The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1927-09-30
MEXICAN LABOR
IE. CONVEN-
ton PROBLEM

tan - (FP) - When the
Ra l...n Federation of Labor opens
.4nsIlo1-ra +ion next month in Los An
is e'l, y will have $4,000 to 100000
GEES y resident in that city as a
Nsz .5sr Of one of its gravest prob
rsniluTTlb That problem is the imposition
lens .Iota upon Mexican immlgra-
"a 'gE-ampiOned By Chairman Albert
I I.s1son Of the House immigration
c'1llllll''tS55 e American and Mexican
6o.n n+i ,r of Labor would like to
ts s..s The problem through voluntary
so's - ~ action rather than have
e'op'' rrespective governments impose
tasI + rToG1nlations which might east
aaisa n Denmity. But agreements
81 have reached in the past have
lls' -ta1,med the tide of nOrthward
%. .;rvstion. Luis Morones, head of
MN WIevican delegation to the recent
n I5 american Federation of Labor
rs. --sss and secretary Of industry,
o9..sre and labor in the Gales cab
81. entered with Matthew Vol
L' 1 otber A. F. of L. leaders then on
s a. steps. but no public announce
~ u was made of their decision.
pr. There are nearly 100000 Mexi-
..-. in the United States, according
), estimate made by the bureau of
i.bor statistics, and many of them
I've entered illegally, it is claimed.
r. these. nearly 100000 have settled
!. the Industrial cities of the north,
entering in large numbers around
pittsburgh. They have apparently fol-
iowed the railroad ties, through sec
ian work, from the border states thru
Missouri and Kansas and on into the
Industrial area.
The average Mexican labOrer gets
lsss than $1,000 a year, a small sum
here but considerably greater than he
,mld make in Mexico, the bureau
finds. Nearly 80 per cent around
Pittsburgh have no families, living in
boarding houses where they pay $50
85 a month for board and lodging.
Farther west the percentage of fami-
II men rises until in Omaha, 90 per
cent have their own dwellings,.
Interesting insight into the lives of
these Indo-Latins is given by the bu-
rau It estimates that a Mexican
works $50 days a year for S4 a day.
4 family Of five lives on 81 a day
t0r food, 30 cents for rent, 25 cents
FOR clothing and 10 cents for other
expenses. Around Pittsburgh thew
must pay S20-S30 a month for rent
but sublet some rooms.
Not one in a hundred owns his
own home, because work is unsteady
and the wages so low. In a number
Of cities the Mexicans build temporary
shacks out Of scrap material on rail
road or factory ground and consider
them private property.
The Mexican Federation at its re-
cent convention discussed the emigra-
ton question thoroughly Restriction /
vas urged to hold back the majority /
Of seasonal workers, who are badly |
exploited in the United States and
many times find themselves worse off
Vhen sick or unemployed, than thew /
would IN Mexico. Information CON i
,sning the real conditions north of |
ne RIO Grande will be spread and |
ne government urged to stop north |
en- labor scouts who attempt to force
ieonage on the workers.
4 determined drive will be made in
ne United States congress to apply /
ne quota to all America. This wouId /
Keep out most of the Mexicans and a |
sieat majority of the Canadians who
.oW enter freely after paying head .
axes, passing the literacv test and |
alsiyng the authorities on health
l .1 crime records Some opposition
'l arise from the Nordic advocates
,no 40 not want to see the English
laladlans closed out. EMPLOYERS of
,.iiOau laDor, professional Nordics,
y. ....' sO.ae progressives who feel the
sl5.. OF the United States is al
, ,1ly 100 large in comparison with
a'Ioyment opportunities will ioin
ls1 what attitude the American Fed
. .asion Of Labor will take will be de-
..4. at Los Angeles, where dele
~. ,.ts l Gan study the Mexican problem
.L .acI regarding labor importers and
.so. selling agencies, whose prac-
y verge closely on peonage, and
sl. interests they serve including the
!. -t,'oa !I; utilities and mining inter
~ VI" w pe presented to the Fedora
iT l. 'oluntary cooperative action
,. ~ Oe preferred to cut down immi-
,s r.'I IN but more drastic measures
ID! De approved.