The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-12-23
COCKTAILS IS HERE
TO ASK CONGRESS
FOR s1O,0OO,0OO
Colonel Arrives From Panama
Canal Zohe With Wife for
Christmas Holidays.
FAVORS CANTEEN PLAN.
Says He Is Forced to DISCHARGE
Drinkers Because Congress
Vetoed His Idea.
FAVORS CANTEEN PLAN.

Col. George W. Goethals. t,overnos
of the Panama Canal Zone. arrived
In New York to-day With his wife on
the Panama Steamship Line boat
Panama. He will spend the holiday
season In New York for tho nrst time
since 1906.
Col. Cocktails and bis wife will 20
TO West Point Tomorrow 10 visit their
son. who In an instructor there. Later
the Colonel will appear before appro-
priatlon committees OF Congress to
urge various appropriations amount
ing TO $4,000. 900 for dry doclss. bar
racks, Qualifications. machine shops
and coal wharves. Tho defense arma-
ment Of tho Canal II almost all
placed and this SIC. 900. 900 appropria-
ton will be sufficient to complete the
entire project.
Asked about his cabled request to
the Navy Department TO send war
ships TO tho Canal Zone to enforce
neutrality. Col. Cocktails said he
wasn't taking any particular interest
In the matter. The naval authori-
ties Of the zone reported TO him that
there had been two violations Of
neutrality. ono by . ship WI n
cleared without papers. the other by
n vessel which used its wireless within
tho zone.
II believed from the reports sub.
mitted." said Col. Goethais. that
these violations had been committed
SO suggested TO the Navy Depart
ment that a warboat be, sent to the
Canal Zone to enforce neutrality. My
duty ended there and I don't know
whether my recommendation was
acted on or not" .4....
There are $4,000 workmen on the
canal payroll at the present time. but
tho foroa 10 steadily decreasing. When
the canal In completed and in full
working order the stan will comprise
1000 men working In two shifts .
day. The CANALS open from o'clock
In the morning until 8 o'clock ut night.
I'm the original estimates Of the
cost OF operating tho canal" said
Col. Goethals. "a single shift OF men
was considered sufficient. But va
must have two shifts ana tho cost In
proportionately heavier.
1T will cost 5000. 900 n ysar 10
operate tho canal. The receipts 30
far show that tho income will equal
or exceed that amount. Tho canal
will be self supporting insofar 40 ac-
tual operating expenses are con.
cerned.
"We are putting ships through In
eight hours. At first II took us half
an hour TO put n ship through each
OF tho three locks at Gatun. Now We
put them through all three locks IN
ffty-fve minutes.
II am going to try 20 gst some rest
up hero. On tho Zone work. my
office hours run from 9 o'clock A. NJ.
to 1890 o'clock r. NJ. seven days In
tho week. Tho Culebra Cut In ono
thing that keeps mo busy. We are
bothered by the nlling up OF the Cut.
and while we are taking reasona bly,
good care OF tho situation with the
dredges on hand. We need another big
dredEe. I am going to ask Congress
to give us one. With the additional
dredge we can keep tho Cut open all
the time. There are no more slides
In the sense that the sides N the cut
drop into the canal prism. Two high
hills. one on each side OF the Cut,
are settling and pushing up tho bot
tom OF the canal or crowding the
sides.
I'm reducing the force. 1 am drop
ping the aliens and holding. as far az
possible. American citizens. Recently
| have been compelled to let some
fine American mechanics and vaiua-
BILE workmen go on account Of liQuor
II wanted .gtabiish canteens on
the Zone. where good cold beer could
be sold to the men at reaso..a..' "
prices. Congress disagreed with me
and wa have no canteens. Tho con-
sequence Is that when the men feel
like drinking, they 10 into Panama
Or Colon. outside the Zone. where 1
nave no control. and drink too much.
Men who drink to excess and ara
brought to my notice are DIR, ped
rom the payroll. II we had canteens. |
he trouble over the liquor question
would be greatly diminished. II not
wiped out"
Dispatches from Washington to-
lay say the cruiser Tacoma, ia At |
rristobal 10 enforce neutrality and
he Navy Department still has under
the possibility Of dis.
patching another vessel to the Canal |
Zone.