San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-26
ASSERT LABOR
SITUATION IS
NOT ALARMING
immigration Officials Say
Influx Of Mexican La
borers Is Common.
ALWAYS A PROBLEM
If Bars Down There Is Cry
for Woykers-If Up
Protests.

There is nothing unusual or alarm
ing in the number of Mexican labor
ers who have congregatcd in Fort
Worth and San Antonio, or in the in
flux of Mexican labor TO this coun-
try at this time of the year. accord
ing to the unanimous opinion of im-
migration officials in San Antonio.
They are confronted with the same
problem every spring and hte fall,
they assert. The statement was
prompted by the threat. made at Fort
Worth to deport Mexicans assembled
there seeking work.
The condition has been slightly ar
gravated this year on account of the
late spring. they said. Mexican la
bOrcrS are in great demand for sea-
Sonal occupations, and since these Oc-
equations furnish employment for
only comparatively short period of
the year. periods of migration occur,
1t was explained.
Due 10 the geographical location
of San Antonio with reference TO the
border and TO the fact that it is a
large center where labor agents for
the seasonal occupations in the North
and West are likely to come. the Mex
lean laborer leaves his family in
Mexico and comes To San Antonio to
await the arrival of those holding
contracts for labor" it was stated by
one immigration official. The Next
can laborerS come early because they
feel that they are more likely to OBJ
tain employment. In other words.
'thc carly bird gets the worm"
Beet Fields Require Thousands.
Thousands of Mexican laborers 60
TO the sugar beet fields in Colorado
and Michigan. The agents come 70
San Antonio to secure hundreds OF
laborcrS. This year. on account Of
the late spring and the early arrival
Of the Mexican laborcrS. hundreds.
necessarily are out of work.
Later on in the year. there is a
heavy demand for otton pickers in
the South. The Mexican laborcr NAV
leave the beet fields in the North and
stop over in the South. When tho
cotton picking season is ended. he
usually returns TO Mexico to spend the
winter with his family.
Never Ending Problem.
Immigration officials are between
the devil and the blue sea- in regard
to this handling Of migratory Labor"
another immigration official stated.
III strenuous attempts are made to
put up bar to the influx of Mexican
labOrer. the universal cry goes un thar
labor cannot be obtained. II the bars
are let down. then the cry goes up that
the country is flooded with labor and
that wages are forced down."
Carl Robe White. second assistant
secretary of labor. passed through San
Antonio. Sunday evening on his way
to Fort Worth where he will inveSti-
gate the labor problem. During the
two-hour period he was in San An
tonic he conferred with Capt. W. NJ.
Hanson, inspector in charge Of the
San Antonio immigration district. The
nature of the conference was not d.
vulged.
Runner Of Joint Conference.
\ rumor is current in San Antonio
to the effect that Governor Pat NJ.
Neff looks with favor upon state
wide law enforcement campaign en-
tered into by state and federal off
cialS. 1t is known that a desire for
Il conference between state and federal
looking toward that end has
been previously expressed by Captain
Hanson. Several days ago. State La
boz Commissioner Joseph Myers was
in San Antonio. and at that time. he
and Captain Hanson discussed the
advantage of having the conference.
Although a report from Austin was
10 the effect that Captain Hanson was
scheduled to arrive in that city Tues
lay for conference with Governor
Y of 1nt - fnrn,or hos raeaivai M
notice of the arrangement. 1t is not
believed that Captain Hanson will
'avor conference until he makes
our of the border country to become
acquainted with the immigration