The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-06-01
FORCE BOSSES TO
CEDE WITH CROP
READY TO SPOIL
Women Beaten, Workers
Jailed By Sheriff
(Bu O Worker Correspondsntl

Imperial NalleN nave won L!lSlf SIflhe
The Miller company was the first
to grant the strikers demands. The
Gerard company came next. The rest
were forced into line or faced ruin
Cantaloupes must be picked at the
right time, and $4,000 acres is large
area to cover. More than 1900 cars
of cantaloupes were shipped out OF
the valley last year. The crop viii
probably be about the same this sea.
son. On May Is shipments were
nearing the 200-cars-a-day mark, .
according to the Brawley News. The
strike was partly on at that time. Less
than $500 cars have been shipped
out to date so it is long way to GO
yet to reach 1900.
Imperial Valley also has 5,400
acres in watermelons. Last years
crop amounted to 3,544 cars. The
pick of the season is June 10. So the
bosses are risking millions if they
get into trouble with the workers
again. The Brawley News expressed
fear along that line ecently-editori-
ally at that. Other important crops
in the valley are cotton and hay. The
low wages and rates in the cotton
fields have been a disgrace to Cali
fornia and every other cotton-produc-
ing state in the union. Cotton must
be picked and hay cut at the right
time also. So the workers hold the
whip-hand in these fields as we'll
as soon as they become conscious of
their power through organization and
solidarity.
2.O00 to 5000 on Strike.
The cultivated area in Imperial Val
ley is said to be 100000 acres, and
the estimated number of Mexican
workers in the valley is $4,000. From
1000 to 5000 took part in the recent
strike The majority Of these men are
members of the new union, according
to reports from the fighting front.
Women Beaten by Gunmen.
Sheriff Charles L. Gillett and his
deputies, too numerous to mention
went from farm to farm chasing
Mexican strikers like wild beasts
Picket-linos and meetings of every de.
scription were broken up in high
handed, illegal manners. 1t was "To
hell with the constitution" put into
practice by a lawless gang of cup.
holders Of law and order"
When Felix Rodriques was arrest
ed, his wife, Francisco. and Beatriz
Gotta tried to defend him. These wo-
men, poor to the starvation point
were both badly beaten by well-paid
and well-fed brutes employed by the
county The sheriff's ultimatum to
the strikers was; eco to work, leave
the valley-or go to jail" The work
ers went to jail by wholesale, but
they didn't stay very long, as rule.
for the following reasons:
The sheriff and his gunner handled
the strikers too roughly, stepped
their authority. Legal grounds to
hold the strikers lacking Fear of
general discomfort among the Next
cans. not only in the Imperial Valley,
but also in other parts of California
and elsewhere was general. The crop
was ready for picking, so the men
were more dangerous to the growers
in jail than they were on the picket.
line outside Although underpaid
cantaloupe picking is skilled work
the growers claim. Mexicans only
have been trained to do that kind of
work for gears, and convictions might
mean deportations by the government.
Many deportations of "aPitators" and
reds" etc, might be used as argu.
ment in favor Of the Box bill (restric.
tion Of Mexican immigration now
before congress. Employers of chean
labor are strongly against that bill
In this part of the world they want
the MeXicans to come here to stay
slave for next to nothing. breed more
slaves and be contented with THEN
''friiolcs" (beans) and "tortHlas'
(paacalle-like bread).
0utmaneuver Sheriff.
When the number of arrests reach
ed AZ, the labor-baiting sheriff thought
he had all the "leaders" in Jail. But
do q iildgbCi u idCN, ne ulutl ISI &
chance to lay his strikebreal<inq
bloody hands on any of them. The
Committee of Action was under.
ground, out of sight The Mexican
workers learned few things during
IL years of revolutionary struggle in
one form or the other
In Strike Zone.
Five strikers came before Judge A,
G. Finney of FL Centre on May Is,
Bond in the case of was reduced
from $1,000 to $500 each, but the re-
lease on habeas corpus was denied.
The fifth man, Frank Hernandez,
was refused reduction of bail. So
that one-armed worker must be con-
sidered dangerous character. Well.
they had him down as interpreter"
and even as director" of the new