Imperial Valley press., 1934-05-15
STATE COMMITTEE SUPPLEMENTS
REPORT ON VALLEY CONDITIONS

which the committee feels is basic
and to which it has referred else
where. The committee supports the
right to strike, as between actual
workers and their employers, and it
supports the right to picket, but en-
phasizes the expression in the COM
missions recommendation peaceful
picketing" which was not the me-
thod used by the c. and A. w. I. U.
in Imperial Valley.
"3. That labor coordinator" be
appointed by the federal govern
ment to equalize and balance the
labor supply, and that, through this
coordinator, preference in employ
ment be given to permanent resi-
dents"
The committee hesitates to COM
ment on this recommendations as to
the governmental agency to be in
authority. It was pleasure to meet
and work with General GlasSford,
whose appointment evidently was
based on it. However, the fact can
not be overlooked that the State of
California is equipped through its
own department of industrial rela-
tions, augmented by or cooperating
with an agency fully informed on
agricultural conditions, such as the
state board of agriculture, to
handle such situations as exist in
Imperial Valley. The state depart
ment of industrial relations has
been constantly in touch with the
situation in Imperial Valley and
some of its findings are referred to
in the committees report. If the ap-
pointment of a federal "conciliator"
was the result of the federal COM
missions report, this may have been
due to misconception of the need
for such action, or of the real Sit
uation in the valley.
AS to the suggestion relative to
preference being given permanent
residents, the Committee can only
point out that this has been the
program of the Mexican association
and that it has been handicapped
by the activities of the G. and A. w.
I. U. whose policy is exactly the op-
posite, as brought out in the hear
ings before the committee, on April
8.
Urge Collective Bargaining
q. That a permanent board or
impartial administrator be set up by
the federal government to act in
! matters of dispute regarding wages,
long waits in the field, drinking wa
ter, contract labor, minimum and
! maximum hours, employment of
women and children, transporta-
tion of workers, etc. We recommend
this because we believe there are no
codes for the protection of agricul-
tural employees"
The committees comments on
recommendation 3 apply essential
/ ly also to Recommendation 4. "Col-
lective bargaining" is the establish.
ed means to this end, beyond that,
the state machinery is already Gre
ated.
| "5. That state and county auth
critics be urged by the United
States public health service to i'm
prove living quarters especially
those adjacent to the larger centers
of population), housing, street i'm
provements, sewage, water supply
and all other determining factors
in the health and welfare of the
entire community"
The present laws cover this stu.
alton. National, state and county
authorities are cooperating. 1t is q
matter of evolution rather than
sudden transformation.
IS. That the federal government
cooperate with the state and coun-
| ty to establish subsistence farms OF
gardens, to enable the workers tc
tide over periods of unemployment
characteristic of Imperial Valley
The committee agrees with this
recommendation in theory and
would like to see the experiment
tried. 1t adds frankly, however, that
it questions the practicability of the
recommendation for Imperial VAL
ley. The type of labor, its back
grounds, the climate of the valley
especially during the four midsum-
mer months, all make it feel that
this is theory of doubtful practice
in that area. This idea might be
adaptable to other agricultural
areas of the state, and when proven
practical there, might point to a
social improvement of these people
by some modification of this plan
~. That the California State De-
partment of Education promote a
program of social and economic
education, using for that purpose
such media as the schools, clubs,
churches, fraternal organizations,
chambers of commerce, the Ameri-
can Legion, the radio and the press -
Education is today the principal
Influence in the changing social
conditions of the worker. Many of
these men and women, coming from
conditions in Mexico which IN no
way compare with conditions in I'M