National Affairs: In Panama

In Washington, Secretary of War Weeks announced that Colonel Jay J. Morrow, Governor of the Panama Canal Zone, had resigned his post in order to engage in private practice as an engineer. In accordance with established policy, President Coolidge appointed as Colonel Morrow’s successor Colonel M. L. Walker, the Canal Engineer of Maintenance. Ever since Major General George W. Goethals, the Canal builder, retired in 1916 as the first Governor of the Canal Zone, it has been the custom to follow each retirement by appointing to the Governorship the Engineer of Maintenance, who is an assistant to the Governor and conversant with Canal affairs. In this manner Brigadier General Chester Harding succeeded General Goethals; Colonel Morrow succeeded General Harding ; and now Colonel Walker succeeds Colonel Morrow—continuing an unbroken line of experienced administrators.