San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-17
WILL RECRUIT
800 MEX|CANS
FOR LABORERS
Bethlehem Steel Company
Will Establish Colony
in Pennsylvania.
NO STRIKE TROUBLE
Other Industrial Men Here
Seeking to Trans
port Men.
NO STRIKE TROUBLE

Following up the plan to establish
a colony of Mexican laborers at the
Bethlehem steel plant in Bethlehem,
Pa, which was announced when the
company recently transported between
800 and 400 Mexicans from San An
tonic to Pennsylvania, George w.
Vary, superintendent of the employ
ment and welfare department of the
company, returned here Sunday night,
and Monday, through the San An
tonic labor agency, started recruiting
for an additional shipment OF over
500 Mexicans.
The laborers will be sent to Penn
sylvania in two parties, the first OF
approximately 300 TO leave Tuesday,
and the second of an equal number to
leave Friday About 80 families will
: be taken with the laborers. Mr.. Vary
said. for the purpose of attending to
the household duties of the colony and
to work in the kitchens.
Rumors and telegraph stories pub
iished in one of the papers OF the
city to the effect that the Mexicans
were being taken to PENNSYLVANIA for
strike-breaking purposes, and intlmat-
ing that trouble between the Mexi-
cans and organized labor might fol-
low, were denied by Mr.. Vary, and his
statement, that there is no strike in
the plant at Bethlehem and that the
Mexicans are being well treated and
satisfied with their positions, has been
substantiated by letters received at
the office of Alexandra Lubbert, Mex
lean consul general here, Monday from
a number of the laborers. All of the
letters in effect state that the labor
ers are enjoying the best attention
from the company, and that they. are
pleased with their work and have
nothing to complain of.
Raise Their Pay.
While the company is still offering
n minimum wage of 80 cents an hour,
Mr.. Vary stated Monday that an in
crease in nav went into effect April
rs. raising the salary of those taken
IN recently TO 81 cents per hour. The
contract for the laborers taken to
bethlehem recently signed by the COM
nany and the consul general here pro-
vidpd that the company would fur
rish board to the men at S1.1O per
eay. Mr.. Vary said Monday that the
Nexicans felt that they could live
cheaper by boarding themselves. and
that they were now doing that. They
ere furnished clean bunk houses on
The companys property and the fam
ilies taken along are doing the cook
inr. Those who are To be taken up
fiis time. he said, will be allowed the
same privileges.
Others Seeking Lab0rers.
Mr.. Vary. who has made study Of
the labor situation. said that there is
now a shortage Of common labor in
the steel mills over the entire cOun-
try. caused by the restriction of Euro
mean immigration. Mexican labor be-
ing taken up at this time, he said,
is a. real necessity. and the Mexicans
have the opportunity Of becoming per-
manentlv established. If they stay
for any length Of time. by graduations
they will advance along the various
lines of the industry. becoming skilled
workmen and taking their place with
the European workmen who form
large percentage Of the working force
of the company.
Other companies Of the North and
Fast are also beginning to look 10
/ Mexicans to fill the common labor
want. Approximately GO were recent
IL taken TO PENNSYLVANIA by the Pitts
burg Plate Glass Company. F. W.
MeAvoy. manager of the New Or
!. leans office of the Pfister & Vogel
Leather Company. is also in the CITY
hooking for labor. according TO Off
cials Of the Mexican consulate. He