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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 23, 1915)
TITE SUNDAY -OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, MAY 23, 1915. em BULDINCPANAMA (MMT ffiENimcWCEWXOJ:THALSTW-"' r - Governor of M Panama Canal. " V-THE ORGANIZATION Of THE VOUi:Z . -. . J.i , X -tv,; '..fiTX c- crf u so cfj- s JsZv&iTS .i. THE organization through which the canal was constructed was the result of a process of develop ment, and a clear understanding of It can best be conveyed by outlining, as briefly as possible, the steps which Jed to Its adoption. This outline will Include, necessarily, an account of the conditions whicn existed at the time the work was tranferred. In 1907, and the Impediments to progress which de veloped subsequently. As noted In a previous article. Major Gaillard and I arrived on the Ithmus In March of that year in company with a party of Congressmen. During their visit we accompanied them on the eight-seeing' trains supplied by the of ficials for inspection of' the work, thereby getting a general idea of what was being done, what was contem plated, and the methods employed. After the departure of the Congress men time was devoted to going over the work In greater detail, looking particularly into the organization, for upon this factor success in such en terprises always depends. There were in operation at the time departments and divisions covering all phases of the work, the chief of which were engineering and construction, di rectly under the chief engineer in charge of the construction of the canal; sanitation, in charge of the sanitation and quarantine; law and government, in charge of courts, schools, police, fire, postal affairs, customs and public works; labor, quarters and subsistence, in charge of recruiting skilled and un skilled labor, and kitchens, building construction, engaged in the erection of quarters; mechanical, in charge of shops; municipal engineering, in charge of streets, sewers and water supply; material and supplies, in charge of equipment and construction mate rials of all kinds; meteorology and river hydraulics, and others, in charge of map-making and lithography. Ineffectiveness of Commission System. "With the settlement in June, 1906. of and not possessed of organizing ability could have succeded In this part of the work the One part for which our previous training had not fitted any of us. Continuing the Kxlstlns; Organization. The lock type of canal had been adopted1 only the previous June, so that the organization for other portions of the construction work was in a more or less tentative stage. The period of preparation Was practically completed, however, and the success subsequently attained is indicative of the thorough ness and clear-sightedness displayed in the prepartory work. Recalling the President's desire to continue Intact the existing organization, I could not but feel that it would be madness to at tempt any change; such & course, had it been taken, would have resulted in nothing short of chaos. Because of his familiarity with the work in all its ramifications. I took counsel with Mr. Stevens as to the manner in which he would so sub divide it as to utilize to the fullest ex tent the services of the other members of the Commission and at the same time carry out the views of the Presi dent by placing each in charge of a de partment. Three of them fell into' place natur ally Colonel Gorgas at the head of the department of eanitation. Jackson Smith at the head of the department of labor, quarters and subsistence and ex-Senator Blackburn as Governor. For the other three, who were engineers, there must be found departments, and necessarily they must form part of the department of construction and en gineering, which remained with the chief engineer. v Following the suggestions of Mr. Stevens, I decided to organize the de for me to attend personally to matters of this kind; If this should prove to be the case, then there was sreat need for the situation, that in order to subordin- partment of excavation and assign to some one to look after them, and It te everything to the construction work it Major Gaillard, with supervisory seemed to me that Mr. Bishop, by rea charge of all excavation, both dry and son pf his position, would not only be wet, and Major Sibert to the depart- userui but the proper person in this ment of lock-and-dam construction. fjeu How pending labor questions would the chairman of the commission should have direction over the civil functions, and on April 2, 1907, he issued an Executive order, by direction of the President, decreeing that the "author- Italian. Greek and other laborers from European countries. v Small Matter That Caud AaaoriL-c. With the commission residing perma nently on the Isthmus, it was deemed advisable to move the force of design ing engineers to the Isthmus also; this