New-York tribune., 1921-10-07
Weeks Orders
Open Shop at
Panama Canal
Adopts 5-Million Retrench-
meni Program Forbidding
Governor of Zone TO
Deal With Labor Unions
1000 Workers Now Out
Free Rent Is Eliminated:
:. Gompers Calls Plan ''Un-
American and Infamous

Frors The T'Ibunc's WASHINGTON B,rsan
WASHINGTON, Oct. s. - Radical
changes in policies governing the op.
srstion e the Panama Canal Zone are
70 be inauguratsd by Secretary OF War
Weeks, as q result of the recommends
tons OF the special investigating com
mi,tse which recently completed an ex-
haustive inquiry of all phases of the
n'Canal Zone government, it was learned
today
The reforms recommended would re-
suit n saving s5,oOO,oOO year in the
operations of the canal, not only
through the reduction of the forces
employed there, but also through the
consolidation of duties of the various
departments.
Among the recommendations is that
the governor of the zone be directed
not to deal with labor unions as such,
or recognize or make agreements with
them or with employees for any given
period of time. The committee pro-
posed that open shop conditions be
put into effect and that "a substantial
proportion" of non-union men be en-
ployed in all departments at prevailing
wages.
To Charge for Housing
Another suggestion is that en-
nloyees of the Canal Zone be required
to pay rent for their houses and also
be charged for light, heat and water.
Under the old ADMINISTRATION. all en-
ployees in the Canal Zone were housed
AZ government expense, and IN add
tion were given he tai service with
Gus cest.
Tne p.aa calls for She IMPOSITION OF
F. modest rental for all employees.
Under this plan $500, 900 q year could
he saved the government, and the cost
70 the workmen would not average
more than $li a month. If light. heat
ard water are charged against the
workmen an additional $4,000 year
Viii be netted the government. When
il is considered that all employees of
the canal get . wage rate % per cent
higher than similar employment II this
country the imposition OF 4 rental on
tne employees Is not expected to be
hucdensome.
1000 Laborers Let Out
Already the retrenchment policy of
he government in the Canal Zone has
resulted III the discharge of 5000 alien
iaborers and 1000 American laborers,
Secretary Weeks said to-day Addi-
t.onal reductions are expected to be
made in the personnel employed by the
Panama Canal Railroad, which Secre-
tarv Weeks said was "extrava gantly
managed As well as in the operating
force OF tugs On the canal. Under the
present arrangement a twenty-four-
hour service by government tugs is in
fleet. The Weeks plan provides for
he operation Of two tugs on an eight
hour basis. with eight hours during
every tweatyfour hours without tug
service
Samuel Gompers, president of the
/ (. II l., in a statement issued to-
nigh. asseiied the report as preposter-
Gus and as "afronting 10 the entire
country
"The opposition TO having the policy
e tne canal dictated by labor organiza-
tons IS vicious" the statement said,
because it serves to create the i'm
preston that labor organizations have
dictated the canal policy, which is ab-
solutely untrue and also absolutely
impossible. To displace Americans by
/ tropical natives at a lower wage is to
z commit q breach OF faith and to adopt
"a policy foreign to every concept of
fairness