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Common labor needs of California crops (with | special reference to Mexican labor) [s.].] [1927] BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD TARGET University of California at Berkeley Library USAIN State and Local Literature Preservation Project Master negative storage number: 00-136.3 (national version of the master negative storage number: CU SN00136.3) Title: Common labor needs of California crops (with special reference to Mexican labor). [s.l. : s.n., 1927] Description: 46 leaves ; 28cm. Notes: Caption title. Subjects: ~~ Agricultural laborers -- California. Agriculture -- California. Mexican American agricultural laborers. Migrant agricultural laborers -- Mexico. Migrant agricultural laborers -- California. Call numbers: CSL State Lib HD1527 C2 C63 California Non Circ Microfilmed by University of California Library Photographic Service, Berkeley, CA Filmed from hard copy borrowed from California State Library, Sacramento, Calif. FILMED AND PROCESSED BY LIBRARY PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICE, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY, 94720 DATE: 11/00 REDUCTION RATIO: 9 3 of ° 7. 7 3 Yo ., I Vo, WV PM-1 3%"x4” PHOTOGRAPHIC MICROCOPY TARGET NBS 1010a ANSI/ISO #2 EQUIVALENT Se 2s 0 E = =p» = fe l= he fJ20 R ko I IE Er 2 hs ps AN bn COMI'ON LABOR NEEDS OF CALIFORNIA COPS ( With Special Reference to Mexicen Laber ) Teble of Contents. & (/ $Y L Need for Common Labor Kinds of Common Laber Used in Producing Cslifornia crops Kinds of Farm Work Necessitating Use of Common Labor ! Period of Greutest Need for Common Labor Extent of Employment of Common Labor (other than white) by California Farmers Extent of Employment According to questionnuire Returns from Farm Operators Use of Common Labor other than White Lsbor (a) by Localities (vb) by Type of Business (c) by Size of Business Employers' Use of Different Groups for Specific Tcsks Employers' Conception of Satisfactory Lsbor Farm Cper:tors' Re.sons for Using Lubor other than White Employers' Experiences with White Labor for Work now being done by Mexicuns, Filipinos,etc. Farm Operators' Reasons for Not Using Groups other than White Preference of F: rm Operztors for Various Lsbor Groups Employers' Preferences According (a) to Locality (b) to Type of Business (c) to Size of Business Analysis of Employers' Views Concerning Mexican Labor Advantages of Mexicesns as Farm Hands Objections to Mexicans as F:rm Hands continued Table of Contents-continued Employees' Conception of Satisfactory Work Effect Upon Agriculture Generzlly if Mexicans are Placed on a Quota Basis (a) Grouped according to Localities BH) " " Type of Business {¢c) - " " Size of Holdings fa) " " " Specific Farming Operations Increzse in Lubor Needs Increase in Labor Supplies Outlook for Labor Needs of the Immedicte Future Extent of Interest in Common Lzbor Situation Farm Boys as z Potentizl Supply of Lebor Compurison of W.ges Pcaid to Different Groups of L: borers Comparison of Output of Workers Extent of Interest in Mctters Pertsining to Common Lebor Summary, Conclusions, and Suggestions ita lll i ——— ey First Draft of Manuscript of Common Labor in California (with Special Reference to Mexicans) Introduction. The purpose of this publication is to review and weld together certain findings resulting from an extensive survey of the need for common labor in connection with the maintenance and development of Califor- nia agricultural enterprises, with special reference to the Mexican. This requires a consideration of the kind and amount of labor needed by California farmers, when and where this labor is needed, and the best available means, in light of our present knowledge, of getting it. Need for Labor. California producers are growing crops on more than four million acres. This acreage carries crops which require the use of much man.labor in planting, curing and harvesting. The following are such: Classification Acreg* Deciduous Tree Fruits (Mature Orchards) 706,159 Almonds 84,445 Apples 57,106 Apricots 80,710 Cherries 11,521 Peaches 141,936 Pears 56,515 Plums 33,458 Prunes 165,161 Walnuts 75,307 Subtropical Fruits (Mature Orchards) 307,471 Avocados 708 Dates 893 Figs 45,132 Grapefruit 6,223 Lemons ; 43,179 Olives 25,445 Oranges 185,891 (continued) * Most of the data is from"California Crop Report=-1927"U.S.D.A.and State Dept. of Agriculture cooperating. Need for Labor-continued Classification A KA ——_—————————— i —. Grapes (Mature Vineyards) Juice grapes Raisin grapes Table grapes Small Fruits Blackberries Currants Loganberries Raspberries Strawberries Truck crops Artichokes Asparagus Beans (green) Cabbage Carrots Czuliflower Celery Corn(sweet) Cucumbers Lettuce Nelons Cantulpupes Watermelons Onions Peas (green) Rhubarb Spinach Sweet potatoes Tomatoes Field crops Alfalfa Beans (dry field) Corn(Indian) Cotton Hops Peppers Potaotes Rice Sorghums (grain) Sug..r beets Acres 169,017 346,985 144,524 34750 9,940 58,380 3,570 6,400 3,050 8,950 8,850 2,120 76,410 45,720 9,780 9,750 27,500 1,200 12,200 12,000 51,510 1,001,000 296,000 77,000 128,000 6,000 3,725 52,000 160,000 130,000 56,000 660,526 347,330 + sweet corn 1,909,725 (sdd Chilis- to come) Labor is required for the production of other crops not listed above, but not in so large quantities. packing, cleaning, resacking, etc.). It is likewise needed for many special farm operations, such zs preparing products for market (sorting, wrapping und ol EE m—_—_—_—mmhraa——, BR TTI ER Need for Labor-continued An indication of the amount of man labor required to handle specified details of production and harvest is given in the next table for a number of crops. This table, compiled from data collected over a period of years by workers in Farm Management, shows total men labor requirements for the crops specified and operztions indicated without reference to whether the work is done by owner, tenant, members of the operator's femily, by exchange with neighbors, or through the hiring of labor. Crops and operations huve been chosen, however, for which much labor is hired, this labor including Mexicans, Filipinos, Porto Ricans, Japanese, East Indians, Negroes,etc., as well as white. The data ure for mature plantings. They show total man labor needs amounting to thousands of man days for the operations listed. The listing does not include pruning and other care of small fruits, or harvesting small fruits. It does not include a vast amount of man labor needed to plant and care for young orchards, new plantings of alfalfa, hops, asparagus, rhubarb, and other perennial plantings, nor all oper.tions incident to the proper production of the different products listed below. It omits tractor and truck work, and teamsters' work. It is, however, indicative of the tremendous amount of man power (such as thst furnished by Mexicans, Porto Ricens, Filipinos anG others being studied) demanded in the production of di ai Californias products - even though the list be not complete as to enterprises or operations. EL A TA Np BA TE II AOmea Ta Need for Labor-continued Pruning Orchards Almonds Apples Apricots Cherries Figs Grapefruit Lemons Oranges Olives Peaches Pears Plums Prunes Walmuts Pruning Vineyards Collecting and burning brush Orchards Vineyards Planting cantaloupes 0. celery » lettuce " onions (seed) " sweet potatoes n tomatoes Weeding onions Chopping cotton Thinning and push hoeing lettuce Thinning sugar beets Hoeing beans " corn and sorghums " cotton " rhubarb Shocking hay Harvesting almonds Picking ¢pples n apricots " cherries ’ peaches " pears y plums " up prunes Harvesting walnuts 6,755,000 3,768,996 6,457,000 922,000 1,805,280 560,000 3,454,000 16,730,000 1,526,700 14,000,000 5,600,000 2,676,000 11,561,000 1,280,000 Acres 1,013,992 658,528 45,720 8,850 76,410 9,750 12,000 51,510 9,750 128,000 76,410 56,000 296,000 207,000 128,000 12,000 Tonnage 5,624,000 tons 12,000 186,000 208,000 12,000 427,000 181,000 57,000 203,000 48,500 (continued) wl Number Trees Number Vines 372,000,000 \ " A 7" " 1" ”" " Work per MD 120 trees 20 ”" 25 " 160 v 60 ”" 90 ” 30 7" 50 " 20 1" 35 " 25 7" 40 " 30 ”" 15 ” 300 vines 1 acre b acres 5 Li 4/10 ” I on 2/3 " 1000 plants 1/8 acre 20 " iz iz 6 ” 10 " 5 ”" ie 10 tons 300 lbs. 3000 " 1200 " 150 " 1600 " l ton 1500 lbs. 400 " p.4 Tetal number of MD 56,200 