Ny 4

WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION

our American life. In one town Americanization classes were held but only one
Mexican came. Intermarriage is of course the climax of assimilation. Extremely
few cases of intermarriage have occurred, as the Mexicans oppose it was well as
the Americans.
The local disputes in northeastern Colorado over the introduction of Mexicans
have brough forth different opinions as to its social and economic aspects. The
American farmers are extremely perplexed by the employment of Mexicans in
the community. On the labor side they are somewhat reconciled, but on the
social side of the question they are dubious. However, the demand for labor
generally weighs heavier. One farmer's statement follows in part:
“We need the Mexicans in the beets. The Mexicans keep apart from the whites
like the negroes. They qos mix much and I don’t expect intermarriage. Some
folks expect too much of a lower class in the way of living habits and the like,
and they haven't had experience with families which have remained here a long
time. Yes, there are objections to the Mexicans; but taxes have gone up and 1
can’t make enough on wheat and other crops I used to raise without the Mexicans
to pay my taxes now.”

Mr. Hvusming. As an indication of the Mexican Government's
attitude toward. foreign workers and to show how they endeavor to
protect Mexican labor by agreement between the Mexican Federation
of Labor and the Government of Mexico, the following is now in
sffect and the Mexican Congress is now considering making it law:

CHAPTER 1I ARTICLE 12

In all industrial or commercial business and in the workshops the employer will
have to employ no less than 75 per cent of Mexican workingmen, technical or
manual, unless the Joint Commission of Arbitration and Conciliation authorizes
it, when technical employees are required temporarily. This applies when more
than 5 are employed. If but 2 are employed, 1 must be Mexican; if but 5, 3 must
be Mexicans.
The Mexican now does most of the manual labor in the Southwest
and Western Central States, and unless barred, will soon supersede
Americans in every industrial plant, on every railroad section, and
on the farms.
It might be well now to give consideration as to who desires Mexican
immigration and who opposes it.
We find some industries, some newspapers, some business concerns,
some agriculturalists, the railroads, and chambers of commerce as
advocates, and educators, labor, some business men, some newspapers,
patriotic citizens, humanitarians and social workers opposed.
In our opinion, those advocating the immigration of this cheap
labor deserve the scorn of all high-minded people and ‘are entitled to
very little consideration by this committee.
Their hunger for this cheap labor causes them to lose sight of the
welfare of our nation, to say nothing of these poor people—many of
them being little children—they are exploiting. As a matter of fact,
I contend that by paying these Mexicans such a low wage, those employing
 them are putting a burden on some of our American communities
 against which the latter should and could justly rebel.
The cost of the crimes these Mexicans commit and the heavy burdens
 they lay upon the hospitals and charitable organizations of some
communities are, in my opinion, a charge that those bringing them
into the country are responsible for and they should bear it.
In short, those employing them are receiving a subsidy from society.
The existence of any industry, business or agricultural project that
can not pay proper wages to its employees can not be justified and it
should go out of business.