Imperial Valley press., 1934-05-15
tContinned From Page u

will be active, will change and be
replaced, as the usefulness of one
individual ceases or more apt pu-
pills are discovered in the group.
Explain Labor Surplus
"5. There is no evidence that the
suppressive activities on the part of
the police are retarding in the least
the organization plans of the Can
merry and Agricultural Workers In
dustrial Union,' allegedly Commun-
iStic.''
This is an open question. The
committee holds the opposite view.
Evidence developed since the COM
mittee left the valley supports its
opinion.
IS. With the pro-raxng plan in
effect, there is no doubt that there
will continue to be large surplus
of workers in the valley"
The pro-rating plan is not en-
tirely responsible. For some years
the acreage has gradually been re-
ducing. General economic conditions
are more to blame than the pro-rat-
ing plan. There is a surplus of
workers in the valley, just as there
is in other agricultural areas. and
in all industries. The surplus during
the winter months in Imperial VAL
ley is not a wholly new problem.
~. We could detect no existing
movement for the purpose of i'm
proving deplorable living conditions
of the mass of the workers"
1t is possible that the limited
time at the disposal of the federal
commission" prevented more
thorough investigation on this point.
Conditions are improving and the
division of housing and immigra-
ton should be commended for its
influence towards such improve
ments. There is still room for i'm
provement, as this Committee sug-
gested in its report.
"8. There is lack of open and
efficient leadership among the
workers. Without such Leadership o
there can be no stability
The committee questions this
statement. The Mexican group, to
which reference is undoubtedly made
has among its leaders men of as
great, or greater, ability than are
often found among Mexican labor
erS.
THE menace of further disturb
ance warrants immediate action to-
ward the removal of those condi-
tionS, real or fancied, that create
and encourage discomfort"
The committee concurs in this
statement and has already covered
it in its own recommendations.
The federal commission also SUBJ
llitted nine recommendations upon
which the committee comments as
follows:
81. That federal and state govern
ments exercise every power and au-
thority to maintain in fact the
rights of free speech, free press, and
free assembly, and that men, either
citizens or aliens, shall not be har-
rassed by permanent, temporary
amateur, or self-appointed officers
of the law.
"Specifically do we recommenc
that the apparent violation of tn,
federal injunction covering tn,
meeting of American Civil Libertie
Union in Brawley on January %
1884, be probed to the bottom b,
the United States Department O.
Justice
Must Define Free Speech
The committee supports the
rights OF free speech and free assem-
blage, but it points out that it is
time to make distinction between
free speech and unlicensed speech
and that any organization demand
ing the protection of the constitu-
ton. must be able to show clean
hands and no connection with q
movement to overthrow this consti-
tuition and subvert these rights.
80. That the federal government
encourage the organization of work
ers, in order that collective bargain
ing may be effective in matters OF
wages and conditions, both working
and living, and that the right tc
strike and peacefully to picket shall
be maintained.
specifically do we recommend
that the United States department
of labor send to Imperial Valley rep
resentatives who can speak Spanish
to aid the Mexican and Filipino
groups, and others to organize for
the purpose of collective bargain
ing"
The committee does not under
stand this recommendation The Or
ganization of workers has never
been discouraged. Collective bar
gaining has been evident through
out the entire period. The commit
tee feels that possibly the commits
sion did not distinguish accurate
ly between the right to strike" Oh
the part of the workers, and the
right to strike" on the part OF
those who were unemployed, and in
r