Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-25
CANAL CREW
INSISTS ON
PAY BONUS
Threaten to Leave Panama
Zone, Ending Operation
Work, il Gratuities Ended.

WASHINGTON. April 25.-The Panama
Canal is to be wrecked because the United
States workers on the Canal Zone have
been denied their perquisites by an or
der Of President Harding, according TO
William c. flushing, member Of the
Panama Canal wage board and the
Panama Canal complaints board. who
represent the Canal employees and is ask
ing relief from Congress.
The canal workers do not intend to
blow up the canal; but intend to leave
the Canal Zone and return to the United
States unless their perquisites are re-
stored TO them. flushing said. They will
tell other workers In the United States
how unsatisfactory climatic and work
ing conditions IN the Canal Zone really
are. and they do not believe any one will
20 there to take up the work without
perquisites he asserted.
Representative Cooper, Republican Of
Ohio. q IaLor member of Congress, has
taken ND the cudgels In behalf Of the
Canal Zone employees. He has intro
duced In Congress a bill restoring con-
ditions of employment on the Canal Zone
rs they existed up to Jan. last. at which
time the perQuisites were cut out by the
President on the recommendation of
spent month Investigating the canal in
the summer Of 1921.
MUST PASS
TESTS FOR JOBS.
The American employees on the canal.
according to Representative Cooper, have
been selected after rigorous physical and
mental tests from the finest craftsmen
and clerical workers in the United States.
They were induced to enter tropical serv-
ice by the customary % per cent differ
entail in wages and free quarters. light.
fuel ard sanitation. Service IN the trop-
les entails from twenty to thirty days
cumulative leave each year and twenty
four DAYS annual leave, with seven days
travel time to enable an employe to re-
turn 70 the United States periodically to
recuperate his health. These perQuisites
are gone because Of the order OF the
President Cooper declared
Representatives of the canal employees
assert that in the order revoking the per-
quisites there has been discrimination
against the skilled American workman IN
favor Of the executives and the alien
negro workmen The latter, mostly Brit
ish continue to receive free heat, light
and sanitation, they say, while American
workmen are required to pay rental go
per cent greater than that of the negro
workmen for similar quarters. and are
charged for heat light and sanitation.
OFFICERS GOT
INCREASED PAY.
The supervising officers Of the Panama
Canna1 Zone formerly received the same
perouisites as the skilled workmen. but
when these perquisites were revoked the
officers had their pay increased $50 to
800 month. fhe pay of workmen has
been reduced in many instances, and
further reductions are scheduled. The
average pay of skilled workmen and the
clerical staff of the Panama Canal is
S1S2 n month. which includes the differ
entail Of % pa~ cent over compensation
for similar work in the United States.
Governor Morrow of the Panama Canal
Zone has sided with the employees in their
protest. He has told Secretary Of War
Weeks that adoption Of these recon-
mendations at once and In toto would
ruin the canal
Continuing, Governor Morrow says:
eve would soon have halting, linping
service. damage bills to an incalculable
extent, a very considerable traffic loss, a
wholesale desertion Of highly-expert en-
ployes. resulting ma disorganized serv-
Ice that could never be restored even to
a small fraction Of its present efficiency;
also. a valuable strategic asset would tie
almost totally destroyed. The net result
would be an actual financial loss,
we'll as a great loss in national prestige"