WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION. 391

informed me that he could not use any more. I explained to him that there were
two more truck loads of people en route to him, and that he would be expected
to accept them also. However, when the two truck loads arrived in Harlingen
 I was working up the valley toward McAllen, and upon their arrival
they were promptly informed that they were not needed. The chamber of
commerce could not place them and was calling all over the valley to locate me.
When 1 arrived at the hotel in McAllen, there was a message there for me that
I was to return to Harlingen and take charge of the Mexicans. Ileft immediately
and by canvassing down the valley as I went, I found a business enemy of Hodgis
 who really did not need any more help, but took them off my hands because
of his dislike for Mr. Hodgis.
In surveying the balance of the valley, after returning from Brownsville, .I
went to La Feria and found that no labor was needed, then to Mercedes, where
a large shortage was claimed by Floore. I could find no demand at Mercedes,
so I called on Mr. Phelan, secretary of the chamber of commerce, who informed
me that there had been, or was, a shortage of labor at either Mercedes or Weslaco,
 he had not heard of it only through Floore’s article in the newspapers. At
Weslaco, I found the same condition. Mr. Patterson, of the chamber of commerce,
 who is a personal acquaintance of yours, stated that Mr. Floore was
badly mistaken about Weslaco needing any labor. I then called on the packers
at Weslaco, and their statements were in agreement with their chamber of commerce,
 that there was no shortage. Then I worked Donna, Alamo, San Juan,
Pharr, and into McAllen, At McAllen I found more resentment against Mr.
Floore, for his action. Mr. Rogers, secretary of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce,
 is also president of the Chamber of Commerce Association of the lower
Rio Grande Valley, was very outspoken in his criticism of Mr. Floore. Mr.
Rogers agreed with me that the valley should take steps to utilize its local labor
before calling for more. He claims that there are numbers of people applying
to him daily for employment, and that he is unable to place any of them. Mr.
Ewing, secretary at Mission, could locate no shortage. I went to San Fordyce,
but that proved to be the desolate section of the valley. The town is no more.
Only one Mexican family lives there. Most of the land being cultivated around
San Fordyce is either cotton or fruit land. From Fordyce I went back down the
valley to Pharr and over to Edinburg. where I was informed that there were so
many transient idle people that the city had been requested to offer its jail for
sleeping quarters for some of the people, but had to refuse because the jail was
jlled to capacity with prisoners. There was no labor shortage at Edinburg.
Then I came home.
Respectfully submitted.

J. H. FavLnin, Superintendent.

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR,
UniteEDp StaTES EMPLOYMENT SERVICE,
Fort Worth. Tezx.. Januaru 30. 1930

Mr. Joun T. FLOORE,
Secretary Manager, Chamber of Commerce, Harlingen, Tex.
Dear Mg. FLOORE: A copy of your letter to Mr. Porter A. Whaley. of the
28th instant, is before me.
On January 16 our San Antonio office telephoned me that Mr. Whaley, manager
of the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, had placed an order for 4,000 Mexicans
for Harlingen, stating there was an acute shortage of Mexicans for the fruit and
vegetable crops in the valley. Anxious to serve, directed our superintendent to
go to Harlingen at once, make a survey of the entire valley, ascertain its needs,
and make arrangements to serve, having at this time many thousands of unemployed
 Mexicans in San Antonio who could be directed to any point in the
valley, among whom there were many experienced in the kind of work I knew
the valley would require.
Mr. Fallin arrived at Harlingen on the 19th and made his preliminary report
on the 20th. On that date his investigation indicated a slight shortage of labor,
and immediately placed an order for Mexicans with the San Antonio office. On
the 21st he reported truck loads of Mexicans en route from San Antonio. In the
meantime, the newspapers were carrying stories alleged to have originated with
you, in effect that there was an extreme shortage of Mexicans. approximating
5,000, clippings of same on file with this office.
On the 23d Mr. Fallin reported the arrival of approximately 50 Mexicans and
one white family at Harlingen, stating they were placed, adding that this arrival
resulted in the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce requesting that we direct no
more peoble until further notice