Omaha daily bee., 1922-04-30
Canal Workers
Threaten to Quit
If Bonus Ended
Employees in Panama Zone
Declare Perquisi,es Denied
Through Order Of
President.

Washington. April 2s.-The Pan
ana canal Is 20 be wrecked be-
cause the United States workers
81 the canal rome have been denied
heir pefauisiles by an order OF
resident Harding. according 70
William {. flushing. member OF the
Panama canal wage board and the
'anama canal complaints board.
Sho represents the canal employees
and Is asking relief from congress.
The canal workers do not intend
10 blow up the canal: bu, intend 10
leave the canal sone and return 10
the United States unless their per-
auisiies arc restored TO them. Hush
lng said. They will tell other work.
ers in the United States how I'M.
satisfactory climatic aud working
conditions in the canal zone really
arc and they do not believe any
one will go there 10 take up the
work withou, perquisites, he assert.
ed.
Representative Cooper. republican.
OF Ohio. a labor member OF con-
gress. has takeh up the eudgels in
behalf OF the canal zone employees.
lie has introduced in congress a bill
restoring conditions OF employment
on the canal zonc as they existed
up TO January last. at which time
the perquisi,es were cut out by the
president, on the recommendation OF
4 special Panama canal commission.
which spent month investigating
the canal in the summer OF 1921.
The American employees on the
canal. according to Representative
Cooper. have been selected after
rigorous physical and mental tests
from the finest craftsmen and cleri-
cal workers in the United States.
They were induced to enter tropical
service by the customary Is per cent
differential in wages. and free quar-
tcrs. light. fuel and sanitation. Ser
vice in the tropics entails from 20
to 80 days cumulative leave each
wear and "A days annual leave. witt,
seven days travel time to enable an
cmployc to return TO the United
States periodically to rcSuperatc his
health. These pcrquisites arc gone
because of the order OF the presi-
dent, Cooper declared.
Representative of the canal em-
ployes assert that in the order re-
voking the pcrquisites there has been
discrimination against the skilled
american workman in favor OF the
executives and the alien negro work
men. The latter, mostly British,
continue TO receive free heat, light
and sanitation, they say, while
american workmen are required to
pay 4 rental 80 per cent greater than
that of the negro workmcn for
similar quartcrs, and are charged
for heat. light ard sanitation.
The supervising officers OF the
Panama canal zone fomcrly received
the same perquisites as the skilled
workmen, but when these perquisites
were revoked the officers had their
pay increased $50 to $l00 month.
The pay of workmen has been re-
duced in many instances, and fur
thcr reductions are scheduled. The
average pay Of skilled workmen and
the clerical staff of the Panama
canal is $l82 a month, which in
cludes the differential OF Is per cent
over compensation for similar work
in the United States.
Governor Morrow of the Panama
canal zone, has sided with the em-
ployes in their protest. He has told
Secretary Of War Weeks that adopt
ton of these recommendations at
once and in toto would ruin the
canal.S
Continuing, Governor Morrow
says: 1--WE would soon have halt
ing, limping service, damage bills
to an incalcuablc extent, very con-
siderable traffic loss, a wholesale de-
sertion OF highly-eXpert employees,
resulting in a disorganized service
that could never be restored to even
a small fraction Of its. present eff
cheney; also, a valuable strategic as
set would be almost totally de-
stroyed. The net result would be
an actual financial loss as we'll as
a great loss in national prestige"