Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1947-02-15
Nation Face Further Sugar Shortage
Without Use Of West Indian Labor
Says Southern Negro Farm Worker
Cannot Be Employed

Washington, ID. C.. Feb. -
(NNPA) - Unless West Indians
can be imported into this coun-
try after June 80, American house
wives will suffer loss in sugar
of. about 200,000,00o pounds, JOS
iah Ferris Jr., vice president of
the United States Sugar Corpor-
atiort Clewistion, Florida, told
the House Agricultural Committee
last Thursday.
eff we are unable to continue
the use of foreign labor that we
now have in our employ, appro--
Ximately 5000 Jamaicans and Bar
badoanS, we will be unable to
harvest and process our f947-48
CROP" he said.
Mr.. Ferris testified on a bill to
extend for a yead the federal
farm labor supply program. I'm
der the program, the Agricultural
Department attempts 20 supply
enough farm labor to meet sea-
sonal demands. The bulk of the
workers come from Jamaica, the
Barbados, Puerto Rice and Mexi
co.
eve are just as anxious as you
gentlemen are to put stop to
the use of foreign labor" Ferris
said. 'In fact, the colored people
of Georgia, South Carolina, Miss
issippi and the other cotton states,
in our opinion, make the finest
agricultural labor in the world,
but unfortunately we cannot en-
ploy those people now, although
we have made continuous efforts
for over a year."
Mr.. Ferris tstified that during
the war when no other workers
were available, the labor branch
of the Agricultural Department
kept his company supplied with
workers from Jamaica and Barr
BADGES. NJ
He said he would be satisfied
if arrangements were made to
permit his company to negotiate
with West Indians and bring them
in. If his company could retain
the workers it has now, he said,
the government would be put to
no added expense. He stated that
some of them have been mployed
by his company for three or four
years. They are given year-round
employment, he added. fs,
The companyis frying to recruit
domestic workers on the basis of
yearround employment for them
selves and all members of their
families who are old enough to
accept employment, he said.
He explained that his company
furnishes housing and medical
care for these workers. They pay
so much a day for their meals.
After the workers get to this coun-
try, the company takes over and
pays their transportation from the
port of entry, usually Port Ever
glades, to its plantations.
The company, he said, has an
agreement with the Agricultural
Department that when it no long
er needs the workers, it vii re-
turn them at company expense to
the port from which they are to
be sent back home.
do you want to keep them for
ever?" asked Representative Ste
phen Pace, Democrat, of Georgia.
mo, SIR" replied Mr.. Ferris,
only until we can replace them
with domestic workers. Every
time we can bring a domestic
worker who will stay with US, we
will be glad to release one of the
foreign workers.
Mr.. Ferris said the company
pays piece work rates. If the
worker is willing to work for at
beast. eight hours day, he said,
he can earn enough to average a
dollar an hour. eve have a great
many on the plantation who are
getting that rate he stated.
ooh, you mean that you cannot
get native labor for a dollar an
hour3" asked Representative John
w. Flanagan, Jr., of Virginia.
mo, sir. we cannot get them to
(Confinund IN papp ~