188,400 258,300 5,700 30,000 6,400 115,100 334 , 600 76,000 405,500 224,000 66,900 385,400 85,300 1,240,000 1,014,000 131,700 9,140 22,125 30,500 9,750 18,000 51,500 78,000 64,000 152,800 112,000 49,300 20,700 25,600 6,000 - 562,400 80,000 124,000 430,000 160,000 53,300 161,000 266, 600 242,500 Ped Need for Labor-continued Work Totel number Tonnage per MD of MD Picking dates 3,200 tons 225 lbs. 28,600 " figs 12,000 " 800 40,000 " lemons 243,000 " 1750 277,000 " olives 15,500 " 300 " 103,000 " oranges and grapefruit 812,000 " 13 tons 541,000 " grapes (juice) 473,000 " 1 " 315,200 " " (raisin) 285,000 " 1 ton dry . basis 570,000 " " (table) 651,000 ™ 1" 651,000 Cutting asparagus 71,800 " 400 lbs. 359,000 Pulling, trimming, sorting and 1,328,000 Califor- packing celery nia crates 14 crates 97,700 Picking cucumbers 8,087 tons Field harvesting of lettuce 402,000 " 1 ton 402,000. Picking cantalpupes 74657,000 standard crates 40 crates 188,900 " watermelons 62,892 tons 4 tons 13,200 Pulling, topping and sacking onions 79,200 " En 13,800 Picking peas (market) 34,200 250 1bs. 249,600 Picking,washing and packing rhubarb 2,400,000 boxes 12 boxes 200,000 Picking up sweet potatoes 32,400 tons 1% tons 25,900 Picking tomatoes 225,600 " 3" 225,600 " cotton 43,547,000 lbs. 200 lbs. 217,700 " hops 9,900,000 " 250 * 39,600 Picking up,potatoes 238,600 tons Sd tons 79,500 Shocking rice 268,800 " al 33,600 Cutting grainrsorghum heads 121,680 acres 2 acre 162,200 Pulling, topping and loading sugar beets 449,000 " 6 tons 74,800 This table shows California's need for common lubor, "common lzbor" designating non-technical help used for hand work of hoeing, thinning, hand cultivating, picking fruit, pulling, topping, and loading corn, cotton,etc., sugar beets, onions, etc., gathering into field crates of lettuce, cauliflower, cabbage,etc. In this table data are confined solely to requirements for this type of labor when such is employed, omitting tractor drivers and teamsters used in preparing land, planting, and cultivating, znd, finally, in harvesting and hauling off the crops. Because the study is confined to this kind of labor, no reference is made to Mexicans, Porto Ricans, Filipinos,etc.,who may serve as teamsters, range riders, sheep herders,etc.,in connection with the handling and production of beef, dairy products, poultry and poultry products, sheep,wool, and swine. He Pb Need for Labor-continued In order to measure how much common labor must be hired in Califor- nia crop production pertinent data were extracted from 1320 questionnaires returned by farm operators in answer to our search for facts. Of 406,447 acres for which usable dats are available, 301,659 (over 74%) report crops thet demand common labor. To care for this acreage necessitates the regular employ- ment of workers equivalent to 178,775 man months (a man month being the equiva- lent of one man employed for one month), with the need during peek periods (when the greatest need occurs) of an additional 98,759 man months, which is equal to 55.2% of the regular nests, In other words, the regular needs of this group of farm operators call for the equivalent of 14,900 men the year around, plus peak needs equivalent to 16,450 men for six months. By comparing the acreage given by this group with tot:l acreages for the State as shown sbove, some idea can be got of the vast amount of man-power needed by Califor- nia farmers. Kinds of Labor Used in Producing California Crops. To provide the necessary labor for handling soils; caring for trees, vines, and bushes; caring for growing crops; harvesting of the final crops; and for other details incident to a production of sn snnual output estimated at over eleven million tons of field, fruit, and truck crops valued at morc than $474,000,000, necessitates the employing of tens of thousands of men,women,snd children. Growers Aire in addition to themselves and their families a veritable army of hands. They tap whatever supplies of workers willing and able to do the different tasks involved in $o great a farm production. This .me&ns gfoups of rhitecworkers, besides generous use of Mexicans and Japanese and some use of Filipinos, Porto Ricans, Chinese, Negroes, East Indians, American Indizns, “Bw 1] | 3 i] 1 ERY FIRE NR a ER VO SRE) Kinds of Labor Used in Producing California Crops-continued Armenians, Portugese, Italians, Greeks, and on through « long list of races and nationalities. Groups Selected for Study. hand labor (or"stoop" labor, as it is sometimes called). In this study attention is centered on Mexicans, Porto Ricuns, Filipinos, East Indians, Japanese, Chinese, and Negroes us these are employed by California growers for the major tasks necessitating the employment of The Japanese, Porto Ricans, Chinese, East Indians and Negroes are of minor importance because of unavailability due to smallness of total numbers or engagement in other occupa- tions. Greatest attention, therefore, centers on Mexicans and Filipinos, who have,during the past few years, become of increasing importance as farm labor. Kinds of Farm Work Necessitating Use of Common Labor. and field tasks: In the many operatioms required in the production of fruits, truck, crops, common labor is amtilized in large numbers for the following General Farm Work. Driving team Plowing Cultivating Planting Scraping and checking land Tractor driving Irrigating Cutting and shocking hey Hoeing Weed eradicetion Wood cutting Building fences Orchard Work Milking and dairy work Piling rocks Clearing land Tending pumps Riding range Digging ditches Laying pipe Hauling stoges and mamure Ranch hands Sheep shearing Filling silos Setting out and Cere of Young Orchards. Spading Planting Irriguting Whitewzshing Almonds Pruning znd burning brush Cultivating Irrigating Smudg ing (continued¥ ule Cultivating Hoeing - Budding Grafting Knocking Sorting Hulling Sacking | | | | j | | | Kinds of Farm Work Necessitating Use of Common Labor-continued Planting Pruning and burning brush Suckering Cultivating Thinning Pruning and brush turning Cultivating Weeding Thinning Cultivating Irrigating Rarvesting Picking Packing Pollinating Thinning Cultivating Pruning and burning brush Cultivating Apricots Irrigating Hoe ing Picking Pitting Drying Apples Picking Sorting Packing Avocados Cherries Dates Irrigating Picking Irrigating Picking Grape Fruit Fumigating Pruning Cultivating Fumigating Pruning and brush burning Cultivating Smudging Weeding Pruning and burning brush Picking Fumigating Smudging Pruning Cultivating Hoeing Trenching trees Irrigating Picking Packing Picking Grading Washing Packing Caring for heaters Olives Oranges Irrigating Picking Washing Grading Packing Caring for heaters (continued) wu eR SR AE RP SE CEU oem Ce SS Se a SP RR be dee Kinds of Farm Work Necessitating Use of Commom Labor-continued Peaches Pruning and brush burning Irrigating Thinning Cultivating Hoeing Picking Picking Drying Boxing Pecans Pears Pruning and burning brush Spraying Cultivating Irrigating Cutting out blight Picking Packing Plums Pruning and brush burning Picking Cultivating Irrigating Picking Picking Drying Cultivating Irrigating Picking Drying Planting Thinning Suckering Spraying Irrigating Tying Hoeing weeds Sulphurisg Picking Weeding Cultivating Pulling trees Cultivating Hoeing Irrigating Weeding Sorting Packing Pomegranates Prunes Walnuts Pruning and burning brush Hulling Fertilizing Hoeing weeds Shaking and poling trees Sacking Vineyard Work Pruning and burning brush Cultivating Picking for drying and shipping Tray work Drying Boxing raisins Loading Trucking Preparing grape cuttings Small Fruits Berries Nursery Cleaning, sorting and bundling "Budding Training Field Crops Beans Picking Piling Cleaning (cont inued) “le SRL Pe SHER SS TNIEREE FT S SESSR SEER Bi SEER UE SEES SSS aaa EC Pr Bp ARE EY SRR Kinds of Farm Work Necessitating Use of Common Labor-continued Corn (Indian) Hoeing Cukting Irrigating Filling silos Suckering Cotton Planting Chopping Weeding Cultivating Irrigating Picking : Grain Sorghums Planting Hoeing Cultivating Cutting Irrigating Guayule Hay (Alfalfa and Grain) Planting ; Shocking Irrigating Hauling Mowing Stacking Raking Hoeing Pruning Grubbing Training Picking Tying Hoeing Picking Spraying Packing Irrigating Peppers Hoeing Thinning Picking Potatoes Preparing seed Digging Planting Picking up