Monthly Bulletin - Clpdigital.org

REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS—JULY 1913 319
his book is chiefly notable for its intimate picture of the me
handle the steam shovels, tamp the dynamite cartridges, build the concrete
locks, and run the never-ending procession of earth trains. He
has seen them under all conditions, and his observations, tinged as they
always are, with genuine humor, strike a human note, especially when
he recounts his experiences among the West Indians.
Mr. Franck's first assignment as census enumerator took him to
the Government quarters for married men and bachelors, to the pay
lines, to the rough walls of Culebra Cut, to the labor camps, where live
negro, Spaniard, Portuguese, Greek, Italian, Turk. Hindu, Syrian—a
chaos of nationalities—seventy-two in all. Of the three native Americans
in the corps of seven enumerators, two spoke only their mother
tongue, and Mr. Franck complains that there still hangs over us that
old provincial backwoods bogie, 'English is good enough for me.'
Mr. Franck has a word to say about Socialism on the Canal Zone.
To be sure, it is only a modified variety, but 'there are a number of
little points in the management of this private Government strip of
earth that savors more or less of the Socialist's programme,' and there
is also a benevolent despot, an omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent
ruler, popularly known as 'the Colonel'—Col. Goethals. His machiner}'
runs like clockwork, and Mr. Franck is convinced that 'the Canal Zone
is the best-governed district in the United States,' and that 'Americans
really can govern.' " Nation, 1913.
(Call number 918.6 F87)