38 WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION

personal knowledge, that representatives of western European
countries are all over those Latin-American countries seeking their
trade and commerce and, for example, that they are subsidizing
aviation for the specific purpose of beating us out on that. However,
 my main axe to grind is my local community, the Rio Grande
Valley as such. The Rio Grande Valley will be injured permanently
 by the shutting off of the labor supply, and, as I told you
a while ago, American labor for some reason does not come thers.
Now, so far as their being underpaid is concerned, the agricultural
labor there is paid a good price. It is paid from $1.25 to $2.50 a
day. I have known of people being paid more than that, and, of
course, in past years less than that.
The CuarrmaN. Right there, if you will suspend a moment, let us
take that up and see. You say a dollar to a dollar and a half or a
dollar and a quarter?
Mr. Yares. $1.25 to $2.50.
The CrARMAN. $1.25 per day pays for how many hours and for
what kind of work?
Mr. Yates. It pays for agricultural work for about 8 to 10 hours.
Not in a very rapid way, gentlemen. They do not work fast.
The CuairMaN. How many months a year?
Mr. Yares. It varies with conditions down there, but those who
are on the ground usually have jobs all the year round. But there
are times when we need a great many more of them. For example,
the Harlinger community with 45.000 acres is calling for 5.000 extra
laborers next week.
The CuatrMaN. The season is just opening for what crops?
Mr. Yares. For the gathering of lettuce and tomatoes, carrots,
beets, beans, winter beans and things of that sort. Cotton will never
be profitable down there. It will fade out, especially as the citrus
fruits come in.
The CuairmaN. Now, you speak of four counties. Will you name
the counties?
Mr. Yares. Star, Willacy, Hidalgo, and Cameron.
The CuarrmaN. I think those are the four with 200,000 population.
Mr. Yass. Yes, they have now, on a basis of the average scholastic
 estimate, more than that.
The CrairmMaN. What is your opinion as to the number of that
200,000 in those four counties who are either Mexican born or citizens
of Mexican ancestry?
Mr. Yates. I should say in the four counties perhaps 40 to 45 per
cent of them.
The CuairMan. Not quite half.
Mr. Yates. Not quite half; no, sir., The proportion is varying in
favor of the American element instead of against them. very rapidly.
The CratrMAN. What is the reason for that?
Mr. Yates. Well, the development of the land. The bringing in
of farmers who intensively cultivate that land.
The CrairmaNn. Does the farmer himself work?
Mr. Yares. Usually; yes, sir.
The CrairMaN. You think the white population is holding its own?
Mr. Yates. They are crowding the Mexicans out. There is no
doubt about that. }
The Cuairman. Well, the ratio of 55 to 45 is prettv close. is it not?