Cultivating Sorting Weeding Sacking Irrigating Rice Irrigating Cutting grain Weeding Shocking Sugar Beets Thinning Topping Hoeing Loading Pulling Sunflowers Topping Loading Vegetable Seed Growing Planting ~ Irrifating Cultivating Harvesting (continued) «10- foo] en Ir a. ii BR Kinds of Farm Work Necessitating Use of Common Lsbor-contimued Truck Crops Asparagus © Planting Cultivating Irrigating Hoe irg Cutting Grading Weshing Pucking Cantaloupes ¢nd other Melons Weeding Hoeing Cultivating Irri¢ ating Celery Growing rlants Planting Cultivating Irrigating Planting Cultivating Irrigating Lettuce Planting Cultivating Irrijating Setting Cultivating Weeding Irrig.ting Spinach Planting Irri¢: ting Weeding Picking Sorting Packing Weeding Harvesting Sorting Packing Thinning Cutting Packing Thinning Cuvting Crating Pulling Topping Crating Cultivating Harvesting Sweet Potatoes Planting Tom: toes Raising plants Planting Cultivaring Harvesting Hoeing Irrigating Picking Se SEARS Ts HR EST EE SRT PRE RE ES Sl EE SS CLEARER EES Period of Need for Common Labor. The need for common labor by California farm operators fluctuates during the year. This is due to the seasonal nature of many of the operations incident to the production of most crops of high man-labor requirements. There are certain time limits within which the work must be done. This applies to pruning, to spray- ing, to planting time, to soil handling, and particularly to the harvesting of per- ishable crops, truck «nd fruit being heavily represented in the list of perishables. This point is illustrated in the following table of selected operations lle Periods of Need for Common Labor-continued Pruning decidupus fruit and mut trees " Citrus trees (Valencia oranges and lemons) (Navel oranges and grapefruit) ” i ”" n olive trees n bush fruits n grapes Planting cantaloupes and other melons: Imperial Valley Other sections » celery " beans " cotton " onions " sweet potatoes " sugar beets " tomatoes Chopping cotton Thinning peaches and apricots " sugar beets Picking currants Harvesting almonds . Picking apricots n cherries " peaches n pears " plums Picking up prunes " grapes " olives " lemons " oranges (bulk of picking) Harvesting walnuts Picking cotton n hops Harvesting potatoes " rice " grain sorghums sugar beets Cutting asparagus ”" Harvesting celery cucumbers Picking peas Harvesting cantaloupes Imperial Valley Other sections ” -] Cw (continued) showing the time limits (generally for the State) when these tasks must be performed in order to insure best results: December, January, February. May, June: Awust, September. February, March, April. December, January, February. July, August,September,October. December, January, February. December, Jamuary,February,March March, April, May. June, July. April May Varch, April November to April (inclusive) April, May, June. January, February, March April, May lay, June April March, April, May May, June August 20 to September 30. June, July May 15 to June 30. August, September August 15 to 31, September May, June, July August 15 to September 30 July, August, September lay, June, July, August, September, October July, August, September November 15, December ,January, February, March, April,May 15. September, October. September,October, November, December, Jamary August 15 to September July; September, October September, October, November 1 te 15. September, October August, September, October February 15, March,April, May, "June, July. November, December, January July,August, September March,April, lay May ,June, July 1 to 20. July, Auguste. Periods of Need for Common Labor-contimued Harvesting melons other than cantaloupes Imperial Valley May, June, July, August Other sections July 15 to 30, August,September, October sweet potatoes August, September, October, November Picking tomatoes July, August, September, October. Questionnaires returned by farm operators, mumerous enough to serve as a cross section, yield the following tabulation to show how oustanding is the need of labor when several operations must be performed at a single given time - i.e., the time of "peak" need. Total number of records used in this calculation ~- 768 Total mumber of man months employed by these 768 farm operators ——— 88,275 Classificiation of this labor by months (messured as mam months;- that is, one man employed for one month constitutes one man month; thus if three men are employed for two months the use amounts to six man months; if two men are employed for three months and one man for twelve months the use amounts to 18 man months): Use of Labor Man Percentage months of total January 3,627 February 3,764 March 6,601 April 6,370 May 7,716 June 7,479 July 11,700 August 8,178 September 12,733 Cctober 8,852 November 6,951 December 4,304 ry © oe °° 9 oo OWOMMLMPHL» IMO LAH = BNC POL Oo IPP ® > It is evident, from these data, that the slack need for men occurs in December, Jamuary, &nd February. The need in March,April,May, and June, and in November, is over 90 per cent greater than in the slack time. The period of greatest need is July, August,September, and October, with nearly three times the need of the slack period. September is outstending in its requirement of farm labor. Extent of Employment of Common Labor(other than white , by Californie Farmers. In order to collect data concerning the use of common labor other than white workers by California farmers, u questionnaire was submitted to 5166 farm operators in ull parts of California. The inquiry was aimed to develop information concerning the use of Mexicans, Filipinos, Porto Ricans, =] 3- Rr Sms WEES ESTE SES (ESE Extent of Employment of Common Labor (other then white)by California Fsrmers~-contimued Japanese, Bast Indians, Chinese, and Negroes. The lists of names to whom this questionnaire was submitted were drawn from the membership lists of the various agricultural cooper.tive asso- cic tions in the State, supplemented by carefully selected lists of representative growers for products not covered by cooperstive organizations. In addition to the canvass of farm opersztors, questionnazires were submitted to 92 secretaries of California Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade: to 50 Horticultursl Com- missioners belonging to the agricultural counties; to 460 chairmen of the various farm centers of the California Farm Bureau Federation; and to 42 presidents of the County Farm Buresus. From a total of 139% replies from fermers, 55 replies from gecreturies of Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade, 27 replies from Horti- cultural Commissioners, and 143 replies from presidents and chairmen of Califor- nia Farm Bureau Federution farm centers, supplemented by field studies, it is possible to obtain a rather definite idea of the extent to which these people are used. The returns from the 1320 farm operators apply to & total of 458,357 acres including the followirg : Deciduous Tree Fruits 82,871 acres Almonds 14,142 acres Apples },021 + Apricots : 5,686 Cherries 442 Figs 1,448 Nectarines 25 Peaches 15,2566 Pears 5,650 Plums 829 Prunes 15,467 Welnuts 8,485 Various (not differ- entiated) 19,421 Subtropical Fruits 116,825 acres Avocados 3,147 Dates 709 Grapefruit 4,436 Lemons 26,705 Olives 1,531 Oranges 80,297 Grapes 26,699 acres Small Fruits 43 Bush fruits d Strawberries 20 Field Crops 124,493 Alfalfa 15,470 Beans 19,090 Corn(maize and sorghums ) 3,059 Cetton 11,740 Grain(barley,wheat, outs) 4€,846 (continued) lle Extent of Employment of Common Labor (ether thsn white) by Californie Farmers-cohtinued. Hay (other than glfalfa 5,754 acres Hops 30 " Potatoes 1,076 " Rice 19,085 Sugar beets S44 Truck Crops 38,187 acres Asparagus 9,250 Lettuce 4,509 Melons 6,567 : Onions 458 Tome toes 411 Miscellaneous (not differentinuted) 16,592 Miscellaneous 49,586 acres Mursery stock 7 Pasture 36,848 Others 12,731 Extent of Employment According to Questionnaire Returns from Furm Oper: tors In 1287 returns giving dats concerning employment, 27 stated that they hired no help, while 330 more stated thut they used none of the groups under consideration,i.c.,llexic: ns, Filipinos, Jupunese, Chinese, Porto Ricans, East Indi:ns, &nd Negroes. The mumber employing some one or more of these groups was 930. The replies from these 930 employing form operators indicated use of the different groups :s follows: Mexicans by 814 operators Japunese " 247 " Filipinos 194 Chinese 52 Egast InGiuns 48 Negroes 13) Porto Ric: ns 18 A study of the returns permits conclusions reg: rding the use of common 1:bor, (a) according to verious localities;(b) according to type of business, and (c¢) according to size of farms. Use of Common Labor other than White Labor by Locclities.