WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 157

Mz. Austin. The hand labor starts in about the first of April and
s continuous until late fall. Now, he is not working all the time in
the beet field, devoting his time to other farm crops in the interim
between thinning, hoetng, and harvesting.
The CuairMaN. If it were possible to bring any number from any
country, the scheme would be to get them to one of your Western
States, and pay the head of the family about $600 a year.
Mr. Austin. No, sir: I think they would go there and become
permanent residents of the district in a little time.
The Crairman. What would they work at?
Mr. Austin. General farm crops, as they did in past years-—those
who went out West. The farm labor we formerly got from Europe
are now owning little farms and running them themselves.
Mr. Box. Yes; but for every one who got a farm and had that
opportunity, six or seven got snatched at the port of entry, and were
taken where they had to labor 12 hours a day 7 days a week; and then
we wonder why some of that type do not know more about America.
They did not have the first chance to learn anything about the country.
Mr. EsterLy. Perhaps the beet-sugar industry was not alive to
its opportunities.
Mr. Austin. We used thousands of them, but it was shut off from
us. Seventy-five per cent of the labor some years ago came from
Europe. Practically every farm laborer who came to this country
was familiar with sugar beet culture. The industry has been established
 in the Continent for more than a century.
Mr. Dickstsin. Then you do not agree with the gentleman who
said he preferred Mexican labor to European labor. or labor from other
sources?
Mr. Austin. No, sir.
Mr. ScenEipER. Of the crops of sugar-beets in Wisconsin but a
small percentage is cultivated by Mexicans.
Mr. Austin. I think that is true.
Mr. ScuNeDER. And a very small percentage of them is emploved
in the fields in Wisconsin?
Mr. Austin. I think that is practically true.
Mr. ScuneipER. If the beet industry were able to pay more than
they have been paying for beets, there would be no difficulty in
planting and harvesting the crops with American labor.
Mr. Austin. Well, if we got a sufficient price for sugar, we could
pay more for beets. .
Owing to the depression in the sugar industry the factories are
running 50 per cent capacity. A factory that can slice 100,000 tons
of beets has been cutting 35,000 tons of beets. But you give us the
proper protection for sugar, and give us a reasonable price for it,
and eventually the farmer will get more for his beets.
Mr. Dickstein. Then the public will pay for it?
Mr. Austin. Indirectly, ves; but to a shght extent.
Mr. ScunEIDER. Where they depend upon Mexican labor, or European,
 or other foreign labor, they do not get the local labor, do they?
Mr. Austin. That may be true to some extent.
Mr. Box. You want a lot of this labor for Colorado?
Mr. Austin. For Colorado and other States.
Mr. Box. Do you know the State grange of that State has asked
this committee to stop that?
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