El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-03-07
AGENTS
IN JUAREZ JAIL
Seven Charged With Get
ting Soldiers to Desert;
No Bar on Immigrants.

Charged with inducing soldiers OF
the Carranza army in northern Mexico
to desert, and come to the United
States to work as laborers, seven
Mexican employment agents in Juarez
were placed under arrest Wednesday
and held in the Juarez jail Efforts
are being made by Ell Paso repre-
sentatives of the firms. for whom the
Mexicans are said to be agents. 10 Sc
cure their release.
The authorities in Juarez have no
desire to hamper the work Of legiti-
mate American employment agencies.
or to prevent Mexican laborers from
coming to this country to work" said
Mexican consul general Andres G.
Garcia Wednesday afternoon How
in Mexico Of some Of these employ
ment agencies had been inducing SOL
diers to desert and come to the United
States, through promises of high
wages, SO it was determined to put a
stop to this practice A list OF Mexi-
cans who had been employed by one
agent in Juarez was found upon the
person OF one Of those arrested. in
GLIDING in list of so Mexicans who
had signed up with him, the names Of
No Desire to Stop LabOrers.
TT has also been the practice Of
these agents to offer much higher
wages to Mexicans than the firms by
whom the agents are employed. have
authorized them to offer. This is an
Injustice to the Mexican Iaborers
which the authorities mean to stop.
In some instances American firms
employing large numbers Of Mexican
laborers have failed to provide for
their work is finished. leaving them
stranded in the interior Of the United
States.
There is no shortage Of labor in
Mexico, and the Mexican authorities
have no desire to prevent laborers
from coming to the United States"
Steve Aguirre, American vice consul
in Juarez. asserted Wednesday that
Mexican laborers have not been pre-
vented from coming into the United
States.
Coming at 265O Monthly.
The influx Of Mexican farm labor
ers into the United States is much
greater than it has been for several
years This is indicated by records of
the American consulate in Juarez.
which show that $500 1aborers have
passed through that office since
Jan. 1.
The laborers are mostly from the
farming regions OF Jalisco. MichOa-
can and Zacatecas. High wages Of
fered in the United States, and an
abundance Of laborers in these states
is responsible for their coming to the
United States one of these laborers |
stated Wednesday afternoon
Surplus of Farm Labor.
Crops in these Mexican states prom |
Use to be more abundant than during |
the preceding years, he asserted More !
land is being cultivated than hereto |
fore, but there still is a surplus OF
farm labor in these regions
Employment agents for firms in the 4
United States are not supposed to con- |
tract for labor in Mexico. Agents must /
not solicit the Mexican laborers until /
they have passed through the hands !
Of United States immigration authori-
ties However, most of the Mexican
laborers know from past experience Of
the wages offered in this country. and
II the location OF employment agencies
here. The rest OF the laborers learn
1f the wages paid IN this country from
hose who have returned to Mexico.
and have no difficulty in procuring
after reaching this coun-
Try.
Cieansed at the Line.
Before being admitted to the United
States, these laborers are bathed, and
heir garments and baggage is steril-
zed by the United States immigration
authorities at the Santa Fe bridge
In February the clothing OF 5s24 per-
sons, intending those living in Juarez,
vas sterilized- During that time, 300
pieces Of baggage were sterilized- Gas
s used for the disinfection of bag
gage, as the usual steam cleaning
method would ruin the clothing with
n. If used
It costs the United States II cents
Der person for bath and sterilization
Il the Santa Fe bridge cleaning sta
ion, according to figures presented I
" Harry Ellis, engineer at the sani- !
alton plant In 1917 127.174 persons
,assed through the sanitation plant,
Z a cost of S1TS0A.