* The greatest nse of common labor (other than white lsbor) is shown in the following table made up from 891 records: Table showing, in precenteges of replies, use of common lebor other than white, grouped according to locslities: Porto Fili- Japan- Mexican Ricun Chinese Negro pino ese Hindu Imperial and Coachella Valleys 75 Southern California 84 Central Coast 47 Northern Coast 36 Sacramento Valley 32 San Joaquin Valley 56 fountain and Desert 21 *Less than 1% The segregation as made above shows that the use of liexicans is of outstanding importance in the Imperial and Coachella Valleys and in southern California generally. The Negro is second. The use of labor in the Coast sections and the San Joaquin Valley shows that Japanese are a close second to Mexicans, with a generous use of Filipinos (in third place), and some use of Chinese. The Sacramento Valley shows a greater use of Jupanese than is reported for any of the other sections except the mountain and desert group; and the latter is relatively unimportant. In the Sacramento Valley the Japanese are a close second to the Mexicans, while the use of Hindus shows a marked gain. The locality classification as used in these various tables is arbitrary, follows: Imperial and Coschells Vulleys, consisting of Imperizl County and the Coachella Valley in Riverside County. Southern California, consisting of the counties of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino (eustern portion), Riverside County (eastern portion), and 8an Diego. Central Coast counties,i.e.,Contrs Costs, Alameds, Santas Clar:, San Benito, Santzs Cruz, Monterey, :nd San Luis Obispo. Northern Coast counties, i.e.,lzrin, Nupz, Solano, Sonoma, Mendocino, Humboldt, anc Trinity. Sacremento Vulley, consisting of Shasts, Tehema, Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba, and Sacremento counties. San Joaquin Velley, consisting of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Kern counties. The mount-inous or desert counties, i.e.,Placer, El Dorudo, Inyo, Mono, Mariposa, Amudor, Alpine, Culeveras, Sierra, Plumas, Lassen, liodoc, Siskiyou, and Nevado. wl bw Use of Common Labor other than White Labor by Localities-continued In all sections the use of Mexicans is outstanding, and with one exception it is first in importance. Other groups occupy various positions. The Negro is important in Imperial and Coachella Valleys; the Porto Rican in the central coast counties only; the Chinese in the northern coast counties; the Filipino and the Japanese in central and northern California; anc the Hindu in the Sacramento Valley and tributary territories. The whole numbers of times that uses of different groups were reported (and here is the basis of our calculations) were as follows: Imperial anc Coachella Valleys 27 Southern California 405 Central Coast 134 Northern " 87 Sacramento Valley 196 San Joaquin Valley . 503 Mountuin and Desert 27 In connection with locality uses of and preferences for specific groups of farm labor, attention is c:lled to the fact thot localities include such areas as the Imperisl Valley, the Coachella Valley, the Szcramento River delta, and the San Joaquin River delta. These areas are the grezt trucking centers of the Stcte. Imperisl Valley, for instunce, comprises 515,000 irrigible acres in the southernmost part of the Stezte, and on this v. st ares produced in 1927 crops as follows: 1927 Crops Acres Alfalfa 168,210 Asparagus 2,642 Barley 47,022 Cantaloupes 56,121 Cotton 16,102 Grapefruit 6,941 Grapes 9,865 Lettuce O04 4,297 Milo Maize 94,106 Peas 4,621 Rice 4,450 Spinach 365 Strawberries 250 Summer 8Squésh 960 Small Truck Crops 5,600 Tomatoes 1,242 Watermelons 4,90C Wheat 4,082 (continued) Use of Common Labor other than White Labor by Locealities-contimed Fruit Trees Number (Bearing and non-bearing) Apricot 1,260 Date 4,039 Fig 615 Lemon 212 Olive 1,780 Orange 13,020 Peach 168 Pear 1,200 Plum 316 Prune 188 Tangerine 4,200 Imperial Valley acreages in 1927 were over 12% of the total cotton acreage of the 3tatej over 16% of the total alfalfa and pea acreages of the State; over 26% of the total milo acreage; over 44% of the total lettuce acreage; over 50% of the total watermelon; and over 78% of the total cantaloupe acreage. Similarly, the Coachella Valley is an irrigable area of about 60,000 acres gross, lying in central Riverside County, including Grapefruit 415 acres (bearing) " Dates 718." Cotton : 1600 " Onions 3200 " Miscellaneous truck 500 " " The bearing acreage of dates in Coachella for the year 1927 is over 80% of the total bearing acreage of the State, while onions comprise over 32% of the total State acreage. In addition are plantings of table grapes,alfalfa, lettuce, and figs. The confluence of the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers, together with the flow of the Mokelumne and Calaveras Rivers from the south and the Feather and Bear Rivers from the north, forms a vast territory known as "The Delta’ Its area is difficul , to determine, since the boundaries are not well defined, but it runs into tens of thousands of acres. Here are produced vast amounts of sucar beets, onions, lettuce, celery, potatoes, corn, and other truck and field Crops. If the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta be conceived as the area bounded by a line starting at Clarksburg in the sacramento River, thence running east to the high land on the opposite bunk, thence running, generally south and a little east to Stockton, thence swinging in & curve southwest and north to the vicinity of Tracy and Antioch to Collinsville, thence north and east in a meandering line to point of beginning, the estimates of crops and acreages Use of Common Labor other than White Labor by Localities-continued indicate a situation about as follows: Crop Acres Earley,wheat, oats(hay and grain) 43,000 Potatoes 26,750 Sugar beets 26,250 Corn 25,270 Beans 24,700 Alfalfa 13,350 Asparagus 9,950 Celery 7,855 Onions 5,450 Sunflowers 3,500 Peas 2,850 Cucumbers 2,000 Orchards 3,300 Miscellaneous (vegetable seeds,garden truck, cabbage, lettuce, mint,hops,melons, tom- atoes,etc.) 1,100 In percentages, this area contains over 50% of the total potato acreage of the State; over 33% of the total corn acreage; over 88, of the celery acreage;OvVer 17% of the asparagus acreage; over 55% of the énion acreage; over 46% of the sugar beet acreage; over 945, of the cucumber acreage; and 13% of the pea acreage. Because of the importance of the agriculture of the districts just described to the total agriculture of the State, opinions of growers operating in these areas as to the need for Mexican or other common labor should carry considerable weight. ¥Wse of Common Labor other than White According to Type of Busimess. The greatest dependence on common labor (other than white) in the pro- duction of all crops is placed upon Mexicans. This is shown in percentages in the following tsble (based on 993 records): Forto Fili- Japan- Mexican Rican Chinese Negro pino ese Hindu Deciduous Fruit 51% 2% 5% % 15% 21% a% Grapes 550 * 5% % 3% 20% 4% Citrus Fruits 76% * 2% 2 12% 7% % Field crops 60% 1% 5% 5 12% 14% 4% Truck crops 63% 0 2% ; 14% 15% 4% Diversified 61% 35 %o Vi 167 Go 6% Nuts : 71% * 295 oa 8% 16: 1% *Less than 15 p20 Use of Common Labor other than White According to Type of Business-continued Thus in every industry revresented in the answers to our questionnaires, the employment of Mexicans is recorded in more than half the total number of times that the use of different groups is reported. The use of Mexicans is particular- ly marked in the production and care of citrus fruits and orchards, and of nuts and mut trees, and in the production of truck and fielc crops. The use of Japan~ ese is greatest in the production of deciduous fruits, including nuts and grapes, and in truck and field crops. The use of Filipinos is fairly well distributed over the entire field of agriculture. The use of Chinese is in the deciduous fruit,and in the grape and field