was not regarded favorably by certain members of the force, resulting in separations from the service, and was modified to the extent of permitting those in charge of designing the lock gates to remain in Washington, on the ground that they should have the ad vantages of and access to machine shops and rolling-mills so that the de sign of the gates might be made to conform to commercial practice and shapes. Following the example of the pre vious commission, an engineering com mittee was e&tablished for the con sideration of such engineering matters as might be referred to it. and Majors Gaillard and Sibert and Mr. Kousscau were designated as constituting the committee. By naming them in this order, I expected that Major Gaillard, as the senior or ranking member, fol lowing the usual custom In the army, would become its chairman. An incident which occurred soon after the announcement of this committee presenoa of the Americans on the road on the isthmus and those of the w11' serve Illustrate how small a Isthmus was not primarily to construct Commission could be adjusted on the matter may create friction or annoy a canal, but to set an example In gov- Ground. ance- m ic anna ncnnpaprr, ' su "-.-li-'.- " ' . v. u i Subsequent to Mr. Taft's return to tne appointment of the engineer mem- 7hh?tnn T mH anniiratinn for tVi bers of the commission the name transfer of Mr. Bishop to the isthmus. Major Sibert was placed ahead of and recomniended that the policy out- Major Gaillard. While I noted this lined above relative to the Washington reversal of their rank In the Army, I office be made effective. The outcome Pid no attention to It. They were was that Major II. F. Hodges, of the Corps of Engineers, was placed in charge of the Washington office, for which duty he could be spared, appar ently, though a few months earlier this eminent to the republics of Central and South America., Referring to this sub ject, Mr. Stevens was said to have re marked: "It is' a case of the tail wag ging the dog." Mr. Taft concluded, after examining Tore, oni, o' rt J?r2c- heads of department In w'rlh the larger salaries were paid. An anomalous condition eM.vtrd in the Commission, for t!ire; members were in charge of drivartnionts whif.-!. ware embraced in thu drpitrt ment of construction and enpineorin-?, am! on all questions submitted to ike Com mission for action em h of tluso three had a vote which counted equally vvltti that of the chief enslneer, whu was its head. As personal feelincr and asso ciation usually have Influence on peo ple's views, especially when, as In this rase, three of the members of the Commlsnlon knew little or nothing about engineering, the result of a vote was doubtful. The only inelliod by" which an adverse v te on questions of any Importance couM be avoided was to bring up the doubtful tnew toward, the end of a session and. when failure seemed assurcti, withdraw them with out submitting them to a vote. This wab u situation of affairs which might bec.'-'e Intolerable, sine four members of 'lie foiniulsMnn could, by combining, u ft any prd posed action that was obJertiv.n:ibli. to them for personul or other re. and thus make Impossible the execu tion of a uniform and effective pohoy designed for the sola purpose of ex pediting the btiHOilltr of the ("anal. However. this condition of affairs never arose, due to a chause which was effected shortly after. Ex-Senator Blackburn spoke to mo of the commission form of control dn several occasions and expressed tUa opinion that, not withstanding the gen eral feeling of good will which existed there was no doubt in his mind that there should lie a sinnle responsible head rather than a head of seven exec utives. Whether or not he cxpies-sed Ruch views to President Koosevelt, I do not know, but undoubtedly some one did. All Authority Placed In olourt .or tlial'H llandx. - When I reached Washington in L cember. 1907. and called at the While House to pay my respects. Mr. ;l.ick- of bum had preceded me. The President began his conversation by expressing gratification at the progress which was belns made, and after tins expressed his conviction that from what he had heard and from the experience already classmates at West Point and had roomed together there; Major Gaillard gained the, commission form of organ had been graduated No. 6 and Major izatlon could not secure th best r4 Sibert No. T. suits; he then announced his intention I had concluded that the reversal of to concentrate authority in my hands the question that had been pending" instead of placing Mr. Rousseau at the for some time as to the type of canal, head of the division of material and a designing force had been organized supplies, as had been suggested, I com- for the formal hearing by the Secre- to prepare the plans for the locks, bined the divisions of municipal en- tary of -vvar had not been held, but 1. lock aa.te& and their nniivtAnanr.aa n A , K..ill.