WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 375

i am trying to give you conditions just as I find them so that you will know
just what steps you want to take.
T am sending one packer to Martin at San Antonio for one hundred laborers:
He is taking his own trucks and giving them free transportation.
Will write again to-morrow.
Yery truly vours,

J. H. FaLriN, Superintendent.

UniteEp STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
EMPLOYMENT SERVICE,
HarLINGEN, TEX., January 21, 1930.

Mr. C. W. WooDpMAN,
Assistant Director, Farm Labor Division,
United States Employment Service, Fort Worth, Ter.
Dear Mr. WoopMaN: Raining, cold weather has prevented me from accomplishing
 much to-day. The packing plants close down when the fields are muddy.
However, I drove out to San Benito and find that the situation there is fairly
satisfactory with only moderate demand there for labor. Mercedes and Weslaco
claim the largest shortage, so after making a quick trip down to Brownsville and
back, I want to work the valley pretty thoroughly from here to Mission.
I would have left here to-day but Martin is sending me two truck loads of labor
which should be here tomorrow and I want to be sure of placing them to good
advantage.
To-day there were possibly a dozen white men and two white families which
Martin had directed to the Chamber of Commerce here for work, who came in
and were sent on to the packing houses but they were not put to work to-day,
because the packing plants were closed on account of it being wet weather.” But
should they start up tomorrow, these people are going to be offered employment
or they are going to have to take back water in their claim of such a big labor
shortage. .
There is much work to be done to get all the information needed and it may be
as late as January 31 before I get back to San Antonio, unless you want me to go
back sooner.
Have given two interviews to the Brownsville and Harlingen papers but they
were both garbled by the reporters but in effect they did not misquote me. To
every man claiming there is a shortage of labor here, I have said, ‘Either set
out a train at San Antonio or send trucks there and offer reasonable pay and free
transportation and we will meet every demand that you have.” None of them,
with exception of the Valley Fruit Exchange, have been interested in going to any
expense whatever in bringing labor here, which is a surface indication that there
is no acute shortage in Harlingen. However, they may accept my proposition
at Mercedes or Weslaco as these are two places where the biggest shortages are
claimed. If they do accept our proposition, we can deliver the goods with
whites, Mexicans, and negroes who are unemployed in San Antonio.
1 surely wish you were here with me to see that I handle some of these fellows
properly. Although I have been in the service over five years, this particular
class of situation is something new to me since it is so much different from the
cotton work.
Most of those with whom I have talked are opposed to an immigration law
like the Box bill, but are apparently resigned to the belief that either the Box bill
or one similar will be enacted in the very near future. I have not discussed
possible immigration legislation with anyone, but they have given me their ideas
and opinions along that line without my asking. All the packers agree that an
increase in farm wages is to be expected with the passing of a quota law. An
increase is bound to come because fear of punishment will prevent the big influx
of river swimmers who have heretofore been coming over and working, then
swimming back, and then the valley will have to look elsewhere for most of her
seasonal farm, labor.
Will possibly:leave Harlinger to-morrow.
Very truly vours,

J. H. FaLuin, Superintendent.