318 WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION

‘What really prompted me to write this letter was reading a report about Harry
Chandler, publisher of the Los Angles Times, appearing before a committee on the
Mexican immigration matter. Chandler made quite a hue and cry. Did he tell
she committee that he always caters to the Mexican Government because he
operates 500,000 acres of land in that country under a concession from the
Mexican Government? Sure, this immigration restriction irks Mexico. So,
of course, Chandler must go back to Washington to fight it and incidentally he
is just there to plead the cause of the great Southwest for cheap labor. No;
he cares nothing about the government under which he reaps more profit than
any single man in California. Harry Chandler or no one else should be able to
10odwink the Congressmen on this issue.
When the American Imperial Valley was fighting for its future existence to get
Boulder Dam and the all-American canal that would mean an early division with
Mexico on the waters of the Colorado River, where was Harry Chandler and his
Los Angeles Times? Fighting the interests of his fellow-Americans. Doing
everything he could to belittle the attempts of 10,000 Imperial Valley ranchers to
obtain flood protection and water storage. Where was big-hearted Harry Chandler
 in the Boulder Dam fight? He was on the side of Mexico where he holds his
half million acres of Mexican concessions. Yes, by all means he makes a wonderful
 campaigner against a Mexican quota. It pleases Mexico and a limited number
of corporation growers, thinking only of the economic issue.
Just recently a group cof publishers from southern California sent some kind of a
resolution opposing Mexican restriction. I noticed one of the publishers to sign
was owner of the Beverly Hills Citizen. He probably rubs elbows with such cheap
Mexican labor as Lupe Velez, movie star, and has no doubt lots of first-hand information
 about the field workers down here in Imperial Valley. Iam surprised
at those publishers failing to see the far-reaching effect of unrestricted immigration.
 Ifeel sorry for them that they can not get beyond the immediate economic
phase of this great issue. The fact that they sent this resolution while on their
way to Mexico City looks like their bid for being shown a good time while in
that country.
Of course, local politics have many of our Californian and Southwest Congressmen
 whipped on this issue. Even though deep in their heart they must know that
restriction is a necessity, they will oppose it for political reasons.
Just another phase and them I am through. These Mexicans do not stay put.
They migrate everywhere. Though they may be in California to-day, to-morrow,
I hope they will be in somebody else’s back yard. And they will. In time you
folks in Washington will have plenty of them and may have now. They filter
through everywhere and no matter who will benefit by their continued onward
march through the opeh gate for cheap labor in the fields, they bring their problem
with them wherever they go.
Hoping you will find this a stimulus in your efforts in this fight, I am, :
Sinecerelv vours.
Russery BENNETT.

P. 8.—Living just 15 miles north of the Mexican border.
The CrarrMan. This newspaper story clipped from the Calexico
Chronicle on the Mexican border. It represents the views of a newspaperman
 dominated by Harry Chandler of the Los Angeles Times.
C. B. Moore mentioned in this article is a lobbyist for the western
growers and does not represent chambers of commerce in Imperial
Valley. He has fought the Box bill as a lobbyist ever since it came
before the immigration committee. He has nothing at stake that I
know of, except his job in this fight. I don’t believe he owns a dollar’s
worth of Jand down here. As far as the western railroads are concerned,
 let them employ more white labor and cut down unemployment.

The fact that this issue is being fought too strongly indicates there
must be a “niecer inthe wood pile.”