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32 WESTERN HEMISPEERE IMMIGRATION

we have about 300 men working for us, and less than 30 men are
Molus, They come along seeking a job, and we put them to
work.
Mr. Jenkins. Do you mean Mexican citizens, or Americans of
Mexican ancestry?
Mr. Bent. I do not know.
Mr. Jenkins. You do not care?
Mr. Bent. No, sir,
Mr. JENKINS. You have not attempted to look into that? .
Mr. Bent. No, sir.
Mr. Jenkins. Are they employed generally by contracting firms?
Mr. Bent. No more than we use them.
Mr. Jenkins. One of the objectives of this measure, one of the
indirect results flowing from it, is to take care of the unemployment
situation in this country. It is a fact, is it not, that Mexican laborers
coming in take away jobs that could go to American citizens?
Mr. Bent. If we have a choice between ga Mexican and a white
man, both unknown, we take the white man.
Mr. Jenkins. Do you issue any instructions to your foreman, or
your subcontractors to that effect?
Mr. Bent. As I said. we rarely have more than 20 per cent on
any job.
Mr. Jenkins. If I can produce from the files protests from men,
mechanics, who claim they were turned down in favor of Mexicans,
would you like to look at them?
Mr. Bent. Yes; I should be glad to see them.
Mr. Box. The files are full of that.
Mr. Jenkins. Don’t you think, in view of the large unemployment
at this time, that those unemployed will drift to these places, although
it may be seasonal, and they will soon take care of the labor situation
in those sections, without this Mexican influx?
Mr. Bent. You would think so, but our agricultural history does
not prove that.
Mr. Jenkins. You do not think that would obtain, if they learned
that that was the policy within a year or so?
Mr. Bent. I do not think so.
The CuatrmMan. In your business, what is the rate of pay for
common labor wages in your section?
Mr. Bent. The usual rate is 50 cents an hour. We Pay a minimum
 of 50 cents, with no distinction between whites and Mexicans,
The CrairmMan. Has it not been reduced in the last 60 days?
Mr. Bent. Not in 10 years.
The Crarrman. It was reduced in San Francisco, was it not? -
Mr. Bent. I could not say.
The CrarrMan. And in the Puget Sound region.
Mr. Bent. I could not say.
The Crarrman. My information, gained from visits one month
ago, is that $4 for common labor is becoming rare; it is more nearly
$3.60 to $3.80, with preference to married men with children, and a
continued invasion of the factories by young men and young women
wearing overalls, and the 40 and 50 year old man unfortunately is
on the way to the junk pile.
Mr. ScaneipER. What is the arrangement when they get the $4?
Do they board in those cars along the road?