Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1920-07-20
C.OF C.TOHELP
FARMERSKEEP
LABOR AT Home
Plans to Prevent Labor Seek.
ers Taking Away Help
Considered


the prospect Of the largest cotton crop
in its history, without labor to pick
it, Vice-Pi esident c. l.. Jessup of the
Chamber of Commerce, Informed the
board of directors last night, and he
said the prospect is that Brownsville
may have to adopt a plan used in
other sections in recent years-clos
ing up stores and every one go out
and spend few days in the cottor
fields
Mr.. Jessup's statement came up fol
lowing the reading Of request from
the Pharr Commercial Club for action
on the part of the Brownsville Cham
Der of Commerce looking to co-opera
tion in the matter of keeping Valley
labor at home.
In behalf Of the farmers of the
Brownsville district, Mr.. Jessup ask
ed the cooperation Of the Brownsville
organization in this work, saying that
some such action was necessary be
cau:e numerous Labor scalpers" were
coming into Brownsville as well as
other parts of the Valley and taking
away the help.
81 concede the right Of any person
to go down to the immigration station
and take their chances on getting new
labor that is coming into the United
States. but | do not think that it Is
fair for these men TO 90 down TO the
farms and literally steal away the help
of the farmers, the ranchers and the
other employers of labor who are
trying to harvest their crops. What
would Robstown or Corpus Christi or
any other Of those places do to US
il we went up there and took their
labor from them? The probabilities
are we would not get home in very
good physical condition.
"There is at the present time not
half enough labor to pick the crops
in the immediate Brownsville neigh
borhood. and it looks like we are go
ing to have to close the stores and
give the clerks. bosses and others a
little exercise in our adjacent cotton
fields this summer. We have lost a
great many laborers who were offer |
gu W SV tiotNUtit. ihNN
do not consider the expense attached
10 travelling TO some distant cotton
field-it's lust somewhat higher price !
for the hundred pounds that seems to
attract them away.
Brownsville going to have to do !
something to prevent this wholesale
theft of our labor. and do it without
delay"
Mr. Jessup announced that meet !
ing of employers Of labor would b.
held at the Chamber of Commerce at
O'Clock this afternoon TO consider |
what steps are necessary TO be taken
to insure an adequate supply Of labor
for the home farmers. No action was \
taken, but the directors were of the
opinion that assistance in the labor
matter should be given.
A motion was made and carried
endorsing the appointment of Mr.. |
Jessup to membership on the Valley
committee handling the gravity canal
matter. Mr.. Jessup explained that
he was named by Mr.. c. III. Pease N
Raymondville some weeks ago. before
the Chamber of Commerce was or
ganized. and that it was up to the
Chamber of Commerce to officially
endorse some one for this place.
Acting Secretary Fred Dew. Shell
don, who attended the meetings at
Mercedes last Friday. reported on the
meeting of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley Project Conference Commit
tee session there, and also reported on
the organization of the Valley Amity
Club. President w. G. Whitman, fol
lowing the report, named 5. c. Tucke-
as the Brownsville member of the
executive committee Of the Valley
Amity Club.
Mrs. c. H. More of the board Of di-
rectors was appointed chairman of a
committee of her own selection, con-
sisting of ladies, to look after the
decorations of the Chamber of Com
merce rooms, and also TO arrange II
possible for the installation of a rest
room in the building, il available room
can be found Mrs. More said that
il was possible to beautify the patio
in the rear of the building. and 10
make of il a pleasant restful place.
The secretary was instructed to in
form the Mercy Hospital committee
to proceed with its plan for assuring