The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-05-18
DEMAND IS CENTS
PER CRATE, ICE
Water IN FIELDS
Bosses Must Yield or
Fruit Crop Will Rot
tBy a Worker Correspondent


LOS ANGELES, Calf, (By MaiD.
Mexican cantaloupe pickers in the
Imperial Valley, Calf, have gone on
strike, it was learned today Instead
Of the 12-cent-a-crate scale, the work
ers, recently organized, demand 10
cents a crate, ice water in the fields,
and other concessions.
The Mexican Union of Laborers is
the name Of the new organization.
Growers claim that Charles Arisa,
former Mexican CONSUL at CaleXico,
Cal, has been active in the formation
Of the union. Two lawyers are also
mentioned in this connection. The
authorities, as we'll as the growers,
claim that these men charged the
workers too much for the preparation
of incorporation papers. Well, as far
as the writer knows, the unionists
themselves are not complaining about
"exorbitant charges" etc. Only
growers, shippers, supervisors, immi
grafton officials, man-hunters and
prosecutors are worrying about it, it
seems. If the expenditure for the or
ganization was heavy, however, that
is one more reason why the men need
the picking rate increased.
Strikers Jailed.
On Nay 8, the following asserted
leaders were in Jail; Jose Diaz, D. Lo
PEI, F. Mondrano and Juan Barcelo,
Ihirty-six strikers previously jailed
for disturbing the peace, circulating
literature and distribution of strike
posters, etc, nave been released for
lack of evidence, according to Sheriff
Charles. L. Gillett.
District Attorney Elmer Head is
Interested only in preserving order,
any foreigners found agItaJng work
ers or hlndering WORK III Jae fields,
he said, will be put under arrest, and
where possible will be deported" The
immigration service will cooperate
WIN the sheriff's office, reports
STAGED. Twenty deputy sheritf8 are
policing the fields, and the county
Supervisors are ready to increase. the
police force. Importation of scabs is
under consideration. The district at
torney also declared, according to the
san Diego Union, that the detention
in the county jail of said four alleged
agitators was assurance of little
mere trouble in the fields
Attempts to incite discomfort"
among the field workers is said to be
one of the charges against those in
jail.
Not An |. w. w. Strike.
The Los Angeles Times has blamed
the american 1. w. W." for the
strike. The wobblies are not foreign
ags" any more.
The Mexican Union has issued a
formal statement denying any affilia-
ton with the l. W. w or any of the
latter's branches. The Brawly News
,paper in the strike zone) does not
mention the l. w. w. at all, and the
local secretary of that organization
knows nothing about such an aEfilia-
ton either, he says.
According to Deputy Labor Com
missioner Gould Mexican strike lead
efs told him that the new labor union
will affiliate with some nationally
Known labor organization" but would
ot tell which one.
Right Time For Strike
The cantaIoupe season has just
started. So the time to strike is
SOW. Only from 10 to Is cars are
gsiag out daily at present. The work
mast be done at the right time or the
melon crop is rUi-~'d. The Mexicans
feel. it seems, that they have been
exploited long enough in American
vegetable, fruit and cotton fields, etc
numors are in the air that the strike
spirit is spreading into other indus
tries in various parts of the state. Be
ing below sea level Imperial Valley
is hot place, next to the Death Val
lev in that respect. For that reason
It will probably be difficult to replace
the sMexicans with white" workers.
RI ilipinos are numerous in this state
; 100000 the estimate), but--with Pablo
Manlapit in mind-they will not be-
come scabs So indications are that
the strike may soon he settled--witb
victory for the workers.
Mr.. Harry Chandler has something
to worry about these days. for he has
100000 acres of land in lower Cali
fornia. just below the international
line. If the MeXicans stay organized
increases in wages are in sight an
along the line--in spite Of Chand-
ler's particular brand of Industrial
Freedom" observers declared.