WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION
All the railways in the territory mentioned would be greatly crippled should
this Mexican labor be excluded.
I shall thank you to give attention to this feature of the-Dillingham-Burnett
hill, and anything you can do in the matter will be greatly appreciated
Resnectfullv.

k I]

Ww. R. Sain.
So, the Santa Fe has been rather watchful of its labor situation
all the time.
Mr. Molnnis. Tt is the duty of the Santa Fe to be. The Santa Fe
is engaged in public service. .
The Cuarrman. Is it public service to fill the country up with
illiterate people?
Mr. Mclxwnis. It is public service to give transportation to all
parts of the country.
The Cuairman. But you note what Mr. Smith says about the
illiteracy of these Mexican laborers.
Mr. McInnis. Let me say so far as Judge Smith is concerned that
he is not a supervising officer of the Santa Fe Railroad. He is
head of the law department at Topeka, Kans., for the State of Kansas.
and not for the system as a whole.
The whole effect of Judge Smith’s letter was his anticipation that
if the literacy test was adopted it would nrevent the immigration of
Mexican labor.
The Cmamrvan. The literacy test was adoptzd, but it did not
prevent the immigration of Mexican labor. How did that happen?
Mr. McInnis. I do not know.
The CuarrmanN, Why, the railroad went down there and eot them.
did they not?
Mr. McInnis. No, sir.
The Craarrman. All right.
Mr. McInnis. I had never heard that charged before.
The Cuamman. I have seen their advertisements in Mexico.
Mr. McInnis. You have not seen Santa Fe Co. advertisements?
The CuaremMaNn. No: I can not say that T have seen Santa Fa
advertisements.
Now, proceed, please. What we want to know in detail is what
vou pay down there—what the scale is among Mexicans vou have
employed.
Mr. McInnis. If the chairman will permit me to make mv statement
 in an orderly way——
The Crarrman. I will try to.
Mr. McInnis. Our sole interest and the first interest of the western
carriers in this question has to do with traffic. Our interest from the
standpoint of track labor is comparatively remote.
Our interest from the standpoint of traffic runs into hundreds of
millions of dollars each year. Our interest from the standpoint of
track labor, maintenance, and so forth, is inconsiderable when compared
 to those hundreds of millions of dollars.
I desire to read to the committee 8 quotation from the decision
of the Interstate Commerce Commission rendered July 30, 1927,
in the freicht case. The citation is 129 I. C. C. 25.
During the past 30 years much land formerly used for cattle raising, the
growing of grain, and general field crops has heen developed to the growing of
fruits and vecetables—