Evening star., 1939-10-17

Miss Edith E. Lowry, director OF
migrant work, had luncheon with
the Woman's Council of the WASH
ington Federation. of Churches yes
teriay and,, addressing the group
later, posed these questions:
"As we eat, we might ask our
selves, Who picked those peas?
And how much did they get for
picking them?'"
Not far from here, she told the
women, she knew Of an instance Of
people picking BEAM for three
quarters of cent pound. 1t was
their only means of making money,
she said, and when the season was
over they eked out an existence as
best they could.
Miss Lowry, who is author of a
book, They Starve That We May
Eat" with foreword by Secre-
tary of Agriculture Wallace, said
that, contrary to a popular opinion,
the migrant workers problem is
not confined to the Southwest, but
exists in every State. 1t is an old
problem, she stated, with records
of seasonal workers as far back as
1870.
Whereas immigrants and some
Negroes comprised the ranks of
migrant workers in the beginning
today the largest part of the picture
is made up of Anglo Americans, she
continued. And whereas the situa-
ton was bad Is years ago, she con-
tinued, today it is simply shocking. u
The thousands on the road don t
know where they are going or what
the future holds, Miss Lowry de-
clared. And shelters formerly pro-
vided the migrant workers are no
longer adequate so that the hous-
ing, which was bad is years ago, is
impossible" now.
Education of the migrant children
Is another serious problem, she said
State laws governing schools vary
with reference to their situation, but
even in States such as Arizona, where
child can attend school after two
weeks residence, the child is not
wanted and is called "pea picker
In California, she continued, there
Is migrant workers school system
But even if the children can get in
school with every crop think what
1t means to change schools six OF
seven times in a year." she pointed
out.
Migrants are outsiders" wherever
they 60, she continued. Towns don't
want them except for their work
Hospital doors often are closed
to them, she continued, and where
the churches are concerned, they
are outsiders" there, too, for as one
woman expressed it, when invited to
attend services: II amt got ftten
enuf clothes"
Church women, however, she said
have been pioneers in work for the
migrants through the Council of
Women for Home Missions, of which
Miss Lowry is executive secretary
The church program began back in
1920, when people thought migrants
were BIRDS" she declared, and now Is
carried on in IA States.
Through the council, three types
VI p1O5A dlll 1Ol ollUS al HlO.
vided, she explained.
In California, where the workers
are constantly on the move, public
health nurses are provided who move
with the workers. In one district, 1t
was reported, the mortality rate was
reduced 60 per cent after nurse
had been there one season.
In tobacco-growing areas-where
the pickers fall in the part-time
migrant worker class but are none
theless "outsiders"-the council pro-
vides recreational program for the
young boys and girls who are en-
ployed. The program worked such
an improvement in the moral situa-
ton, she said, that last year it was
partly financed by the tobacco
growers.
A migrant workers center, where
babies are cared for by day and a
young peoples program continued
in the evening, is a third type-one
which operates on the Eastern Shore,
she declared.
Miss Lowry also described as a
remarkable piece of work" the
Farm Security Administrations pro-
gram for the last several years in
setting up camps for the migrants.
Government workers, however,
have indicated wish that churches
would send preachers to these camps
she remarked. It think the Govern
ment feels there is a missing link" !"
she said, explaining that the migrant
worker as a whole is deeply re-
igious type.
The church, Miss Lowry said, has
worked out pattern, but one that
must be multiplied. Her objective
now is to send out teams, each COM
posed of nurse and minister and
his wife, who is welfare worker.
AS consumers, as we'll as church
women, Miss Lowry urged the group
yesterday to study the problem
from the question of legislation
which may be offered and from
opportunities of service.
The problem is complex, she ad-
mitted. Duststorms drove thou
sands on the road, but reclamation
of the dust bowls failed to solve
their problem for the mechanism
of agriculture came into the pic
ture to replace workers, she pointed
out. Nor can the farmer who pays
low prices to his pickers be blamed
for the entire situation, she said.
To give an idea of the extent
OF the problem, she said there are
10000 migrant workers in Florida,
10000 in Michigan, 10000 in
Arkansas. from 5000 to 5000 in
Louisiana, 100000 in Texas, 10000
in Arizona and 100000 in California.
Miss Lowry's address was the