WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION P71

Mr. Cuanprer. I have discussed it with several leading Mexicans
and they do not want to see a great number of them come. They
appreciate the value of those who have come in and worked and
learned something, because they are still farming in Mexico with the
old wooden plows; and when those Mexicans come up here and use our
machinery and learn our methods, they are a real asset when they go
back; and to that extent it has been an enormous benefit to Mexico
to allow those people to come and learn and then go home again.
The Crarrman. Do you think a good plan one that would permit
the men to come in and not the women and children, and to remain for
a period not exceeding four months?
Mr. Cranprer. I think it would be a great help; yes. If you fix
an arbitrary period of four months, it would not work so well, because
sometimes they stay four months, sometimes they stay six months,
and sometimes they stay less.
Our laborers, especially in the southern part of California, most of
them come in Ford cars, drive up from below the border, and they
go back in the Ford. They make some money and they go home.
0 i Cuairman. The women and children work in the cotton
elds?
Mr. CeaNDpLER. Yes, the women and children work in the fields.
The Cuairman. California has had quite a school problem in
connection with the arrival of the women and children?
Mr. CranpLER. I do not think it has been a problem in our schools.
It might be so in isolated instances, but not as a general thing.
The Crairman. Have you had much of a charity problem in
connection with Mexicans in Los Angeles?
Mr. CuanprLer. Yes; we have always had that from the very
earliest days, when we had a larger percentage of the Mexicans who
heeded charity, even when the Americans first began to come to
southern California.
The Cuamrman. Do you not realize the Hinterland is pushing the
Poverty-stricken to get them to the cities where they live better than
they have been used to living? .
Mr. CuanprLer. We have no surplus Mexican labor—have not
had these last few months. There has been a shortage, in fact.
The cotton growers in Phoenix in the fall—the chairman of their local
Cooperative committee there wrote me to ascertain if they could get
Mexican labor in Los Angeles and I told them I did not know; the
best way to do would be to send over investigators to find out.
They sent over a delegation and advertised in the papers for laborers
to pick cotton. The reports had gone out that we had surplus
Mexican labor. They stayed four or five days, and did not get a
dozen men. They could not find them in Los Angeles. That was
In November.
Mr. Scanemer. As I understand the witness, he is in favor of
restricted immigration, and that it be applied to Mexico the same as
to other countries; is that it?
Mr. CuanprEr. Yes, sir.
Mr. SceneipER. Your request is only that you be permitted to
bring over contract labor from Mexico to supply seasonal conditions?
Mr. CuanprEr. It is not contract labor, because I do not think
they have been approached-——