- i.nntrnrHnn and - . . . ... be Vested - " " Kuirciuif, , uor, naa Deen instances or complaints wini meir operating motive power ana macninery mio.one ana grievances being taken direct to mis iorce was located in department and assigned him to the the President so that mnr wr nv.. V - n 3 Tn t 1 1 W9V each Of the 1 - v. I : o . i r-i . , t " , V' " l r . . . " ' ' 1 " u"'""aolo BIa had been the cause of it. e"B1""" - couia oe presented as sucn cases oc- , In view of this order I was instructed gineering work. curred our authority would be strength- ,,, snt m.uh, ,,i.-i Mr. Stevens retired from the service ened materially. If Mr. Bishop lived ,k- t,, v. , ,,, v. , , was not possible, and Mr. Bishop was rank in the order had been uninten- and to hold me responsible for the isthmus, arriving mechanisms. Washington and was under the direc tions and supervision of a committee composed of the engineer members of the Commission who were stationed in the United States. The chief element In the considera- e, under existing laws, regulations and Executive orders, shall in and exercised by the chair man of the Isthmian Canal Commis sion." This put an end to that source . v. ,.. ---i. f tw , . .. di incuoo ana uiso to tne jaea wnicn lui- " j -. - jy io do. ana a tne commission siae v-j transferred to the there on August 7. In the interval that had elapsed since assuming charge I had become con vinced that some kind of newspaper was greatly needed in order that infor mation about the various phases of the wofk might be disseminated among the members of the force, and I discussed the matter with Mr. Bishop as a part of his duties. He proposed the publica tion of a weekly official paper, under the authority and supervision of the Commission which should et forth thtt Commission of seven members, which mission that had been created since 8entatonS. -"GovVrrrUhu, paS!ea oTt of ex- progress of the work, together with in constituted the executive control, construction was undertaken. The t had a further reason for desiring lstence until revived by the Panama cidents and general developments of In There had been considerable friction Secretary, of War (Mr. Taft) was on his presence with the Commission. In Canal act of August 24 1912 . terest to the men, with the view, prl and trouble in previous commissions the isthmus at the time, and various my interview with the President on I brought up with Mr! Taft the oues- marlly. of keeping them .informed, and. oecause oi mis seven-headed authority, questions concerning . the organization February 18, as mentioned in a previ- tion of giving me the veto power over secondarily, of affording to the public tlonal. but Major Gaillard spoke to me work. With this In view ho desired about it, saying that Major Sibert felt me to draw up an executive order which that by virtue of the order he should should accomplish the purpose. be the senior member of the engineer- I discussed the matter with Pichafd Ing committee. 1 said I thought that 'Reid Rogers, the general counsel of the arrangement in the executive or- the commission, who prepared such an at the end of March, 1907, and on April on the Isthmus he would be familiar to duty as Governor" but designated 1 the management of canal affairs with 1 rif 1 ronrlitinnfl art A wnulrl ltif . . . . . tion was of course, the Isthmian Canal passe(1 ,nt0 the hand, of the third com- much a8slstance in making such pre- SniE-tioi, . ThJ .official Se.laon were taken up with him. Mr. Stevens maintained that the com mission system had nover been B-ivnn a. fair trial, and that its inef ectiveness Flr,t Move to Concentrate Authority was due, not to the system itself, but to the way in which it had been han dled. He claimed, in the case of the one with which he had been connected,, The Canal Commission maintained its headquarters in Washington, which for a time were in charge of the Bu reau of Insular Affairs of the War De-; ous article, I suggested that the canal any action of the commission, and in ot tn United States means of obtain work be placed under the Chief of En- discussing the matter he expressed the IntT accurate and unquestionable infor glneers of the Army, in order that I hope that as all the members of the matlon on the subject, might have a "friend at court." Hav- commission were on the Isthmus things ' H drew a plan for such a publlca ing failed in this. I realized that Mr. would work more smoothly under the tion. which was approved by the Corn Bishop would be much nvore valuable seven-headed system. I explained to mission, and in September. 