CHEAP LABOR FROM MEXICO BEING SOUGHT
CHEAP LABOR FROM MEXICO BEING SOUGHT Take Down Immigration Bar Against Cheap Mexican Labor, Says U. S. C. of C." HOUSE COMMITTEE IS !\OT IMPRESSED Demand for Cheap, Transient Labor Great,...
...The industries of the Southwestern states, they declared, had been built up on this labor policy and would be compelled to fall back on Filipinos, Ha-waiians or Orientals if the Mexican supply were s'hut off...
...Ore., for instance, the citizens have started an investigation ot the rate situation in that city to set why the rates were so much greater than in Tacoma.—Milwaukee Leader...
...Americans were not being displaced by Mexicans...
...Members of the chamber's special committee frankly demanded an unlimited supply of cheap, transient labor...
...What did you do about that situ*-Ition?'' inquired Chairman Johnson, i "We called for the immigration bor-[ tier patrol to block the move," he Smilingly answered...
...CHEAP LABOR FROM MEXICO BEING SOUGHT Take Down Immigration Bar Against Cheap Mexican Labor, Says U. S. C. of C." HOUSE COMMITTEE IS !\OT IMPRESSED Demand for Cheap, Transient Labor Great, Argument of U. S. Chamber of Commerce WASHINGTON...
...A touch cf comedy was introduced by R. Chauncy Brewer, a Boston lawyer with a very pronounced Harvard accent...
...Pleas Do Not Impress Members of the House committee were evidently not Impressed by these arguments, and by their cross-examination the Congressmen forced all the witnesses into flatly contradictory statements...
...Despite the low rates, the net profit for the light division of the city for tf^ year ended Dec...
...The Mexican Is 85 per cent Indian," he said...
...Cal.—New rules governing bus operation will be considered by the railroad commission at a hearing to be held Feb...
...Business interests have been deplorably short-sighted in their position...
...One of the important features of the new rules, the announcement state*, is the requirement that the • di'lvwrs-el all such vehicles shall come to a full stop before crossing any grade erasing, unless there is a crossing watchman on duty and signals the vehicle to proceed...
...He is therefore not an 'undesirable.' The possession of Indian blood is considered nn '.jnor in this country...
...The charitable agencies of Los Angeles were not swamped by destitute and diseased Mexicans, as other witnesses had charged...
...PROPOSE STRONG CAL...
...We must have a sufficient supply of cheap seasonal labor," he said...
...513,343.18 I Interest...
...I E. G. Peterson, president of the Utah | Agricultural College, claimed that abundant peon labor was enabling the American farmer to assume a "purely managerial position...
...Claims Are Contradicted These sweeping claims were sharply contradicted by Congressman Albert Johnson of Washington, chairman of the committee, and Congressman John C. Box of Texas, the leading champion of restriction...
...He was very certain that racketeering, degraded standards of living and numerous other evils were attributable to "low-grade" foreign immigration...
...D. C—Led by Harry Chandler, the multimillionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, who boasted that he employed hundreds of Chinese and Japs on his plantations, the U. S. Chamber of Commerce went on record last week before the House Committee on Immigration as opposed to any attempt to restrict Mexican immigration...
...31, 1928, was $765,083 after deducting operating expenses, iB terest on bonds, depreciation and taxes.* The financial statement of the ye?m follows: ] Revenue for 1928 ____$1,939,450.45 I Expense...
...its domestic rates are cents per kilowatt hour for the first 40 kilowatt hours and 1 cent per kilowatt hour thereafter...
...The committee has on file communications from organizations and individuals painting an entirely different picture," said Mr...
...He proudly acknowledged the authorship of two books jn immigration and, amid genera...
...The minimum wage for Mexicans was 50 cents an hour...
...They attempted to contradict the voluminous evidence before the committee showing the deplorable social conditions which have resulted from the exploitation of the Mexicans...
...J9 When questioned^ by Congressman George J. Schneider of Wisconsin he admitted that he was aware of "general unemployment" but insisted that the Mexicans were necessary...
...No "undesirable conditions" had resulted from unrestricted immigration, he declared...
...The official attitude of the chamber was stated by Arthur S. Bent, a public works contractor from Los Angeles...
...BUS RULES San FRANCISCO...
...Almost In the same breath he argued that one of the l>r.:t reasons for admitting the Mexicans was that l hey did not "mjx" with Americans and returned to their own country at the first opportunity...
...Our position can be given in one sentence," he said...
...The object of the committee is to incorporate the best features of several proposed bilis in one measure which all advocates of restriction can support...
...Representatives of the Southwestern railroads will appear in opposition to restriction, after which the spokesmen for organized' labor will be given a hearing...
...The former standard of $4 for an eight-hour day for commi.i labor has been completely broken down on the Pacific coast," said Chairman Johnson, in contradicting Bent's assertion about a 50-cent minimum...
...While presented as a witness against restriction he became an enthusiastic advocate of it during the course of an informal chat with the committee...
...We believe that the time is inappropriate for the application of a quota to Mexico...
...In Portland...
...Chandler He complained that his plantation on the Mexican side of the line had lost $90,000 because laborers brought up j from the lower states of Mexico had J been "lured" across the line by labor ! recruiters from California...
...He fared even worse than Bent under the questioning of the House members...
...Sad Plight of Mr...
...Operators of such vehicles are prohibited from using intoxicating liquors while on duty, and employers are prohibited from employing drivers more than 10 hours during a-24-houl period, except in serious emergency.!] TACOMA'S CITY PLANT SETS liOW RATE RECORD ¦ The city of Tacoma, which owns il hydro-electric plants and its distributfl ing systems, has the cheapest rates <M any plant in the country...
...These communications are so numerous that you could not read them in 10 days...
...128,206.44 Surplus...
...Railroads to Be Heard Speaking of trts attitude of the Chamber of Commerce, he said, "I am very sure it is responsive to the pocket nerve...
...Its low rates which have brought an increasing number of industries to the city of late years are having a marked effect on the other cties of the Pacific coast...
...The railroads, mines and other Industries of our section employ large 'numbers of Mexicans and want more," he said...
...755,083.25 Its total surplus was nearly $8,000,000 at the end of last year ($7,865,173.08...
...Not only that, but .settled citizens, men with families, are discriminated against in favor of migratory and Irresponsible workers...
...216,217.04 " Depreciation...
...Star Witness for Cheap Labor However, the star witness for the advocates of cheap labor was Chandler, owner of the notoriously anti-union Los Angeles Times, and director in 35 California corporations, and employer of thousands of Mexicans, Japanese and Chinese on both sides of the border...
...Its power rates range from 2 cents to 3 mills per kilowatt hour...
...Yet you are against restriction," Johnson replied...
...316,600.54 Taxes...
...laughter, gave the title of one as "The Conquest of New England by the Immigrant...
...25, according to an announcement by the commission...
...If we are not allowed to net it we must Import Filipinos or other Orientals...
Vol. 1 • February 1930 • No. 10
