Imperial Valley press., 1934-04-05

COpy VI dil Opel leIJtI W III
growers in Imperial Valley emanat-
ing from the San Diego office of
the Cannery and Agricultural Work.
ers Industrial Union, signed by S.
C. Alexander as secretary, was re-
ceived at the office of The Press
through the mails this morning.
This communication states that
the c. IL A. w. 1. U. is the only
true representative of the agricul-
tural workers in the valley which
is shown Sin its leadership of two
major, and for the growers, dis
astrous strikes during the lettuce
and pea seasons this year, 1t re-
fuses to recognize the Mexican AS
ISOLATION recently organized.
1t proposes a wage conference
between the growers and shippers
and the union to be held within
two weeks in San Diego. eff such
a conference is not accepted by the
growers of Imperial Valley, the
Cannery and Agricultural Workers
Industrial union will reply by call
ing a melon strike,' the circular
says.
1t is further stated that this I'M
ion does not intend TO call strikes
for the purpose of destroying the
crops of the growers but to protect
the workers. A protest is made
against the so-called "terroro Or
ganized by the growers and threat
en- a nationwide boycott of Imper-
ial Valley products if this terror
nann1ipp - ic mot ctnnnad
While this letter was received at
The Press office, General Pelham
GlaSsford, federal labor councilia-
tor, together with members of the
special commission appointed by
the California farm bureau fedora
ton and the state chamber of COM
merce held open house at the Bar
bara Worth hotel all day. From 8
O'Clock this morning until o clock
tonight, all persons who wished to
lay before this board any informa-
ton which might aid in clearing up
the labor situation here were at
liberty to do SO.
Yesterday afternoon, following
the luncheon in his honor given by
the chamber of commerce, General
Glassford met with the board of
supervisors and the special state
commission.
B. M. Graham, chairman of the
board, opened the meeting by as
surfing both General Glassford and
the state board that fullest coop
Grafton and assistance will be given
them in their Investigations.
State Group Talks
Glassford stated that he will be
here for a week or 10 days in order
to get information necessary to ar
rive at the truth of the situation.
The federal government, he said,
does not care SO much who settles
the difficulties, just SO long as they
are settled.
John Phillips, chairman of the
state board, stated that this board
had come here to find out just what
the situation is in the valley. He
said the commission would fit their
plans with those of General Glass
ford SO that the two agencies might
work together.
l.. T. Mott, state housing inSpec-
tor stated that his department has
two men at work in the valley in
specting labor camps relative TO
their sanitation. He stated that
there seems to be tendency on the
part of the growers to make i'm
provementS in housing conditions of
these camps and mat the inSpec-
ton will continue through the sum-
mer 1t was brought up that the
chief difficulty facing the valley at
present was the question of outside
agitators coming in and disturbing
the workers.
General Glassford, when asked
how agitators might be kept out
said that his opinion on that ques-
ton now is that it is up to the Ia
borers and workers themselves and
not to the police or vigilantes to
keep the agitators out of the val
ley. His opinion was qualified by the
statement that during his inveSti-
cations he might come across facts
which would lead him to change but
at present he felt that way.
1t is not police question, he said
unless law and order are violated.
He related his experiences in Wash
ington, D. c., when the bonus army
situation was causing much diff
Guilty and threatened to get out of
hand to the presence of agita-
tors who had WormeG their way into
the camps. He stated that the B. E.
F. itself took this question in hand
and finally the agitators themselves
had to apply to the police for pro-
lection.
Charles Nice spoke about the