Imperial Valley press., 1926-04-13
CHILD LABOR Law
DRIVE HERE GETS
MARKED RESULTS
(Gontinuel from Pare =

sition to the law, but Investigations
| by DR.. Louis Bloch, field investiga
tor for the state labor department
and by Cue failed to bring to light
any evidence of any such conspir-
acy.
i Edgar Hervev of FL Centre was
, employed to defend the accused. He
represented both Lowthcr and the
] Indus. jury trials were demand
ed by Hcrvey for all his clients who
announced that their fight would be
carried on by appealing all convic-
tlons to the superior courts.
Ram Chand, leader Of the Hindu
colony in the valley, together with
his two partners, Mansv Ram and
\. IT,. Mcnzies, were the first tried.
Found guilty by the court, they were
sentenced to pay a fine of 500 or
serve 100 days in the county iail.
Attorney Hervcy promptly appealed
to the superior court where the cases
are still pending.
Aroused by what appeared TO be
an organized attack on the child la.
Dor law, state Labor Commissioner
Mathcwson, tclcgraphcd Cue to
convey to each of these people
who insist upon violating the child
labor law that there will be no let
up on our part and that we will con
/ tinue regardless as to the number of
deputies required to canvass the en-
tire state and prosecute most vigor-
Gus V every violation of this law
which we find. The exploitation of
children must be stopped and we will
brook no interference as far as our
department is cOncerncd.'
Commissioner Mathewson prepar-
ed to take up with the United States
immigration service the eases Of the
Hindu viOlatOrs of the law. Con
tinued criminal acts by aliens war
rant deportation proceedings.
Attorney Hervcy succeeded in
having the trials continued from
February to March and again until
April }.
In the face of the overwhelming
evidence in the hands of the prose
cution, the defendants on April ),
announced through Attorney Hcrvcy
that they would all plead guilty and
ask for leniency on the part of the
court. After conference between
Deputy District Attorney Nuffer
and the state Officers it was decid-
ed to accept the offer OF the de-
PENDANTS.
AS Il result, instead of a battle to
overcome the child labor law, all the
defendants except four have pleaded
guilty to Illegally employing child
rcn under l6 years old during school
hours.
Judge p. n. Myers sentenced Low
ther to pay fine of $500, being
800 each or 100 DAYS in iail on -
separate charges. .Jagot Singh was
fined $ll00 or 500 and 100 davs on
each of II complaints. Iiazara
Singh was assessed 800 or 100 days
days and Bran Singh like fine.
Lob Singh was given 5000 or 200 and
Lorenzo Muno2 500 or 30 days. Com
plants against Abdullah Ram and S.
II. Deem, both IIindus were dismiss
ed as were two additional charges
against Lowther, ON motion of the
district attorney.
Four defendants are vet to be
tried but it is expected that with
the collapse of the defense, they will
also enter pleas of guilty and ask for
leniency. The four eases are Angus
tine Benitez, John Ortcga, Chinda
Singh and Bud Singh.
In addition to the criminal ac-
tions under the child labor law sev-
eral parents of the children found
out of school and working in the
fields were prosecuted under the
state compulsory education act Each
of the parents pleaded guilty and
were fined various amounts from So
to $40.
The total fines assessed by Judge
Myers against parents and employ
crs as result of the Calipatria
cases amounted to $4,000. In c0nsid-
Grafton of promises ON the part of
the defendants to obey the child la
bor statute in the future, collection
of Il part of the fines was suspended
for one year. If any further viola