San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-01
SAY MEX|CANS
M|STREATED| IN
SOUTH TEXAS
Consular Officials Confer
Over Alleged Abuse
of Nationals.
ASKS u. S. PROBE
Mexico Will Request DAM
ages for Killing Of Its
Citizens.
ASKS U. S. PROBE

at Hidalco. Tex. has teen here ssv-
cro1 aovs in conference with Consul
'"'
General AieJahGro LuDoert, py spe-
ciai QTders oi the MEXICO iorelsh re-
latlonS department, .
Consul Canu Lara, according 10
reports, mas complained OF many hur
derS ana atrocities perpetrated on
Mexican citizens IN winch no lhdlct,
ments nave been returned by grahu
Jurles. Some OF these Killings nave
been considered outrageous by 'he
Mexican government, ana us iar oacA
as the time when 'Consui hulz was
here, the matter was ported TO Gov
ernor Neif, with ne request that the
attorney general or rangers cohuucI
an lnvesugatoh' ana tiat some legai
reilet be given. According TO reports
at tnat time Governor Neh stated
that he was powerless 10 :ct III local
matters IN Southwest Iexas, ana mat
the hangers were necessary ELSEWHERE
at that time.
since the nst OF Complaints OF hlH'
ings OF MexlcanS nas augmented.
Consul Cahtu lara aecoceing 10
reports, also Complain that there Is
a combination OF persons IN certain
SOUTHWEST IexaS couhtles 10 proven,
Mexican cltlzens, by Illumination anu
otherwise, from erigrating anu aoah'
donlng the flelds ana farms.
Peonage May Be snown-
Another complaint, according to re-
ports, rs that the store anu credl'
accounts OF tenant farmers have been
padded, end high interest charges
made 1t is SAID all OF the circum
stances connected with the alleged
impounding OF Mexican laDorers ana
tenant farmers viii be submitted 10
the Department OF Justice with view
OF ascertalning II the peonage or IN
dividunl rights statutes nave been ira
crossed.
While both Consul General Lubbert
and Consul Cantu Lara MAINTAIN an
solute secrecy over the affair, II Is
known that by order OF Minister ram
of the foreign relations department Il
full list of all persons Killed III GER
tain county for several years Dack
has been complied and that all the
evidepcc and data collected Will form
the basis of strong protest that the
Mexican government Will present JUST
as soon as Mexico is recognized ana
PAM goes to Washington.
Mexico viii Ask Damages.
That each individual claim will be
presented 10 the claim commission pro-
vidcd for under the protocol which
has just been approved by the mixed
commission at Mexico City, the Next
can government alleging that by rea-
son of the failure of the courts to
act. that there has been denial oil
justice to Mexican citizens.
Another complaint OF Consul Lara
is that the farmers lin one border
county are refusing TO bay Mexican
cotton pickers the price fer cotton
picking that is being paid around
Corpus Christi. Sintor. Mathis and
Taft, and the cotton pickers who re-
fuse TO work are being arrested ms
vags md fined, and are prevented
from leaving the county and seeking
employment where the wages are
higher.
The farmers side of il is that cheap
labor i, necessary for the gathering
of their cotton and fruit crop. a1d
that as the immigration authorities
have refused to allow thousands OF
laborers from Mexico TO enter, and
who are willing to work Mt the price
paid for labor in the valley, that if
the laborers there are permitted to
leave they will face financial ruin.
Say Women and Children Abused.
Lara complains that even women
and children are not exempted from
the harsh rule of enforced labor ap-
piled in one county. and believes that
the child labor law. and the law al
lowing women to work only cer.ain
number of hours per Gay applies.