WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 369

The vegetable districts are using large numbers of laborers. Hundreds are
being employed in the various building work going on. i
Tt is very probable that there is enough available employment for resident
iabor but the transient laborers from all over the United States have been pouring
 into south Texas by the hundreds in search of any kind of employment and
2 mild climate. Their coming with the intent to work at anything for any
price, forces many local people out of their jobs, because they can not compete
with the transient and make a decent living for themselves and families. In the
winter unskilled wages drop to about 50 per cent of what they are in summer.
Much improvement in conditions can not be expected before spring.
Respectfully vours,
J. H. FaLrLiy, Superintendent.

State oF OREGON, :
BUREAU OF LABOR,
Salem. Oreq., December 9. 1329

Mr. Francis J. Jones,
Director General, United States Employment Service,
Washington, D. C.
Mv Dear Mx. Jones: This is to acknowledge receipt of yours of December 2
and also the copy of letter you addressed to Chris Gottlieb on the same date. I
was very glad to receive this copy.
With Teference to your other letter regarding your conference in the Secretary
»f Labor’s office with a representative of the Southern Pacific Co. and Mr. Ralph
H. Taylor covering the employment of Mexicans will state that a week ago
Mr. A. W. Jones, superintendént of the Portland employment office, and the
writer met with Mr. H. A. Hampton who is in charge of the emplovment for the
Southern Pacific Co. in Oregon.
We had about an hour's discussion with Mr. Hampton upon the subject of
ceplacing the Mexicans with white labor and while he did not agree that they
would discharge the Mexicans at once and replace them with white people, he
did say that whenever any labor was needed they would give the United States
employment office the chance to fill the vacancy with white labor.
He also agreed that there was some organization connected with the Southern
Pacific Co. that could be utilized in furnishing commissary for these laborers.
So, both Mr. Jones and myself feel that we have made considerable headway with
them and if white labor can be furnished at all times we believe that we will
aventually get all the Mexicans replaced.
There is one drawback to the whole situation. That, of course, is the wages
offered; 38 cents per hour. The Railroad Labor Board has supervision over the
wages and sets the wages for that class of work. I am not sure that it would be
possible to get the Railroad Labor Board to increase the wages unless the laborers
had an organization to represent them.
Maybe you can give me some enlightenment on that point.
Yours verv truly,
C. H. Gram, Federal Director.

U. 8. DuPARTMENT OF LABOR,
Farm LaBor Division,
Fort Worth. Tex.. January 23. 1830.

Mr. Francis I. JonEs,
Director Generel, U. 8. Employment Service,
Washington, D. C.

Subject: Fallin in the Valley.
Forwarded Mr. Fallin’s first report to you yesterday. Received another from
him to-day and will inclose a copy of that with this letter.
Advised him to remain in the valley until he was certain we could no longer
render service. The way we are situated in San Antonio, with' Mr. Martin in
charge, assisted by one of the deputies of the State Department of Labor, with
a very large surplus of Mexican labor, Mr. Fallin can remain in the valley so long
as his services are needed.
You will note in Mr. Fallin’s report, mention of the Box bill or restricted immigration,
 etc., which reminds me that just yesterday the newspapers carried a
story of statements made by Mr. Yeats, in Washington, in effect that if the
quota bill was passed, Mexicans would become hostile; that there would be an
acute shortage. and a whole lot of other things.