The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-10-07
LABOR
BODY DESERTS
PORTO RICANS
Reactionaries Win by
One Vote
BY WILLIAM o'7RlEN.
Worker correspondent)


PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 5.-The Cen
trail Trades Council of Phoenix, by a
majority Of one vote, decided to select
committee of three members to meet
with the Cotton Growers Association
here and attempt settlement of the
strike Of several hundred Porto Rican
workers shipped here to work in the
cotton fields
This means that the reactionary ele-
ment in the central council won out in
a long debate which actually hinged
upon whether the council was going
to continue to support the Porto Ri
cans financially and otherwise, as it
had been doing, or whether 1t would
abandon the fight by trying to reach a
compromise with the bosses.
Worried Over Finances,
The reactionaries won for several
reasons. First, the striking Porto
Rican workers and their families had
been financially supported by the
unions and many Of the delegates
were worried about the financial
strain. Second, many Of the Porto
Ricans are skilled workers and repre-
sentatives of the skilled trades were
afraid of labor competition. Notable
among these latter was the delegate
from the bricklayers' union, who made
no secret of his fears.
The progressive delegates to the
council had been making fight to
persuade the body to stand by the
Porto Rican workers and to force the
state to undertake their care. The
immigrants have been in an impro-
vised camp at the fair grounds. Many
of the wives and children are i'll.
Until now the only source OF liveli-
hood they have received has been
from donations from the unions.
Mediator" for Company.
A Mr.. Jones, mediator Of the United
States department of labor, is here
trying to get the strikers to 60 back
to work. He is hand in glove with the
Cotton Growers Association. The lat
ter are anxious to get the men to work
so they can collect the cost Of trans
portation laid out to get them from
Porto Rico. The company claims
there is another boatload of Porto
Rican workers on the way and that
they will bring them to Phoenix be-
cause their fare is already paid.
The Porto Rican workers are stand
ing firm, however, in their refusal to
work for anything less than the So a
day average paid in these parts for
common labor.
Association a Tool.
There is some misconception among
even trade unionists hereabout con-
corning the identity of the Cotton
Growers Association. Even many
delegates to the Central Council are
under the impression that the associa-
ton is an organization of cotton farm
ers. This fact no doubt Influenced
their judgment in some degree in vot-
ing on the question of supporting the
Porto Ricans. The fact is that the
association is the creature of several
big cotton growing companies.
The Cotton Growers Association
said they would care for the sick
workers, but this has not been done.
The state Industrial board valves
jurisdiction over the affair on the
ground It has nothing to do with agri-
cultural matters.
In the meantime the price of cot
ton is going down and it is possible
that by the time the present dispute
is settled 1t will not be worth while
TO pick the remaining portion of the
cotton crop. What will happen to the
Ill and impoverished Porto Ricans in
that event is predetermined, but they
are in any case faced with a very
gloomy prospect.