Arizona republican., 1908-06-15
ThE LABOR AGIIATOR
 IN IMPERIAL VALLEY
He Is Not Only Long on Language, But
 Is Utilizing Physical Force.

The cantaloupe business has devel- oped an undesirable industry in the Imperial valley, namely an occupation for the labor agitator. The Imperial Valley Press speaks as follows;
 "A telegram from Los Angeles an nounces the arrest of E. J. Phelen, presumably on complaint of men who had been engaged as melon pfckers and had returned from Imperial Val ley with grievances. and the publica- ton in The Times of Friday morning of a story alleging that the college boys sent down here by Phelen are unemployed and starving.
 That some such story would be told by men and boys, who failed to get immediate employment and returned to Los Angeles was to be expected. A large number of men and lads came into the valley before melons were ready for harvest, and for a few days they were idle. Some growers took college boys to their ranches before help was needed. but many refused to do so, and the boys had to wait for jobs. At Fl Centro when it was dis covered that the boys had no money for living expenses, meal tickets were supplied to them while they were waiting. About twenty Germans and college boys refused to wait for work and returned to Los Angeles. All who remained, about 100 are at work and there are no idle wOrkmen here, un- less they are idle from choice.
 less they are idle from choice"
 Tn another place the Press says: Last Monday morning, the loafing delegates of the I. w. W. started trou- ble in Fl Centro by instigating attacks upon Japanese melon pickers. They urged a number of young men to join them in a scheme to hold up growers for eXtravagant wages, advising them to accept employment at the rates of fered and to strike suddenly when the growers should be at their mercy. As a preliminary they advised that the Japanese be run out of the district. A few minimizing boys fell into the snare and Overturning a rancher's wagon carrying a load of Japanese. They also caused a team driven by a Jap to run away, and it was a lucky ClIdDCt liidA lllS uIlFtl. MHtD lilION II. escaped being crushed by the wagon wheels.
 c. A. Carr, melon grower, had of fered employment to white men who had promised to be on hand ready for work but had not appeared. and he came into town to engage pickers. Carr secured a crew of Japanese and started for his ranch. and as he was crossing the railroad his wagon was attacked by gang of loafers, among them the fellows whom he had en- gagged and who failed to show up. The gang threw rocks at the wagon and bruised some of the Japs. but nobody was severely bruised. Carr returned and swore out coplaints, and seven men were arrested, but the leaders of the crowd and the INV. agitators got away
 Last Sunday night an I. w. w. agi- tatOr mounted a box on Main street. in Brawley, and began to harangue a crowd of about 100 men and boys. He said it was the purpose of the I. w. w. to get the men organized. start them 10 work, and then, right in the midst of the season, go on strike and demand s4 per day and board. He played up the point that the ranchers would be at their mercy and would have to pay any price asked or let their melons rot in the fields
 City Marshall Martin decided that it was time to check the spread of this propaganda, so far as the public streets are concerned, and he made the speaker dismount from his plat form, declaring that he must secure the use of a lot if he wished to speak in public. Angry threats were made by the speaker and some of his hear CTS, and they declared that he would again mount the box and finish his address. Martin drew his gun and an- nounced that the first man to mount the box would get hurt. He swore ir twelve deputies and they scattered the crowds on the streets
 The same night a crowd of about siXtyangry men, who had failed to secure employment, visited the office of l.. M. Lyon and finding Mir. Lyon there demanded work instantly, mak- ingthreats that they would burn the packing sheds if they were not pro- Vtued for at once. Martin and his deputies dispersed the crowd. but a constant watch, was placed over the sheds and other property of the mel on associations. When the I. w. w trouble breeders had got the men stirred up to threatened acts of vio- lence, they themselves crept out oi sight