The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-10-16
Minimum Pay For U. S.
Migrsnss IN offine
Treaty With Mesiee
May b Foundation
Idea OF Heaven Seen
In New Contracts


labor shortage becomes more acute
All through the southwest nat
the conditions under which these
imported Mexio.ns may he EN-
ploysd are strictly prescribed ~
treaty.
This treaty provides . farm
living standard much higher than
has heretofore ee<n obtained ~
most OF the Dixie ana Mexican ana
Negro farm iahorers throughout
many low-pay farm areas IN the
United States To meet these con-
ditions and give nasivs-eorn Amer
lean farm iaborers the same sd-
vsntases 10 be enjoyed by the
Mexican migrants. the s~ms mini
mum wage scales ana living stand
ards sstablished BY international
treaty may have 10 b set up
throughout the country.
As . matter Of fact. these In
creased wage and working condl-
ton guarantees have already oeen
applied through ne IRE IN the
east
During the last two weeks IN
September. whils Congress vas
debating the inflationary farm la
Dor costs hot and heavy. 1900
American farm ~laborers. mostly
Negroes, we're recruited IN thu
rural . az Virginia. West vir-
finia and Kentucky and we're
transported at government en-
pense 10 the critical farm areas
Of western New York. New Jer-
sey and Connecticut 10 help har-
vest the fan crops. And ali thsss
1900 colored farmhands were
guaranteed the same wages and
living conditions that yer given
To the Mexicans now at work m
the California sugar beet fislds.
These conditions are. In brief. !
~ follows:
/. The u. .. Employment serv-
Ice must certify that there . not
sufficient farm lsborers available
in . given rea 10 harvest war
vital crops.
2. The Farm Security Admin
istration may then enter into con-
tracts with tho local farm opera
tors 70 recruit the necessary farm
labor In other areas.
g. The migrant workers and
thar families are then moved Al
government expense 10 the oriti-
cal farm sreaa. but the employers
pay 10 FsA 90 for each worker
employed To hslp defray the costa
Of hiring and transportation. En-
ployers must also furnish bond.
4 Workers = guaranteed the
prevailing wages Of the area. or .
minimum Of 30 cents an hour, or
the plecswork equivalent Of 30
cents an hour. whichever u high
est.
o. Workers are guaranteed .
minimum Of 70 per cont employ
ment during the tims Of the con-
tract. When not workings IN
moving from one farm area 70 the
other or while waiting for crops
10 mature or presumably IN bad
weather-ths FsA will furnish
mbsistsnoe ana shsitsr.
O. Adsqusts housing and ssnl-
tsry facilities are guaranteed py
FsA.
7. No deductions can b. made
from workers pay for commits
slons or fees or fines. and the
workers have the right 10 make
purchases II stores Of thsir osn
choosing. thus eliminating the
company store evil.
o. Al the conclusion Of en-
ploymsnt. workers and thar fsnl-
lies are transported hsek 10 their
original homss. again at govern
ment sxpenss.
What all this amounts 10 u
probably an oid-tims Okls's bas.
Of heaven. The conditions ara
probably Rot high for many Of
the more prosperous farm areas.
but with many u ths poorer farm
areas. such wages. working eondi-
tons and guarantees are unhssrd
Of.
n can BE- srTusd that all these
guarantees = necessary 70 pro-
yids an s1sqssts ssrtims farm
sbor supply 70 ts<s off nsossssv
var crops. % ths costa VII have
70 b met A further necessity
may come from nbber and gas
shortages Bot u Increased farm
labor costs . 70 b passed on 20
consumers q farm products, the
infstionsry tendsneses Of thess
government guarantees are oby1-
Qua
The Way IN which thsss mini
mum wages and working eondi-
tkns came 20 b accepted makes
m Interesting background for this
whole move. When the u. q. gov
eminent first approached the
Mexican government on ths ques~
ton Of importing Mexican iabor.
the Mexican government vas *
tremsly coy. remembering ths
oDuses which Mexican workers
IN the last war. The
Mexican government held out for
the rusrantsss nstsd above. snds