Circular No. 400:
The use of profane or abusive language by foremen or others in
authority, when addressing subordinates, will not be
tolerated.
Geo. W. Goethals,
Chairman and Chief Engineer.
Some of the foreman did not talk much for a while, they had been so
used to swearing, but the Colonel's orders were obeyed.
The work then moved along smoothly and Colonel Goethals was looking
forward to the end of his labors, when one day an engineer on the
Panama Railroad paid no attention to the signals and let his train run
into the rear coaches of another train, killing the conductor.
This engineer was drunk, and it is against the rules of any railroad
for an intoxicated person to be in its employ. Colonel Goethals had
the engineer arrested and put in jail. However, the man belonged to a
labor union, and this union sent a committee demanding that he release
the engineer by seven o'clock that evening. If he did not, they would
order all the men working along the canal to strike. This meant that
the work on the canal would stop, and it might be weeks before it
would be resumed. They would wait, they said, for his answer until
seven o'clock that evening. Colonel Goethals listened to the
committee, then shook hands with them and went to his home.
Seven o'clock came, then eight. The committee was worried. They
telephoned Colonel Goethals and asked for his answer. He replied in
surprise that they had it. They said it had not reached them. He
reminded them that they intended to strike at seven o'clock if the man
was not released, and then said, "It is now eight o'clock; if you call
the penitentiary, you will find the man is still there."
The leaders did not want to strike. They had expected to make Colonel
Goethals do what they wanted. Then they said, "Do you want to tie up
the work down here, Colonel"?
"I am not tying it up," he told them. "You are. You forget that this
is not a private enterprise, but a government job."
When asked what he was going to do, his answer was: "Any man not at
work tomorrow morning will be given his transportation to the United
States. He will go out on the first steamer and he will never come
back."
There was only one man who had failed to report, and he sent a
doctor's certificate saying he was too sick to work. There were no
more strikes.
In May, 1913, a Congressman introduced a bill into the House of
Representatives providing for the promotion of Colonel Goethals from
Colonel to Major-General as a reward for his services in building the
canal. At once Colonel Goethals wrote the gentleman saying he
appreciated his kindness but he did not believe he should be singled
out for such an honor. There were many men, he said, who had done
great work in Panama, and they, as well as himself, felt repaid for
their services not only by their salary but by the honor of being
connected with such a wonderful task. He said also that the United
States Government had educated and trained him so it was but right
that it should have his services. The bill was withdrawn and Colonel
Goethals was satisfied.
When we look at the life of this successful man it seems as if all the
years before his going to the Canal Zone were but a preparation for
the great feat that awaited him there. He was always eager to work,
and when he was a little boy in New York City he earned his first
money by doing errands. At that time he was eleven years of age, but
by the time he was fifteen he was the cashier and bookkeeper in a
market. Other boys spent their time playing ball, but he worked after
school and every Saturday. He was paid five dollars a week. His first
hope was to be a physician, but the steady indoor work had weakened
his health and he decided to become a soldier. He thought the
excellent military training would make him well and strong, so he
passed the examinations for West Point Military Academy.
As he knew no one there, George Goethals' entry into the famous school
was but little noticed. However, as the months and years passed, every
one there was proud to claim him as a pupil or classmate.
There are three great honors to be won at West Point. Any man who wins
one of these is called an honor man, and the entire school looks up to
him. The first honor is to have the highest grade as a student. The
second is to be named a leader and an officer over all the rest of the
class. The third is to be chosen for an office by one's classmates
because they like him. George W. Goethals won all three of these. He
was an honor man in his studies; his teachers chose him as one of the
four captains taken from his class; and this same class elected him
president in his senior year.
With such a school record it is not at all surprising that Colonel
Goethals made steady progress in the army and so was considered by
President Roosevelt to be the one person who could build the canal.
Since its completion, this able soldier has continued to serve his
country, and when President Wilson declared we were in a state of war
with Germany, Colonel Goethals was among the first persons summoned to
help plan and supervise the great war program; for at the root of his
success lies loyalty,--loyalty to his work, to his fellow men, and to
the Government of the United States.
* * * * *
_CHILDREN'S PLEDGE_
_I pledge allegiance to my Flag
And to the Republic for which it stands;
One Nation indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all._