Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-07-10
COTTON PICKERS
SCARCE, VALLEY
GROWERS STATE
Fourteen Thousand Pickers
will be Needed to Pick the
1923 Cotton Crop Of Val
ley in Sixty Days

Fourteen thousand pickers will be
needed to havest the cotton crop in the
Lower Rio Grandc Valley. according 70
estimates Of growers. These figures are
based upon a fifty or sixty-day picking
season. allowing an average of 200
pounds of cotton per day per picker.
Can the Valley secure sufficient pick
ers to save the crop? is the question
now troubling the farmers in practi-
cally every Valley community. During
the past six months from 1000 TO 5000
Mexican laborers are said TO have left
the lower border. going to northern
Texas or the industrial ccnters of the
north and east, and most Of these la
borers have gone from the Valley or
from the northern districts of Mexico.
The loss of this large supply of labor
promises to seriously affect the stu
alton in the Valley, and growers re-
port that while some labor is coming
through Laredo. the supply from this
source is wholly inadequate to meet
the situation.
Brownsville has heretofore been fhc
port of entry for large volume Of
labor, but since the repeal of the war
time contract labor provision. the sup
ply Of labor entering through this
port is expected to be small. There
are approximately 5000 men, women
and children in Brownsville and Vi
cinity available for cotton picking, ac-
cording TO estimates, and there is suffi-
cient acreage in the BROWNSVILLE sec
tion to employ practically all Of this
supply.
In former years considerable labor
from the Matamoros section crossed the
river during the Gotten picking season.
but there will be very little labor a.
vsilable there this year. Matamoros Of
ficials state. The cotton acreage in the
immediate vicinity of Matamoros has
been trebled this year and large mum
ber Of pickers will be required,'to pick
the cotton on that side of the. river.
Many Of the transient laborers who in
former years have been available for
the Valley picking season, are reported
to have left for the interior OF the
United States.
acreage in the Rio Grande Valley is
more than double that of any previous
year and that the supply of labor has
been reduced from one-third TO one-half'
the situation does not appear very en-
couraging. growers state. The Valley
has q tremendous cotton crop at stake,
and IL may be necessary to enlist every
available man and boy in order to save
IL they declare.
81 have seen the time IN the north
when business men. school boys and
even women have been obliged to get
into the wheat fields 10 save the CROP
from ruin" farmer from northern
state said this morning, land il may
be necessary to adopt the same plan in
the Valley this year. unless we can Sc
cure more labor The Valley has the
biggest cotton crop in its history and
to lose any part Of IL would prove
severe blow to the Valley in its pres
ent financial condition. The growers
may find IL necessary to call for volun-
teers to save the crop. and believe the
residents Of the tow..1.. will be willing
to respond il the situation becomes
serious The Valley must get every
available dollar out of this cotton crop
and the residents Of the towns are as
much interested AS are the farmers. J
would suggest that the chambers Of
commerce and community organizations
prepare lists. Of all who would he
available to help the growers save the
crops in the event il IL found impossi-
bic to secure the regular Mexican la
bor."
Cotton picking started in several
parts Of the Valley yesterday and will
be in full swing by the latter part Of
the week. but in practically every com
munity the labor shortage is already
apparent. In some towns plans 10 get all
school boys into the fields are already
under way.