The Alaska daily empire., 1914-12-29
TO CANAL
 E G0EpHALs CUTS

|aH H|
 F G0ETHALs CUTS
 WASHINGTON, pee. 1S.--Liene'col' 1 Chester Harding, Enslneer Corps, y' s. A.. has been ohosen for the office of the Governor the Panama San'I al Zone. which carries with t theI duties of Engineegjn-chiei oi the can i al operation in succession to Col. geo. Inv. Goothols. when the latter decides to leave the canal zone. Col. 9oe-I thals recently arrived in New York and no information has been received ihero to indicate that Col Goetnals does not desire to return to his duties on tho Isthmus
 lwas made plain in official circles today that Col Goethals Is at liberty to retain his office as long as he pleas es. The understanding here ia that he desires Co remain in the canal zone for another year. or longer if nec- essary. He has explained that heI would not like to quit control of the canal operation until the success of the great waterway has been deter mined. and he was particularly anN- ious to remain in charge until all danger from land slides had been oy- ercome. In thls Knowledge of Col. Goethals attitude t Is believed here chat he will return to the canal on the expiration Of his present leave otI absence.
 There have been reports in Wash ington that Col Goethals might be as- signed to take charge Of the work otI building the government railway inI Alnska. for which Congress has ap- propriated SS5.000,0O0. Tho route Of this proposed railway has recently been surveyed and considerable time must eiapse before it's actual construc- ton og the road can be begun. There. fore. even # Col. Goethals should be Induced to accept the Alaska assign mont. his services in that connection would not be required until after he was satlsmied he could safely relin- quish his duties in the Canal zone.
 Whether Col Goethals has express ed any preference for undertaking the construction of the government rail- way In Alaska is not known, but there have been intimations here that 1t would be exceeding gratifying to the Interior Department. under whose jurisdiction tho railway construction has been placed, If it could obtain Col. Goethals for this important pro iect
 Col. Goethals has been credited with a desire to make Q tour around the world for rest and recreation after bo retires from the position as governor of the canal zone. Should he care to begin this tour soon. ample time would be at his disposal to circle the globe before his services would be required | on the Alaska project.
 Lieut. Col Harding was recently de- 1 tached from duty as Engineer Com missioner of the District of Columbia and assigned as an assistant Go Gov ernor Goethals. He has been at the Isthmus since December l, and onl January ], will succeed Col. Harry E. Hodges as engineer of maintenance of the Panama canal. Col. Hodges is | now acting governor of the canal zone. | He win leave the Isthumus on Jam uary to return to tho United States.
 When Secretary Garrison was ask ed today why Lieut.. Col. Harding had been sent to the canal zone. he said.
 ''We must always have at Panama an experienced second man, who win be in training for the first mans DO. sition. There is so much ground to be covered by the functions Of the governor and 1t is such a bis job and there are so many technical and en- gineering features Of the work, that we decided 1t would be absolutely foolish Go send brand-new man to the canAl zone to take tho place of the governor at any time the goyer- nor left there. If we send a new man who did not have at his fingers ends everything pertaining to the canal. the government would be greatly em- barrassed if any delicate situation hap pened to arise. So we have sent Col. . Harding there in accordance with this policy to go into training in order that he m be competent to take ab- solute charge of the canal any time that Col. Goethals goes away, either temporarily or permanently"
 What reward shall be conferred on Colonel Goethals for his successful completion of the greatest engineer ing feat in the worlds history has not been determined by the Admin isration or Congress. Secretary Gar rison is seeking an opportunity to ex- anime many bills introduced in the House and the Senate providing for honors for Col Goethals and those chiefly concerned in the canal con- struction.
 It is expected that Secretary Gar rison, will shortly put into writing his views with regard to these proposed measures. It seems to be already set tied that Col Goethals will at least be elevated to the rank of Major Gen eral, with full pay for the period of his life beyond the date of bis retile- ment for active service.
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