WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 143

Mexican deportations have already depreciated Imperial Valley
investments and curtailed production. Total exclusion would destroy
most of us who depend upon hand labor as machines can not be substituted
 for our present crops, and the value of irrigated land is too
high to permit recropping to staple crops which other States have
already heavily overproduced.
The CuarrmaN. What organized labor do you have in your
industry?
Mr. Buair. Packers, shippers, carloaders; when the Japanese were
in there they got to doing that work—boxing, packing, veneering—
making veneer boxes. But they are not there now.
The CrarrmMaN. When we were there, there was rivalry in every
town in the Imperial Valley down to the Fresno country.
The CrarrmMaN. Why is 1t the Mexicans are preferred by you?
Mr. Brair. They are lovers of farm work, the Mexicans; they like
to till the soil; that is their ambition.
The CaatrMAN. What do you say about all these Mexicans that
are on the railroads?"
Mr. Brair. I do not know about them.
The CrarrmaN. You heard the testimony this morning, that 100
per cent of the trackmen and extra crews consist of Mexicans—
reaching as far back as Chicago.
Mr. Brair. Yes, sir; I heard that.
The CralrMAN. Well, then they seem to be satisfied to work at
something else than at the soil. What about the sheep shearers?
Mr. Brag. We have never been short of labor to speak of until
this last season, from last August; and in our planting season we
foals, not obtain labor. It was absolutely impossible and we had to
rop it.
The CramrmMaN. Was your community one of those that had the
chamber of commerce help to pay the head tax a few years ago?
Mr. Brair. No, sir; we had no part in that.
Mr. SCHNEIDER. Are you an individual operator?
Mr. Bramr. Well, I have a partner; there are two of us in together.
The CuairMaN. How many acres do you have?
Mr. Brair. Well, this year we are only farming about 600. Ordinarily
 we farm from 700 to 1,200 acres.
The Crairman. How many people all told in your employ reguarly?

Mr. Bratr. About 20 regularly.
The Cuairman, How many of those are Mexicans?
Mr. Brair. Well, I should judge about 50 per cent.
The CuarrmMan. How many do you employ as itinerant workers at
the highest point?
Mr. Brair. About 600.
The Cuairman. Where do they come from?
Mr. Bramr. Well, these of ours have regular places up North to go
t0. We know where many of them are in the summer season. It
gets so hot in the summer that no one wants to live there that can get
out. But we have to keep the tractor men and the men looking after
the stock.
The Crarrman. What is the average rainfall there—about half
an inch?