. >> host: george washington goebbels was the president of the canal zone? >> guest: yes.e had tremendous authority. like it said about himself, he was a benevolent dictator. it was a very paternalistic system. he was admired by many in the canal zone because he did run things very efficiently. it was a very orderly zone. he got the canal built faster than many thought it could be done. he prided himself on being a fatherly figure to the zone of workers. he would meet sunday morning with anyone who wished to meet with him from the lowliest washerwoman to a wheat supervisor and foreman but his authority, as fatherly as he might be his authority was complete. one observer said we all like the chief engineer but we know not to disagree with him or criticize him. if we do disagree with him we get deported real fast. >> host: what would you say was the level of labor unrest in the building of the canal? i am thinking about the auto strikes of the 30s, founding of the uaw. anything of that level? >> not really. it was an orderly zone. goebbels was very strategic and effective th