Roosevelt stated after his visit to the Zone that “It is imperatively necessary to provide ample recreation and amusement if the men are to be kept well and healthy.” To this end four clubhouses have been completed at Culebra, Empire, Gorgona, and Cristobal and several more are contemplated. The four are alike in design, and consist of a front building of two stories connected with a rear building of one story. The front part is 135 feet by 45 feet, and contains a social parlor, a card room, a billiard and writing room on the first floor and an assembly hall on the second floor. The rear building, 100 feet by 28 feet, contains a double bowling alley, a gymnasium, shower baths, and over a hundred single lockers. The Commission, assisted by the Young Men’s Christian Association, manages these buildings. Besides furnishing a library of 787 volumes to each of these buildings provision is made for the delivery of 100 weekly and monthly periodicals. Last year 1908–’09, 2,140 employees availed themselves of regular membership privileges. The membership rate is 10 dollars per year. The fact that 56,835 games in bowling took place during the year shows the extensive use made of these buildings. There are various athletic organizations on the Isthmus. Gymnasium activities have consisted mostly of basket ball and indoor baseball. Field sports are sometimes held on moonlight nights and holidays. An athletic park has been built near Cristobal. During the year there were 81 performances given by lyceum and vaudeville talent from the United States, with an attendance of 18,225. Chess, checker, glee, minstrel, dramatic, and orchestra clubs have been successfully maintained. “These associations have held a vital relation to the canal construction in promoting contentment among employees, furnishing healthful amusement, effecting greater permanency of the force, and in elevating the standards of living”. XII. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE The economic importance of the Panama Canal is a fruitful topic for discussion. Some authorities think that a large share of the world’s commerce will naturally and immediately use this new path between the oceans; but the general opinion of those best fitted to decide is that the canal will not be a paying investment, at least for the first years of its operation. As a German paper puts it, “Nobody thinks of remunerativeness any more. The fruits of the enterprise consist in indirect profits; they must be looked for in the military-political field and in the promotion of American commerce. In this lies the center of gravity of the situation”.