crop enterprises. The use of Porto Ricans, Negroes, and Hindus is hardly enough of a factor to warrant analysis, in connec- tion with the reports thet form the basis of this table. It would appear, from the tabulated data, that the Mexicans are a paramount necessity in the present production of all crops, their use being re- ported as far and above that of any other gromp. Evidently the present frend of employment is in the direction of more Mexicans in all lines, with a continued attempt to secure Japanese whenever these are available, with & general use of Filipinos, but with & restricted use of Porto Ricans, Negroes, and Hindus. The total numbers of times that each labor group appeared in the returns where as follows: Deciduous fruits 628 Grapes 506 Citrus fruits 220 Field crops 459 Truck crops 45 Diversified farming 129 Nuts 174 Use of Common Labor other than White Labor by Size of Business. A study of common labor (other then white) based on sizes of the farm business indicates greatest use of Mexicans. This is shown as percentages in the tabulc tinge below of 891 records: Porto Fili- Japan- Size of Farm Mexican Rican Chinese Negro ese Hindu 5-19 acres 75% 1% 27 14 17% 0% Ww Ww 20-39 " 71% 1% 4% : 14% 40-79 " 63% 1% 25 2% ; 17% 2% 80 acres and over 53% 25 45 2% i 18% 5% *Legs than 1% This teble shows that the use of Mexicsns is proportionally greater on the smaller-sized farms. The use of other peoples than Mexicans according to size of farms is set forth in the table. Next to Mexicans the Japanese are employed the greztest number of times irrespective of farm size. Use of the Use of Common Labor other than White Labor by Size of Business~-continued Filipino tends to increase as the size of the farm business increases. It is somewhat remarkable, the rapidity with which the employment of the Filipine increases with the size of the business; and, conversely, the small amount of his employment by operators on small acreages. Porto Rican, Chinese, Negro, and Hindu labor, while relatively unimportant, is largely confined to the large holdings. The whole numbers of times that each group was used, as shown by the reports entering into this tabulation, were as follows: 5-19 acres 86 20-39 " 193 40-79 " 229 80 acres and over 875 Employers' Use of Different Groups for Specific Tasks. Employers who have had experience with several sorts of labor find that different tasks can best be performed by different groups. Thus a number of sugar beet growers prefer Filipinos for thinning, and Mexicans for pulling, topping, and loading; some rice growers prefer white labor for binding, but Mexicans or East Indians for shocking; some almond growers will use Mexicans for hoeing and weeding but prefer whites in the harvest; orchardists tend to favor Mexicans for picking, but Japanese for pruning; grape growers give Mexicans as their first choice for picking, with Japanese a second and Filipinos a third choice; for pruning, grape men place Japanese first; the great majority of citrus growers prefer Mexicans for picking; one tomato grower prefers Japanese in grow- ing the plants but Filipinos for picking; one orchardist selects whites for picking apricots but Mexicans for knocking almonds; another employer uses Mexi- cans for teaming, irrigating, and harvesting corn and fruit, but employs Japan- ese for pruning orchard trees and packing fruit; another prefers Mexicans for grapes and figs and whites for drying peaches; another prefers whites for teaming, tractor work, and pruning, but uses Mexicans for hoeing and piling beans and for general ranch work; another uses Negroes for teaming, tractor, and general land work, with Mexicans for picking walnuts, oranges, and lemons; another uses Mexi~- cans for orange picking and Japanese for olive harvest. Carrying this study forward another step, it is interesting to note the use of different classes, Stanislaus county growers appear to favor Mexicans, Porto Ricans, or Filipinos, for thinning peaches, and picking peaches and grapes, but prefer Japanese for melon work; in Santa Clara county Japanese are preferred as laborers for seed farms. Employers' Conception of Satisfactory Labor. The preceding paragraphs have shown the need of an available labor supply able and willing to do the work egsentisl to industry and crop production. What, now, do employers consider satisfactory labor to be? The specifications that follow come from many employers. No order is observed, since views differ and the half dozen outstanding requirements of one employer will not be the half dozen of another. Employers do not agree upon any -21= D+R2 Employers' Conception of Satisfactory Labor.-continued gingle type of labor as best, because the individual employer's opinion reflects all his own contacts, demands, ideals, capacity for sympathy and charitableness, command of funds, experience of the worker's attitude towards fellow~workers,etc., and between no two employers are such factors just the same in either kind or degree. The following list is, however, sug: estive: 1.Willingness to take wages employer feels he can pay. The farmer recognizes differences of wage scale as between the farm, railroad maintenance of way and car-cleaning,ware- house jobs, unskilled and semi-skilled town jobs, road, logging, and construction camps, and the like. What he must pay is governed in part by wages prevailing in industries competing in the same labor market as his ownj what he can pay is governed by the size of his business,i.e., by the amount of production he csn obtain with his knowledge and equipment. And his pro- duction, in turn, is influenced heavily by weather, pests, and other factors beyond his control, by the prices at which he must sell, and by the proportion of gross income that he can afford to pay for labor. 2.Willingness to put up with the housing provided. Employers of large numbers for some short period,e.g.,two weeks to two months, feel unable to supply living quarters as durable and otherwise satisfactory as they could if their labor need were year-long. Others think employees do not in general appreciate better housing enough to warrant such in- vestments. 5.Willingness to accept the board furnished. 4, Ability to do the work, to"deliver®s skill in eperations; in short, dependability. 5.,Physical capacity, physical adequacy for the job. 6. Freedom from communicable disezse. 7.Willingness to do the job set. 8.30me initiative. 9. Morality - at least to the safegucrding of women and children. 10,If a married man, & wife to fit in with the ranch groupe. 11 .Kindness to animals. imployers' Conception of Satisfactory Labor = contimied 12. Carefulness with equipment. 13. Loyslty. 14. Willingness to stick until the work or season is done. 15. A labor market as cheap as possible with respect to cash wages. 16. A supply great enough to make for quick replacements without undue interference with the progress of the job, 17. Availability. Farm Operators' Rewsons for Using Lebor other than Whites The dozen predomin:zting reasons why furm operators employ Mexican, Filipino, Japanese, etc., in place of white labor ure us follows, the number indicating times thct the particular reply was givens Available 328 times Dependable 119" Not enough white help 60 Work at tasks repugnent to white workers 55 Better workers 42 Stay with Jjoh 37 More satisfactory 33 Cheaper 24 Steady 19 More efficient 16 Stand heat better 14 Willing 11 Other ressons advanced, though only in limited numbers, once, twice, or up to a dozen times, center on such things us that they board selves, house selves, furnish own trunsportation, are more reasonable, seek work, work Sundays, mind own affairs, follow instructions, &re not liable to strike, are better adapted, take short period jobs, are trauctzble, intelligent, and industrious. Thus the employers who favor the use of groups other than white labor find in them as closer zpproach to five outstanding requirements that employers have constantly in mind, these being: Availability Capability Dependability Tractability Economicalness “2B Employers' Experiences with White Labor for Work now Being Done by Mexicans, Filipinos,etc. A compilation of the experiences of employing farm operators with white labor doing work for which Mexicans, Filipinos, and others of the groups under study are frequently hired, covers a