The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-08
SECRETARY BAKER PAYS TRIBUTE
ITO AMERICAN ENGINEERS AFTER
VISIT TOPANAMA TO STUDY CANAL
War Secretary Describes Diff
culties of Construction in
Independent Article.
EIGHTH WONDER OF WORLD
Canal Cities, Entirely Under
American Control. Is Marked
Contrast to Old Towns.
BY NEWTON D. BAKER, Secretary of
War.
(copyrieht, BY The Indenendentl.

~, secretary
War.
(Copyrisht, BY The independently.
Secretary Baker has returned from a.
business trip to the Canal Zone-made
for the express purpose OF seeing Just
what is needed there. so that he can
support with first hand information
any requests to congress for appro-
priations. 1t was Secretary Bakers
first visit to Panama Canal and what
he saw gave him new pride in Amer
ica's achievements there. So besides
bringing facts and figures for congress
he brought back his message to the
American people.
Americans should visit the Panama
Canal, 1t is not only the greatest
work of mankind in modifying the
work of nature. but il is like an ex-
position containing American civiiiza-
ton at its best set down. for purposes
of comparison. in tropical jungle,
with two Latin American cities which
preserve many of the aspects of the
early Spanish settlements in America,
and at the same time show the i'm
provement and progress which have
developed If by inspiration from the
! perfect example of the Canal Zone.
f, The Canal Zone, ten miles in width.
runs from ocean TO ocean. practically
through the middle of the republic
of Panama. 1t is about forty-five
miles long. In the center of the trip
lies the great artificial Gatum lake
which impounds the waters of the
I Chagres river and supplies the two
lock systems which float away TO the
Atlantic on the one side and the Pa
cific on the other from the high point
of the canal, which is eighty-five feet
above the level of the sea. The lake
1 uYya he yzaA s.f tl,<D
river, ana spreads out over wide areas
l of former jungle.
AT both ends of the canal, and here
and there throughout it's length, there
are little cities built for the accornjno-
dation of canal employees. The locks
ARE huge concrete structures, with
gates heavier and more massive than
ever protected fortified cities. and in
the gate houses there is specially de-
vised machinery, powerful and in
tricate and yet SO perfect that it's
Operation is controlled by an electric
switch no larger than a telegraph
key.
From end to end of the Canal Zone.
the government of the United States
is owner, builder. landlord and care
taker. Everything is spotless in its
cleanliness. perfect in mechanical de-
tail. and the natural beauty of the
mountainous country is supplemented
by the order and beauty of the struc-
lures lawns and gardens of the Canal
Zone itself. The homes are set in
| hedges of hibiscus. and the jungle
ends abruptly on each side of the
strip is smooth -mown grass and flow
ers. The very perfection of American
ingenuity is illustrated in every me-
chanical and physical detail
1t all belongs to the twentieth GEN.
| tury, with its new polish kept bright
1 in marked contrasts to the cities of
Panama and Colon. where there are
still houses built for the accommoda-
| ton of the gold seekers of 40, who
sought California by crossing the 18TH
mus, and people who still speak the
| Spanish language which Balboa plant
ed there just after he annexed the Pa
cific ocean to the dominions of Spain
Meanwhile, the republic of Panama
in more ways than one the child OF
the canal-for its prosperity has al
1 ways been dependent upon the hope OF
Il canal or it's reality. is now a grow
ling and progressive country, with
warm synpathies for the people of the
United States, developing its own civ
ilization, cooperating with us in our
great task. and helping us to make the
canal a great agency. both in the car
rying of commerce and In the spread
] Of progressive ideas.
/ Most Americans are proud Of the
Panama Canal without having seen n.
and without any clear idea of it's real
usefulness. We know vaguely. that a
number of projects came to grief, in
Guiding that of the great deLesseps,
and that finally American enterprize,
engineering genius and determination
completed the great work We know
that II cost a very great deal OF money,
and we all regard the canal as a gift
to mankind. without a thought that
1t may ever be a profitable venture.
1t is important to have the facts
known.
/ During the building of the canal, be-
fore the cut was completed, 1t was
found necessary to move a great
dredge from the Atlantic to the Pa
i cific side In order TO do this 1t had
| to be towed around the end OF the
South American continent II took
Just ten days less than fsur months
| to make the journey. and when the
dredge arrived at the Pacific side the
men who had accompanied 1t took a
train at Panama and IN forty-five
minutes We're back at Colon. from
which they had started. In other words.
the canal saves vessels plying be-
tween Europe or from the Atlantic
ports of America TO California and the
Orient from 1000 to 5000 miles In the