WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 269

Mr. Jones. If we should be given an order, we could within two
hours get 500 or a thousand men from the El Paso or San Antonio
offices. We would recruit them at El Paso.
Mr. Cooke. You have labor to satisfv any demand that may be
made at a reasonable wage?
Mr. Jones. Yes, sir. A few days ago the public press was full of
propaganda that 5,000 men were needed in the Rio Grande Valley.
Immediately Mr. Woodman wired me and wanted to know whether
[ would authorize the superintendent at San Antonio to make a survey
I recommended to the Department of Labor that he be given travel
authority to do so. I took the request to the office of the Secretary
myself, and it was granted. He was authorized to make the survey.
We sent them 165 men and they employed only 25.
Mr. Free. They have just had a big frost in that country. They
had it between the time the request was made and the 25 men were
furnished. It was a very heavy frost that practically wiped out the
valley. I say that your statement is not fair. The physical condition
changed in the meantime. There was a big frost that destroyed many
srops overnight.
Mr. Jongs. It is true that they did have a frost in the valley.
Mr. Frese. Then whv did vou not be honest and tell the facts in the
nase?
Mr. Jones. I am telling the truth.
Mr. FreE. No, you are not; you are coming here and putting up
an illustration that is not true. You are simply trying to mislead the
rommittee.
Mr. Jonus. I am not misstating any facts.
The CearrManN. What town is that?
Mr. Cooke. Iam still skeptical about the agent of this service being
able to send the amount of labor needed at any point it may be needed.
Mr. Jones. Idid not say that. You asked about the present time.
I answered as to our ability at the present time. when we can supply
all the labor we need.
Mr. Cooke. From San Antonio or El Paso you could get 500 laborars
 to this point at any time they should be needed?
Mr. Jones. I could do it to-day.
Mr. Cooke. Are there anv applications for work on these various
dams?
Mr. Jones. Mr. Woodman states that is the wage being paid and
the one the contractor submitted to him as the going wage.
Mr. Cooke. That is not attractive enough for these men, I see.
How many men are available in San Antonio and El Paso at the
present time?
Mr. Jones. A thousand men were lined up to be sent to the valley
 and we got word not to send them. }
Mr. Cooke. They had a thousand men lined up at San Antonio to
send to the valley?
Mr. Jones. Yes, sir.
The Cuairman. One call is for workers on one or two dams at
certain points, not known to the committee, and the other is a call
for laborers in some town in the agricultural region along the Rio
(Grande.
Mr. Jones. At Harlington.
HIRE — 201. 1Q