MEMORANDUM TO ACCOMPANY EXECUTIVE ORDER OF JANUARY 27, 1914,
PROVIDING FOR A PERMANENT ORGANIZATION FOR THE PANAMA CANAL.

MEMORANDUM TO ACCOMPANY EXECUTIVE ORDER OF JANUARY 27, 1914, PROVIDING FOR A PERMANENT ORGANIZATION FOR THE PANAMA CANAL.

In construing and carrying out the foregoing order, I direct that it be done with the following considerations in view I have deemed it advisable for reasons of efficiency, economy and good administration to have all the activities connected with the Panama Canal under the supervision of one Cabinet officer.

[p.7923]

The troops which will be stationed on the Canal Zone for the protection of the Panama Canal are under the Secretary of War; the Panama Canal Act provides that in time of war an Officer of the Army shall, upon the order of the President, have exclusive authority over the operation of the Panama Canal and the Government of the Canal Zone; the construction of the Canal has been successfully carried on under the supervision of the Secretary of War; the logical conclusion is, therefore, that the supervision of the operations of the Panama Canal under the permanent organization should be under the Secretary of War.

It is directed that officers shall be detailed for certain duties from the several departments as follows:

As Engineer of Maintenance, an Officer of the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, who shall act as Governor in the absence or disability of the Governor of the Panama Canal.

As Superintendent of Transportation, an Officer of the U. S. Navy.

As Electrical Engineer, an Officer of the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army.

As Captains of the Terminal Ports, Officers of the U. S. Navy.

As Superintendent of Shops and Dry Docks, a Naval Constructor, U. S. Navy.

As Chief Health Officer, an Officer of the Medical Corps, U. S. Army.

As Superintendent of Hospitals, an Officer of the Medical Corps, U. S. Army.

As Chief Officer of the Quarantine Division, an Officer of the U. S. Bureau of the Public Health.

As Chief Quartermaster, an Officer of the Quartermaster Corps, U. S. Army.

The organization is to be in general accordance with the chart accompanying this memorandum, except that all of the various divisions and sub-divisions need not be established until in the opinion of the Governor it is desirable to do so, the organization being expanded gradually as the necessities of the work require.