wide variety of reasons for preferring the non-white groups. Conspicuous is the objection that white labor will not stay with the job = th.t it is given to leaving at any time, owing , as many beliowe, to a roving disposition. Fully 25% of the various reasons advanced center in this one thing alone. Closely associated, in number of times advanced, is the statement that white labor is unsatisfactory because it is inefficient, shiftless, slow, lazy, and unreliable. Nearly 25% of the views so state. And of those nearly half add that the Mexicans or Japanese, or some other indicated group, is superior in their workmanship and general satisfactoriness. The next reason, in order of numbers of times advance, is the difficulty of getting white labor when needed. Ten per cent of the reasons stress non-availability. In the experience of ten per cent of the employers, white labor is unsble to, or will not, do "stoop" labor, usually because of the nature of the work but at times because of heat or other adverse working conditions. Five per cent find white labor too costly. Other reasons advanced cover: bad habits; unwillingness to follow instruotions; more exacting as to working and living conditions; sensitive; tend to "stir up trouble"; and liable to strike when employer needs all the help he can get. Farm Operators' Reasons for NOT Using Groups Other than White. Farm operators who hire men give the following reasons for not em-~ ploying these groups. (We present this, like the above set of reasons, merely to show what farmers are thinking, without any attempt on our part to draw con- clusions): Sufficient white help 119 times Prefer white men 62 White help superior 21 Not available 16 Dislike them 16 De not need them 13 Thieving 12 Inability to comprehend 10 ; Other reasons, given a few times, center on such items as: ignorant, tequire close supervision, poor workers, lazy, unhygienic, dirty, legs faithful, lack interest, clannish, tend to create friction with white workers. Preference of Farm Operstors for Various Kinds of Labor. In order to determine employers' preferences for the various groups under study, replies from 669 employing farm operators, complete enough to be tabulated, were assembled with the following results: Preferences of Farm Operators for Various Kinds of Labor.-continued Preferences (in. order Proportion of total of frequency in replies) Number replies - percentage For: Mexicans 323 35.7 % Whites 185 20.5 % Japanese 134 14. Filipinos 64 Chinese 33 East Indians 20 Negroes 14 Porto Ricans 2 Mexicans or Japanese 29 Whites or Mexicans 19 Mexicans or Filipinos 15 Filipinos or Japanese 11 Whites or Japanese Mexicans or Negroes Chinese or Japanese Mexicans or East Indians Mexicans or Chinese Japanese or East Indians Whites or East Indians Whites or Filipinos Filipinos or East Indians Filipinos or Chinese Whites or Chinese Whites,Mexicans or Japanese Mexiczns, Filipinos, or Japanese Whites,Japanese, or East Indians 2 2 Filipinos, Japanese, or East Indians 2 2 Whites, Mexicusns,or Irferoiiu Negroes 1 ol Whites, llexicans, or Porto Ricans l ol Mexicsns, Chinese, or Japanese 1 ol % Mexicens, Filipinos, or Chinese ol Mexicans, Ezst Indians, or Negroes ol Mexicans, Filipinos, or Ezst Indians ol Filipinos, Chinese, Japan- ese, or East Indians ol Mexicans, Filipinos,Japan- ese, or Chinese ol Whites ,Filipinos,Japan- ese, or East Indians ol % 904 99.7 7 : on HEFHFFEFMDO® OOO P«R6 Preferences of Farm Operstora for Various Kinds of Labor-contimued According to preferences as expressed by this group of farm operators = and the group is probably a typical cross section of the employing farmers of California - the dominant desire for labor able to handle the common tasks incident to the production of crops requiring considerable men labor is for some group other than white. This is shown with considerable force when the different opinions are weighted in order to include the double, triple, or quadruple replies. Total preferences 703 Total favoring use of white labor 169 24% Total favoring use of some group other than white laber 534 76% An interesting development of this study is the showing of a marked preference for the Mexican above any other single group (aside from the white) that farm operators deem suited to their requirements. This is shown statistically below. Extent of Preferences Number Percentage Mexicans 303 53.0 % Japanese 126 224 % Filipinos 65 11.4 % Chire se 31 5.4 % Negroes 23 4.¢ % East Indians 20 3.5 % Porto Ricans 2 3% Totals B72 100.0 % According to operators' experiences (which may not include extensive use of the last four groups and hence limit the expressions concerning these types), preferences are definitely for Mexicans, then for Japanese, followed by Filipinos. The data shown above concern the employing farmers taken as & group. A further reclassification to show the effect upen opinions of (a) locality, (b) type of business, and (c) size of holdings, is likewise interesting and illuminating. Employers' Preferences According to Locality. The following table classifies employers' preferences according to the locality where they are operating: Employers' Preferences in Percentuge Number of Mexi- Fili- Porto Chin- Japan- East Neg- Locality Records White can pino Rican ese ese Indian TO Imperial and % % % j % % Coachella Valleys 21 42 46 @ 8 Southern California 213 23 65 4 3 San Joaquin Valley 214 19 42 11 20 Sacramento Valley 94 26 24 12 27 Central coast counties 63 42 R27 7 18 North coast counties 51 14 25 7 31 Mountain and desert 13 27 11 © 22 NNER ON OOH OWLGHOW — -26= RG a RE RS 500 p27 Employers' Preferences According to Locality-continued According to the findings set forth in this tuble, farm operatorz of Imperial and Coachella Valleys are mostly in fuvor of whites or Mexicans; opera-~ tors in the rest of southern Californis conspicuously favor Mexicans, with pre- ferences for whites secondary, and with but a minor preference for any of the other groups. Operators in the San Joaquin Vulley report a majority preference for Mexicans, with Japanese as second choice, whites third, anc Filipinos fourth. In the Sacramento Valley the first choice of operators is for either whites, Japan- ese, or Mexicans, with Filipinos fourth and East Indians in fifth place. Fmploy- ing farmers of the central coast counties appear to favor markedly whites above the other groups, with Mexicans in second place, Japanese third, snd Filipino fourth. Those of the northern coast counties prefer Japanese to the other groups, with Mexicans second, whites third, and Filipinos fourth. In the mountain and desert counties - with but a preferences reported - whites are first, Japanese second choice, East Indians third,Mexicuns fourth, and Filipinos fifth. The above table is valuable in that it tends to crystallize ideas concerning the localities where labor other thun white is preferred, and to stress the localities where the preference for white labor predominates. Employars' Preferences According to Type of Business. The next table was prepered to show the preferences of employing farm sperators according to the types of business. Here again attention is confined to the four groups of whites, Mexicans, Filipinos, Japanese and other groupsi Replies were included which indicated but a single preference in each case; double, triple or quadruple opinions being ignored in the preparation of this table: Number Employers' Preferences (Percentages)For Type of Ferming of Whites Mexicans Filipinos Japanese Replies % % % % Deciduous tree fruits 119 47 33 4 16 Grapes 39 15 55 16 15 Subtropical fruits 49 8 86 4 2 Diversified (combinations of fruits,truck and field crops) 190 28 53 4 15 The findings set forth in this table indicate that for subtropical fruits, grapes, and diversified farming, the outstanding preference is for Mexicans. Growers of deciduous fruits stress whites as first choice, with Mexi- cans second, and Japanese third. The next choice of the reporting grape growers, after Mexicans, is divided among whites, Japanese, and Filipinos. The succeed- ing choices of the subtropical fruit men(and these choices are small in number) are for whites, Filipinos, and Japanese, in this order. The succeeding choices of the operators handling diversified enterprises are, in order, whites,Japan- ese, and Filipinos. Employers' Preferences