1907, the on the Isthmus than In Washington, him the views of the President, who first number of The Canal Record was for that the President had confidence had said he would give me such power, issued. Its publication continued in him was indicated clearly In what and suggested that, while occasion for throughout the construction period. It he said about him at that time. Mr. use of the power might not arise, it served a very useful purpose in many Taft expressed doubt about the Presl- might be advisable to Issue an order ways. It supplied a medium for com- a i . nc t i -1 .3 i mnfrp(ntf It ' mil n I PA 1 1 n i? All nfftctnl nriiri t n niAm. . ... . . . . . . . ueni oeuuiuK mi. uiouuiy uvu. wut - ....... unaer intelligent leadership, the work !"" vl In "asn- ested tnat i write to him after his- This he did not think it advisable to bers of the force, furnished a complete couia do suoa.viaea among the mem- ln",n-. "" vi return to Washington and make the do. that its members had been practically partment. Soon after the creation of ignored, since their services were called ,the second Canal Commission. Mr. for only when a quorum was necessary Shonts, chairman of that Commission, for a vote on a proposition. He be- took charge of the office. He. as well lieved that, with a proper cersonnel as the other memoers of the Commis- bers in such a way as to secure better to tne isthmus results than had been obtained.' but When Mr. Shonts resigned, on March this could be hoped for only in case the 1907 Mr- Stveh. who had been ap chalrroan was vested with the direction Pointed a member of the Commission of the various subdivisions and with ln Julv- 1906 was aPPdnted chairman, final approval or veto power. as well as chief engineer; this was the I had not given the matter any flrst move in the direction of concen thought. for this form of executive con-, trattng authority. He designated Jo trol had been provided by law, and" Ph Bucklin Bishop, who was secre that settled the matter. Still, there tarv of tno Commission, to act as the could be no question that in anv under- head of the Washington office, which for the law contained no such pro- file of progress in all sections, and necessary application. In regard to vision but apparently contemplated the aroused a spirit of wholesome rivalry the Washington office, while it served many useful purposes, there was no doubt that its most Important duty was to contract for supplies and pur- lettlement of all questions by majority by publishing the records made by rule; he preferred not to reduce the be- steam-shovels, concrete plants and stowal of the power to writing, and dredges. suggested that should it prove to be One source of the complaints made chase" and inspect them. Officers of the desirable or necessary to exercise it I to Secretary Taft by the labor corn- Corps of Engineers had experience ln take such action and report the facts mlttees of the men in April. 1907, was In this connection I learned that the raei taking there must be a directing and lon was PP"J tePOrTa,r" by usually in commercial and manufactur I?"int'A."-. T.:, Sr:V"Lfr;iCeM:;J.ait.P.rf; ln centers, in connection with river .k mltr onH fnrlkrmnr T l mm. m -""""- - mcn "tic uioiuissea or OlS- through the Chief of Engineers inspec- from Blm tnat a man's usefulness in cipliiied for some infraction of the i ii o puuuu oivio s . . . ...... .v " j ruiea wiuiuut a neanng. 1 n :ki agreed abuse and criticism he can take with- that when complaints were made they out complaining:. should be investigated; that when of As Secretary or war. Air. lau was sufficient importance investigation tions could be made by his local of fleers distributed over the country, der was merely an error ln making out the list, but he was sure Major Sibert would bring .up the question for decision, and if so he had no objection to stepping aside, for It made no dif ference to him. It did make a difference to Major Sibert, apparently, for when he brought up the subject he assumed that it was no error, but deliberate action taken by the President, because the President had probably been ad vised of the work he (Sibert) had done in the way of lock and dam construc tion, maintaining that If rank had been taken into account the order would not have been arranged as'lt was. I did not think it was advisable, so early in the game, to take up the question with Washington, as it might create the impression that friction had already developed, and, as Major Gaillard had volunteered to give way, I arranged the committee in accord ance with the order until I could hava the question decided. Subsequent Investigation showed that the arrangement of names ln the order had been fixed by a clerk with out regard to rank, of which he knew nothing, and the matter was finally put to rest when the annual message of the President appeared containing an announcement of the appointment of the Commission, in which Major Gil bert's name followed that of Major Gaillard. Combination Aaalnat Colonel Goetbal. The seven-headed Commission sys tem worked very smoothly for the compllshed were the veto power vested e"ed to have the office placed again .rK0r 'work some economy would tne Principal stockholder of the Pan- ahould be conducted by a committee first few months, but toward the Fall in thn rnftlrman or tne Lomm sslnn. uuwc vnw v. "... Aiuo, , . . . ami Railroad Company, which was composed of three members, one rtnn. Armv engineer b. Blacerin chMM under itB c"rat charter anting the commission, another the Vrdlted, IS " Th. b- Ohi.r of Emrtnears quently, he directed its policy. The longed, and a third the department ' board of directors was composed of IS against which the complaint was "A Case ot the Tail Waeglna the Dof." stockholders, and he proposed to divide lodged. This task of Investigation was Previous to the advent of the new the board Into two parts seven mem- also assigned to Mr. Bishop, and. al- bers on the isthmus ana six in tne though a large number of minor United States. He had instructed the grievances were investigated, only one but certain it is that we were fortunate 8lven llttle opportunity for a hearing in ment of law and government and the New York board that the members of of sufficient importance to call for the ln falling heir to the organization that caBe any ot tneiu naa grievances ana cnier engineer, aue to iaca oi .proper tne istnmiau an.i wjmniission onouiu services or a committee was presented, had been perfected for excavating complaints. While I had promised co-operation, for there was the seem- be elected directors, and that I should Ta Mr. Bishop's office Giuseppe Gari- Culebra cut, for no one not thoroughly hearings ln all such cases. I was ing impression: on the part of the be selected as the president of the com- baldi was assigned to Investigate com- familiar with , railroad transportation assured that It would not be possible former that the raison d'etre OS tlV pany, ao that the interests of the rail- plaints and grievances amefng Spanish, In common with other visitors to the DUt Ior various reasons mis couia not canal. I was strongly Impressed by the 08 accomplished. I desired to have Mr. magnitude of the work, which seemed Bishop on the isthmus. All the mem to grow greater the more closely ex- brs wer there and the Secretary amlnatlon was made. Whether the new should be also. rime would be able to carrv th hur- From the committees of the labor or- den remained to be seen; there were Kanlzations I had learned that the Commission there had arisen some frlc iim., when I had a feellnc of rfouht- members of the working force had been tion between the head of the depart of 1907 a combination was formed against me for the purpose of secur ing special privileges for certain em ployes ln whom one of the Commis sioners was Interested, which privi leges I had told him I would not con sent to grant. Much discontent existed in the cler ical force because the compensation In some departments was greater than in others for similar services. A scheme was prepared, removing discrepancies and making a uniform system of sal aries. This was objected to Dy th order. As the Secretary of War was my immediate superior, I submitted t to him. The general counsel accom panied me and remarked that it was the best he could do without squeezing the law too much. Mr. Taft read the order, laughed and said that it was not entirely in accord ance with law, hut, as it had been prepared under the President's direc tion, he drew up a note of transmittal, suggesting that I take It with the or der of the President and see what he thought of it. I took the order to the White lioufc and handed it to the President. Aftr reading it he reached for a pen, afkmrr if it was satisfactory to me. 1 rrplfeii affirmatively, but explained that Mr. Taft thought it was not exactly in ac cord with the law. To this the Presi dent replied that he would take the chances on the law, adding that he wanted the canal built. He then signed the order and passed It over to me. The order was dated January 6. Pin, and under Its provisions I assumed com plete control of the work in all its branches. It left the assignment of the other members of the commission to such duties as I deemed proper, and the commission ceased thenceforth to be an executive body. The veto power was not conferred in terms, but under the new conditions this was not nec essary. Measures governing salaries and kindred questions were not submit ted to the commission, but were put In force by official order of tho chalrma-n and chief engineer. An Airakrnlna- That Cnme Too Itr. When I reached the Isthmus from Washington ln February I found that the new executive order was accepted universally and that no question wan raised about the authority it conferred upon the shalrman. This condition of affairs continued until April. 1913. when some of the members of the commission found that their consciences, which apparently had been fleeping for five years or mote, required them, under their oath. y .(Cuncludad ou 4.J