in his finger, and this compIi-
Gates the situation further. i1e has
plan for three headed commission
to in future rule the zone and the
sanitary work and the operating Of
the canal. This is a great mistake
Colonel Goethals has built the
anal not with, but in spite of
commission, ths majority OF which
vas against him from the beginning
His trerlendous driving power mads
possible the dream Of ages. He is not
personally concerned with what may
happen after the canal is finished,
but is looking to the best interests
of he canal and the nation after the
waterway Is opened.