According to Size of Business. The table which follows is designed to show preferences of employing farm operators classified according to the size of farm with which each is con- cerned. In this classification attention obviously centers on the desire for I Employers' Preferences According to Size of Business-continued whites,Mexicans, Filipinos, and Japanese. The table is built from 45€ replies indicating but a single preferences, (double, triple, and quadruple preferences being ignored). Size of Farm Number Employers' Preferences in Percentages Business of Whites Mexi- Fili- Japan- Porto Chin- (acres) replies cans pinos ese Ricans Hindus ese Negroes Less than 20 46 59 29 0 10 0 20 to 40 84 39 45 5 8 0 40 to 80 106 31 41 8 13 3 Over 80 222 17 55 5 18 4 This table is particularly illuminating in that it shows a marked preference for white labor on the part of the employers operating small acreages, with a regular decrease ia preference as the size of the business increases. Coincident with the decreasing desire for whites ss the size of the business enl arges, there follows 2 fairly regular incre:sing preference for Mexicans, a fairly reguler increasing preference for Japanese and Negroes, and an irregular preference for Filipinos and Chinese. It is apparently safe to conclude that the preference for labor other than whites grows with the size of the business. Analysis of Employers' Views Concerning Mexican Labor. In the preceding section, ressons were set forth as to why farm operators in Californis either do or do not hire some group other than white workers. The opinions dealt with all groups. In order to get at the views of employing farm operators, a specizl inquiry was msde to determine the sdvantages of and objections to Mexicans as a source of common labore. The views expressed are given below under headings: (a) Advantages of Mexicans as fsrm hands. (b) Objections to Mexicans 2s farm hands. The listing follows in the order of the greatest number of times that each statement was given by employing farm operators. Advantages of liexicens as Farm Hands. The striking advantages of Mexicans as farm hands are their availability in numbers when needed snd their characteristic of staying with the job. lore than 256% of the various opinions put emphasis on availability. "Staying with the job" made up 10% of the opinions. From this point the list dropped on down Advantages of Mexicans as Farm Hands-continued. through such advantages as: Dependable, steady, and reliable. Good workers and willing to work. Adapted to, can znd will do, stoop labor. Willing to work. Move off when not needed. Cheaper. Less trouble. Board and house themselves. Experienced. Tractable and cheerful. Easily satisfied. Will follow instructions. Can stand heat. Require less watching. Will do work by contract. Objections to Mexicans as Furm Hands. A number of objections to Mexicans as farm hands are advanced by employing farm operators. Sometires one employer gives both good and bad points, but usually each individual statement contains only advantages or objections. Of a total of 543 opinions setting forth both favorable and unfavorable reactions, 288 were of a favorable and 255 of an unfavoreble nature. These figures apply to the number of opinions advanced and not to the mumber of reporting employers. Marked among the objections are: Require herding, driving, and constant watching. Dirty. Lazy. Slow. Unreliable. Limited intelligence. Thieving. Untrustworthy and tricky. Dishonest. Other objections, in order of relative importance, but less frequently mentioned than items of the list given above,put stress on: Not thorough. Disessed., Bad habits. Too many children. Not dependable. Strike readily. Lack sense of d.ty and responsibility. Fail to comprehend and follow orders. Empl oyees' Conception of Satisfactory Work. Analysis of satisfactory work from the employee point of view is as enlightening as from the employer point of view. It reflects, however, the same divergence of opinions. Contributed by workers and by others closely associated with employee interests, the following list is not necessarily complete, and is presented without attempt at order. Some workers hold to be most important certain factors of employment that others hold to be less important, opinions reflecting personal experiences, contacts,ideas, ideals, and goals. The American (the"Nordic") tends to be interested primarily in working conditions and the work itself. Given choice between high wages with poor living conditions and fair wages with good living conditions, the American will take the latter. The foreigners (Mexican, Filipino, Portugese, and such) think in terms of wages rather than of working con- ditions, Individuals differ, however, within the group. The list is suggestive: l. The highest possible wage. Most men want all they can get for their services; not alone, however, beczuse they can use the money, but because high wages are evidence that one is selling himself to the best advantage. 2. Decent Living accommodations. A conception of what constitutes decent living conditions varies both with the individual and with the group. The Mexican will in general adapt himself(and his family) to whatever is given him. The hobo - the migratory worker - rates accommodations below board in importance; his shelter may be a shack, so long as it is dry and he can sleep warm. Negroes, Orientzls, and Mexicans prefer(usually) quarters by themselves, where they can perfect their own living arrangements. Je. Satisfactory board. Here again workers' opinions differs The native American and North European rursl laborer is consumer of meat and packing- house by-products, potatoes, vegetables cooked and fresh, desserts (puddings, pies, and cooked fruits),tes, and coffee. The Itzlian is content with plenty of soup, bread, macaroni, spaghetti, and green vegetables, especially onions. The Mexi- can is very fond of green vegetables, beans, bread, and salads. Orientals prefer to cater for themselves. 4, Prompt payment of wages;"time on time" - whenever paydey is. In general, the steadier and maturer the American farm worker is, the more important to him is this item. 5. Healthful living and working conditions. Employers' Conception of Satisfactory Work-continued 6. Pleasant working environment. This covers the prevalence or absence of fog, heat, rains, snows, mosquitoes, etc. It covers also access to amusement and recreation in off hours, and on Sundays and slack days. 7+ Length of working day. If this is nine hours by custom, the worker-balks at ten. In general, however, the agriculturel worker accepts the natural differences between rural and urban jobs; he is merely Jjeslous of maintaining the distinction between farm work amen:ble to a definite length of day and farm vork (eegegrain harvesting, and deciduous fruit handling under emergency conditions) not so amenable. 8. Steadiness of work. To the hobo type, less important; to many workcrs a deter- mining factor. For example, the men are numerous for whom three dcys haying and three days off does not make an attrac- tive set-up. Not a few men will take materially smaller wages if assured of several months steady work. 9. Current wage. Any unfair cutting of wage means leaving. 10. Character and amount of supervision. His boss is & dominant factor in the life of great numbers of farm workers; with a crew of Mexiczns some foremen can eccomplish much, others 8re failures. On the other hand, the typical American farm hand, & good deal of an individuelist, given to knowing his job and proud of knowing it, is best left alone as much as possible. 11. Relution of work to workman's training, experience, znd desires. So far as it is within his economic power, a man chooses the kind of work he likes to do and believes he can do. He wants, however, to do the job for which he is hired. If hired to ride, he doesn't want to irrigote; if hired to drive, he doesn't want to milk or chore. Many are so unwilling to change jobs thut when the job in contract is done they are likely to quit rather than go at something distasteful. 