The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-24
Coast Employers
Oppose Aid for
Migratory Workers
BY KARL BARRON
Federated Press)

Joint opposition by the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce and the Asso-
ciated Farmers to administration of
the wage-hour law and the Farm Sc
curity program was brought to light as
the LaFollette committee questioned
representatives of both groups in a
crowded courtroom here.
On the stand at one time were
Howard A. Miller of the agriculture
department of the chamber of COM
merce, EXPIRES. Holmes Bishop of the
Associated Farmers of California,
Pres. John Watson, Treas. Henry
Strobel and Exec. Sec. Harold Pom
eroy all of the A. F.
| Questioning by Sen. Robert M. La
Toilette and Sen. Ebert D. Thomas
revealed that big employers of farm
labor oppose adequate relief because
seasonal laborers will not leave relief
rolls to harvest corps at wages the
farmers care to pay. The employers
advocated return to relief administra-
ton by county agencies.
Chief objection to the wage-hour
law was the Interpretation of exempt
agricultural labor" Strobel testified
that the perishability of many Cali
fornia crops made it advisable to in
terpret the act so loosely that all
workers involved in the process from
harvesting to marketing be consid-
cred farm laborers. He would in
clude pickers, teamsters, packing
house laborers and warehousemen
When questioning turned to the
FSA migratory camps, Bishop said
"These camps have sometimes become
infested with agitators to the degree
that residents in the camps have
asked Associated Farmers to help get
rid of them because farmers were
not coming there any more for work
ers."
All witnesses agreed that the vast
surplus Of agricultural labor was a
serious problem" James Wood, ex-
pert for the investigating committee,
testified that there are four workers
for every available job.
Strobel said that about 100 days
work a year was all the employing
farmers could offer the average labor
er, and denied that low wages were
the reason for labor trouble in Cali
fornia. The witness, who became no
torious for his ruthless treatment of
strikers during the Salinas lettuce
strike of 1885, declared: "We have
never refused to bargain with our
workers"
Discussing the living conditions of
migrants, Miller said the type OF
homes the migrants left in dustbowl
areas had set a bad precedent.
Migrants brought conditions of life
which were deplorable," Miller said.
"And is it difficult to get them to
lccept better conditions?" LaFollette
Lsked.
THAT has been the caso," Miller re-
urned. However" he added hest
antly, II can see some good to come
rom these people"
Though the Associated Farmers
we're treated by LaFollette as expert
witnesses, they showed a pathetic
ack of understanding of the problems
acing agriculture. They rejected the
fforts of the federal government to
meliorate the plight of the migrant
aborers through the Farm Security
administration, relief and other activ-
les. But they had no constructive
rogram to submit as an alternative.
Into the record went statements by
le employer group, denying that
ousing conditions were inadequate,
lat there was a scarcity OF sanitary
lcilities. Health facilities have
ever been a problem in this area"
)rroborated Miller, blandly.