Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-23
BORDERPATROL
IS COMMENDED
Col. Sam Robertson Explains
Position On Need For
Aiding Emigrant
To The Herald:

To The Herald:
I seem to have not made myself
quite clear in my talk to San Be-
nito Rotary club Thursday, on the
emigration question, All Mexicans
with whom I have come in contact
report that they have been treated
with the utmost courtesy in the
emigration office at Brownsville
and by U. S. Consul Leonard Of
Matamoros. I have heard three diff
ferent Mexicans commend Inspe ;tor
Ferguson of Harlingen for decent
treatment and explanation OF the
law. I lave heard four others COM
mend inspectors for kindly treat
ment of them and for consideration
shown in sending them to we'll
known Americans for assistance.
The names of these inspectors were
not known by the Mexicans- They
described them as being old-look1ng
men.
All Of the rough stuff I have
heard of seems to have come from
the newer and less experienced Of
ficers. Much of the soaring has been
helped along by MeXicanS who MADE
legal entry and native-born Mex
cans. I have heard several OF this
class say if the u. S. inspectors will
run out the wet blocks there will DC
fewer people to do the work and we
will get much more for our labor.
1 heard Of one Mexican saying
that all those who had emigration
\ Identification cards should help the
officers chase the wet backs" across
the river and it would make labor
so scarce that they could demand
and would easily receive $3.50 per
hundred for picking cotton. CThis
INCREASED price for picking would
only cost the farmer about S24.c0
per bale which would break them.)
There is not a Mexican in South
Texas, but who knows that Judge
HutchiSon'S sympathieS are always
with the under dog, the poor and
oppressed. But Judge Hutchinson
don't make the laws; he can only
enforce them as congress and the
lobby make them and I do not
blame the border patrol and emil
grafton service for enforcing the
law. They are sworn to enforce it.
There are thousands Of deportablc
aliens here and they can do moth
ing but go out and run them up
They are an active and efficient
body Of officers and they will round
them up and deport them.
Unless the people of the Valley
wake up and come to their aid and
come quickly by getting competent
legal aid who a. speak Spanish
and who have a real sympathy for
the plight Of these poor devils. If
they can have legal help and if bond
al be arranged for them until the
red tape can be cleared up SO they
can enter legally, it would help the
situation.
1 have no criticism to offer for
the American Federation Of Labor.
Their superb organization is only
trying to sell the labor Of their
nembers at the highest possible
price for labor it has always been
their policy to curtail the supply Of
labor in order to raise the price.
The American Federation of Labor
never pursues the tactics Of III
FARMERS, truck and fruit growers.
BUSINESS men who are interested IN
their financial success. The Valley
press and others Of us who holler
our heads off whenever a dollar is
made on growing grapefruit, beans,
potatoes, tomatoes and other pro-
duce about the enormous profits in
farming our rich Valley soil with
irrigation water fAom the silvery
Rio Grande and doing our d-est
to bring in competition and over
production and put the market CT
the bum instead Of striving to cur
tail the supply of farm produce as
the American Federation Of Labor
end the intelligent legally entered
MeXicans do who scare their courl-
trymen across the Rio Grande to
help curtail the labor supply, and
thereby raise the price. The Ameri-
can Federation of Labor and Our
more intelligent local Mexican la
borers can teach us much about a
marketing organization for our
truck and farm produce.
I don't think our present emigra-
ton law diScriminateS against Mex
leans and in favor of Canadians.
But I am quite sure the Box Law
will. if passed by congress, and that
is one reason why a super-human
effort should be made to defeat its
passage.
If our cas- is properly presented
to the American Federation of La