WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 367

It might be just as well to observe right here and now that they are
just taking a tip from Uncle Sam by adopting such tactics as he does
the same thing with the West Indian on the Isthmus of Panama, and
by Executive order of the President says they must not be paid more
than 40 cents per hour, or $960 per annum. The basic rate, however,
is 20 cents per hour and the great majority of these aliens receive
but 24 cents per hour on the Canal Zone, and there are approximately
12,400 aliens employed as opposed to 3,225 Americans. These aliens
are employed in building trades, as foremen, clerks, brakemen, firemen,
timekeepers, and so forth, and are practically all West Indians.
But to get back to the cheap Mexican labor which is not cheap
because it 1s not efficient; it slows up production; it is a burden on
society; it lowers working standards and wages; it is shiftless and
thriftless; it is not healthy; 1t can not be assimilated.
Although I have been through the Southwest and in Mexico and
have lived in Central American countries, I will not attempt to substantiate
 my statements by detailing my personal observations, as 1
prefer to use reports of trained, careful investigators.
Taking up the charges I have made—Mexican labor—it is not
efficient. Taylor in his Mexican Labor in the United States, South
Platte Valley, and Imperial Valley states Japs first came in 1903,
The “gentlemen’s agreement’ in 1907 cut them off but they worked
as ‘“‘solos” and were very efficient; then came the German-Russian,
but the World War and the quota cut them off—they also were careful
and efficient. The Mexican then came—least efficient of all. They
stand heat well, but are lazy, irregular, lack ambition, are a roving
class and are generally not considered efficient laborers.
It slows up production. As stated above. not being efficient, production
 suffers.
It is a burden on society. It is safe to say there are at least
2,000,000 Mexicans now in the United States.
Mr. Box. Have you a number of estimates upon which you base
your opinion, or estimate?
Mr. HusHING. I have reached this conclusion for several different
reasons. One is, that the Scripps-Howard papers have had one of
their Texas newspaper editors make an investigation of this situation.
His reports were handed in and his estimate of the number of Mexicans
now in the country is from 1,000,000 to 3,000,000. McRea, I believe,
says 3,000,000. Taylor also gives an estimate of 2,000,000.
Mr. Box. I have received several communications containing estimates
 from 1,000,000 to 3,000,000.
The Cuairman. When they make those estimates, what do they
mean—foreign-born Mexicans?
Mr. Husning, That is my understanding.
Referring to the matter of their being a burden on society, no
considerable group can be anything but a liability to any Commonwealth
 unless they are home makers—the Mexican and his family
are casual migratory workers, and a few years of following the crops
make them dependents—charges on the community—in some cases
as criminals.
One-tenth of the population of Los Angeles is Mexican, and the
bulk of Mexican charity cases there are among those who have been
in this country over 10 years. This tenth of the population of Los
Angeles participate in the budgets of relief organizations there to a