Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-04
A Propaganda Campaign

That a campaign Of propaganda designed TO place
the European quota restrictions upon Mexican immi-
grafton is being carried on by various organizations
and q number Of sincere but fanatical or misinformed
individuals is very apparent. Representatives in con-
rress arc being deluged with letters urging the pas
sage of the Box bill. Many of these letters are from
labor organizations which are apparently imbued with
the idea that Mexican labor is competing with organ
lied labor. Others are from persons who fear that
unrestricted immigration from the southern side OF
the Rio Grande will result in widespread dissemina-
ton Of smallpox, the pneumonia plague, or the various
other diseases to which human flesh is heir. One and
all indicate that the writers thereof are either woe
fully ignorant OF actual conditions on the Mexican bor-
der or are endeavoring to wilfully misrepresent those
conditions.
Those representatives Of organized labor, who are
misrepresenting conditions, would be the last person
who would consider aiding the farmers Of the border
country who are compelled to rely upon seasonal labor
from the south side Of the Rio Grande. Would those
union men consider going into the field to pull car
rots. pick beans, chop cotton or perform the myriad OF
tasks upon the farms? They certainly would not. But
they are asking that the farmer be denied this labor
because, perhaps, a few Mexican laborers might even
tually come into competition with them. They do not
take into consideration that union employment depends
upon the prosperity Of the farmers and the develop
ment Of the border country. What would the build
ing, electrical, printing or barber trades Of the bor-
der country do if it we're not for the revenues derived
from agricultural production; and where are those
revenues to come from if the farmers cannot secure
seasonal labor? Apparently they are endeavoring 70
create a condition which will eliminate the farmer
from the general scheme Of Valley development.
Indicative of the senseless propaganda which is
being disseminated in suppot Of the Box bill is a let
ter written by president of the immigration study COM
mission to Representative John ~. Garner. The gem
tleman in question learned that a certain Mexican IN
los Angeles whose home had been quarantined for
smallpox, slipped out and engaged in a game Of monte
or some similar recreation with several companions.
Two men contracted the disease. From this fact the
gentleman deduces that the quota restriction should
be applied. in order to preserve the health Of the ma
sicn. He does not take into consideration the fact that
possibly thousands of Americans have been guilty Of
the same crime.
In his letter he also states: Those q Us who
know amoebic dysentery in the Orient shudder at the
danger from unrestricted Mexican immigration, now
that the disease has, through Oriental immigration into
Mexico, gained q foothold on Mexicos west coast"
II is truly a "shuddery" condition, but the danger
lies mostly in the imagination Of the writer. II he will
take the time to study this phase of the question he
will find that the death rates Of the various border
cities are considerably lower than in the central part
Of the United States where the Mexican is more or
less of a curiosity. In fact, cities like Brownsville,
Laredo, Ell Paso and San Diego, which have for many
wears been Exposed" TO this imaginary eontagion
from Mexico, rank among the healthiest in the world,
and such diseases as causes the gentleman TO "shudder
at the danger Of unrestricted Mexican immigration
are practically unknown.