New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-20
War Bonus in Bethlehem Means
Auto Year to Fast Workers
Steel Centre Has Trped Population Since l9l4Shortage
of Lodgings as Acute as Lack of Men, of Whom
1000 Are Needed in Big Plants

Bethlehem. Penn, May 19.-lf you
intend visiting Bethlehem, bring your
bed with you or portable house. IL
you come without this equipment you
may have trouble in finding accommo-
dations, for the shortage of lodgings IS
almost as acute as the shortage OF men.
No city has been more changed by
war and by the complications which
have resulted from it. Three years ago
the population included 5000 steel
workers; to-day there arc $4,000, with
more TO come. They represent every
nationality and every group of skilled
workers from the boy just out of short
trousers to his elder brother who is
drawing 81 day and getting rich by
the minute.
In this town the laborcr is not only
worthy of his hire, but of his bonus as
we'll. And the bonus system in war
times, when thirteen governments are
clamoring for supplies. is worth a new
automobile a year to the man capable
of doing double-quick work.
This town is interesting from the
moment you alight at the cattle-shed
structure, which the Lehigh Valley
Railroad forty years ago called a sta
ton. clear UP to the top of the hill
where the Moravians planted semi
nary and proceeded to buy up every
acre of land in sight. The hacking
business still clings to the old-fash-
toned coupe of the overgrown baby
carriage type. drawn by something
which reminds you of ribbed roast
on four legs.
Danger Sign Unhceded
To reach your hotel you cross long
wooden bridge, which displays huge
sign telling you that the structure IS
absolutely unsafe and that no automc-
bile should cross it except at the own
er's peril. No one pays any attention
to the sign, as there is an endless chain
of motor vehicles, which will continue
until the million-dollar steel span is
completed.
After you reach your hotel you get
out of it as soon as you can, Tor every
one does business in South Bethlehem
where the steel works are the only
things on the landscape. This Is
e+r xsbI
throbbing with life and a gesticulating
population which speaks every lam
guage known to the foreign exchange
experts of Wall Street.
The trolley takes you within ten min
utes TO the imposing structure which
houses the headquarters of the Bethle-
hem Steel Company. This has come to
be the "house of all nations" for the
federal COMM ssions representing the
British, French. Russian and Italian
and other foreign governments occupy
suites of Offices to which the technical
experts scattered throughout the plants
repair at stated intervals for consulta-
ton with their army mad naval officers.
Many Detectives in Town
If you are familiar with the Wash
ington routine you may identify an
occasional face as belonging to gov
eminent officer, for this little town
probably contains more secret service
men and private detectives than any
other city of similar size in the coun-
try.
Every one is on the watch for spies
and secret agents of the Central Pow
ers and unless you are frank and can
give straightforward story when one
Of the gumshoe squad interrogates you
you had better get aboard departing
train without waiting to see in what
direction it is going. These detectives
all hail from Missouri and need to be