WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION

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, Mr. Fueming. We account for it largely from the fact that they
aad a short crop in Texas and they came in and helped us out and
we are glad they did.
Mr. EsterLy. What was the average yield this year, per acre?
Mr. Freming. Nine hundred and seventy pounds per acre in lint
and seed.
Mr. EstErLy. What is the length of the staple there?
Mr. Freming. About 14s inches.
The CaatrMaN. Are the people there inclined to ask for tariff protection
 on that cotton?
Mr. Freming. I have not heard that discussed.
Mr. Sums. It is about the same as sea-island cotton. They are
pressing for protection.
The CrairvMaN. Have they given any consideration to protection
for the hands that grow the cotton?
Mr. Simms. We are for it.
The Cuaigman. Good.
Mr. FrEminGg. It may truthfully be said that there are few or
none of our 16,000 people in the district who favor unrestricted
Mexican immigration, or who would welcome the passage of laws
permitting the entrance of those who bring disease or paupery into
our midst or who do not assimilate readily into our civilization.
Indeed, those border communities such as ours would be the first to
suffer from such an invasion of undesirables. We do believe, however,
 that for the improvement of seasonal farm labor situations in
border communities such as our own, whose only available supply of
farm labor seems to lie across the border, some provision of the
immigration law might easily be introduced which would bring relief
and hope to our farming populations in their isolated valleys, particularly
 of the Southwest. Our suggestion is to incorporate into existing
or proposed law the amendment that from time to time, when the
labor situation in agricultural communities lying within a certain
number of miles (say 100) of an international border seemed in his
discretion to warrant it, the Secretary of Labor be empowered to
orant seasonal passports for farm laborers under such regulations as
he may see fit to impose, which would secure the return of these
laborers to their own country at the end of the season. It is believed
that the machinery for the enforcement of such regulations now exists
at the port of entry and that farmers’ associations to cooperate with
the Secretary of Labor in reporting labor needs and in helping to
administer the law could be called into being if they do not now
exist,
The CrairMaAN. Would you favor, in a resolution of that kind, the
bringing of the men without their families?
Mr. Fueming. I can not see that that would have any appreciable
bearing on our situation. I think perhaps they are more likely to
be contented on the farms if their wives and children are with them.
The Cramrman. Do the wives work in the fields?
Mr. FueMming. Not to any great extent. I have seen women
working in the fields.
The CuarrmMaN. Many?
Mr. FLeming. I could not say many.
The Crairmax. One to one hundred?
Mr. FLeminGg. I suppose it is higher than that.