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152 Personality of Colonel Goethals
Pedro Miguel. At the latter point John B. Williamson, former division engineer of
Barrett made arrangements to raise three
cheers for Colonel Goethals, but, directly
it started, the colonel, who was in shirtsleeves,
the Pacific division—and I cannot speak
too highly of the splendid service that
himself and civilian employees in gen­
turned his back and ran. John eral have rendered. These employees are
was left cheering."
not asking for rewards for their labors
Finally, as the supreme revelation of other than the pay received in their various
the character of the man whose personality
positions. I see no reason why
I have been endeavoring to portray, I am myself or other service men should be regarded
as in a class by themselves and se­
permitted to quote from a letter which
he wrote in May, 1913, to a congressman lected for benefits by special legislation,
who had introduced in the House of Representatives
and, in my opinion, such favoritism should
a bill providing for his pro­
not be extended. Therefore, while deeply
motion to the rank of major-general in the gratified at the evidence of your good will
United States Army as reward for his as expressed by the introduction of the
services in building the Canal:
measure, it suggests itself that I ought to
acquaint you with my views upon the subject,
and I trust in so doing you will not consider
me inappreciative of your kindness.
"Yours sincerely,
" GEO. W. GOETHALS."
"I feel that I should make my position
clear in respect to the proposed measure
so far as it or similar legislation may apply
to me. I am not insensible to the honor
to be conferred upon me by the bill and
appreciate the motives friendly to myself
which inspired its introduction. It is
also to be assumed, in addition to the personal
side, that the action contemplated
may be regarded as a mode of expressing
satisfaction that the Canal work has thus
far been successfully prosecuted. Nevertheless,
it has always been my position
that the army officers assigned to the
Canal are amply compensated, not only
by the additional pay they receive, but by
the honor of being associated with the
undertaking, and we are but performing
our duty in devoting our best energies to
the successful prosecution of the work.
It must be remembered that those of us
who are members of the commission are
receiving three times the amount of our
regular army pay and are at the same time
doing nothing more than that for which
we have been educated and trained by the
government. According to my view, we
are not deserving of recognition or reward
for our services here, and I do not think
that myself or others of the commission
should be singled out for honors.
"Neither do I think that army officers
should receive any special consideration
for their services here in contradistinction
to the civilian employees. Several civilians
have occupied positions of great responsibility
on the work—notably Mr. S.
That utterance requires no comment.
In it the man himself stands revealed. It
is the epitome of his personality. The bill
which called it forth was never reported
out of committee. Other similar measures
have been introduced in both houses
of Congress, and, at this writing, one has
been reported favorably from committee
in the House of Representatives. No bill
has been introduced either recognizing or
proposing to reward the services of civilians
engaged in the work, nor has any
member of Congress suggested anything
of the sort, and yet Congress is a body
composed of civilians.
In January, 1914, Colonel Goethals
was appointed first governor of the Panama
Canal by President Wilson, and the
appointment was confirmed by the Senate.
His salary as governor, which as chief engineer
had been $15,000, was fixed by law
at $10,000. In the words of the esteemed
and perspicacious Mr. Dooley: "They say
republics are ongrateful. But look, will
ye, what they've done f'r that fellow that
chopped the continent in two at Pannyma.
. . . Th' counthry sees that he has done a
wondherful thing an' is goin' to reward
him sootably. . . . What is he goin' to git?
says ye. Why, Hinnissy, th' governmint
has already appinted him governor iv th'
Canal at a greatly rejooced sal'ry."