12. Make-up of the labor group. Employers' Conception of Satisfactory Work-contimed 13. Privileges. A rather vague factor, involving such items as, the privilege of a saddle~horse or a ranch car upon fair occasion. Impartiality of treatment; absence of favoritism. Wage scales that recognize responsibility, length service, importance of the particular job. Chance to learn; chance to advance. As suggested under I.,above, these are important items with many ambitious young men - and some older men = desirous of learning the farming business from the ground up, or perhaps of merely mastering an operation or a machine that promises more interest or more pay. Effect upon Agriculture Generally if Mexicans are Placed on a Quota Basis. In a succeeding paragraph the statement is made that the past few years have registered increases in numbers of available workers; increases limited, however, to the Mexican, Filipino, and Negro groups. Likewise some attention is paid to the increasing acreage of crops requiring a large amount of man labor for their proper handling. In order to discover reaction of farm operators to the possible effect upon their farming if Mexicans were placed upon a quota basis, a question on this phase of the subject was inserted in the questionnaire sent out. The outcome of our assembling of the replies may not be of vital importance, but the replies themselves do show what farm operators are thinking. The next table shows, then, what employers feel would be the effect of curtailing Mexican immigration upon agriculture generally as followed in California. This table reflects the views of 719 employers of farm labor. Opinion Number of replies Percentage of total ota No effect 197 27% Would make difficulties 480 67% Would help situation 42 oe Totals 719 100% A more comprehensive idea of the conditions likely to result, in the opinions as listed above, follows if a reassembling of the replies is made in accordance with (a) locality, (b) type of industry being followed, and (c) size Effect upon Agriculture Generally if Mexicans are Placed on a Quota Basis-contimed. of holdings. The findings thus classified are shown in the next three tables. Effect of Placing Mexicans upon a Quota Basis: Replies grouped According to Locality. Replies classified according to where the answering employers are operating are given in the next table. Number Percentage of Employers reporting: Employers of "presents "Probably Located in Records "No effect" difficulties" would help" Imperial and Coachella Valleys 22 32% 59% % Southern California 182 29 65 San Joaquin Valleys 314 19 75 Sacramento Valley 97 42 53 Central coast counties 44 32 61 Northern coast " 23 30 70 Mountain and desert " 31 64 23 1 This tsble shows the effect of location upon the views of employers concerning the curtailing of the supply of Mexicans. According to these findings, the least effect would be felt in the mountain and desert counties, and in the Sacramento Valley. The greatest effect would occur in the San Joaquin Valley, Northern coast counties, Southern California, Imperial and Coachella Valleys, and Central coast counties, in the order named. Effect of Placing Mexicans Upon a Quota Basis: Replies Qrouped According to Type of Business. The next table shows the findings grouped according to the outstanding type of business being conducted by the answering employers. Fumber Percentage of Employers reporting: Principal type of "Presents "Probably of Business replies "No effect" difficulties" would help" Deciduous tree fruits 302 36% 56% 8% Grapes 195 13 82 5 Citrus and subtropical fruits 95 28 71 Truck crops 51 29 67 Cotton 20 10 85 Diversified 54 29 67 This table shows that the majority of operators in all lines of produc- tion which require a conciderable use of man labor are of the opinion thet a cur- tailment of the supply of Mexicans would work hardships. A few, but the percent- age is small, apparently sec a chance for improvement. A certain number, varying from about one in ten in the cotton and grape groups, rising to about three in ten in the citrus, subtropical fruits, truck and diversified, and to one in three for the deciduous group, believe that curtailment of Mexican labor would have no effect. -35m Effect of Placing Mexicans Upon a Quota Basis: Replies Grouped According $6-8ize of Holdings. The next table shows the influence of size of farm being operated by the answering employers as this affects the replies: Nunber Percentage of Employers reporting: of : “Presents "Probably Size of Farm replies "No effect" difficulties" would help" Under 20 acres but not under 5 acres 90 53% 34% 13% 20 to 40 acres 197 30 62 8 40 to 80 acres 142 30 65 5 Over 80 acres 290 18 78 : 4 This table shows clearly thst the larger the farm the greater is the dependence on Mexican labor, so that any interruption in the supply is liable to be followed with incressing difficulties for the employing operator. Operators of small holdings see more of a benefit in curtailment than do operators of large holdings, and similarly operutors of small holdings anticipate less effect than do the operators of large holdings. This table serves to emphasis the opinion that curtailment of Mexican labor will have its greatest effect upon the operztor who is handling the relatively large acreages. Effect on Specific Furming Operations of Farm Operators if Mexicans are Placed upon Quota Basis. To a cuestion us to the specific effect upon the farming operztions of the individual employers, replies ran as follows: Would affect farming operations- adversely 449 advantageously 42 temporarily dis- advantageously 9 No effect 198 Do not know 33 The effect of limiting the numbers of incoming Mexicans (the result thst placing Mexicans upon a quota basis is expected to have) would, in the opinion of the ms jority, be disadvantageous. The outstanding bud effects as listed in the replies center in a belief that furmers could not get their work done, on account of labor scarcity. This was asserted 173 times. The next opinion, repeated time and again, was to the effect that costs would increase. This was declared 79 times. The other reasons were either very few in number or indefinite in nature. A dozen replies stated "disastrous"; others see in curtail- ment "increased waste and inefficiency" ;"change to some other type of farming"; "necessity to quit"; "reduction in acreage"; bankruptcy for all but family farms," and "replacement of Mexiczns by Negroes." Those who see an advantage in the cur- tailing of Mexican immigrution are likewise few in number, but their replies re- flect beliefs that such curtailment would result in "a better community to live in"; "better chance for white labor"; "help unemployment situation"; and "would help the over-production problem." for Effect on Specific Farming Operations of Farm Operators if Mexic.ns are Placcd upon Quota Basis=contimed In digesting these last statements the reader should bear in mind that these report the opinions of those who are now relying upon Mexican, Filipino, Porto Riccn and similar labor in their farming operations. They are the views of employing farm operstors, who are using this type of labor. Another set of replies,bearing upon the effect on farming should Mexi- cans be placed upon a quota basis, answers the question whether the employer now using Mexicans would resort to white labor upon the curtailment of the Mexican supply. Of 656 offering an opinion, 458 answered "yes," 196 "no." Of the 458 answering "yes," 74 qualified with sbme such phrase as "if available," "would have to," "would try," "would try," "if I can get white labor," and "if they'd work," And many of those answering "yes" made some comment such as "would just drive me out of the business," "doubt if there would be enough white labor to go round," and "would not get away from present inefficiency of white laborers." Some who answer "no" give as reasons the probability of an insufficient supply, inability ¢f white men to labor under their climatic or working conditions, and general dissatisfaction with the present available supply of white labor. Increase in Labor Needs. A substantial increase in the numbers needed by farm operators has taken place during the past severzl years. This is partly due to the increase in acreages of crops of high man labor requirements. During the five-year period from 1923 to 1927 inclusive, these increases were as follows (data from "Califor- nia Crop Report-1927"-U.S5.Dept. of Agri.and State Dept. of Agri. cooperating). Truck crops, an incresse from 213,950 to 355,940 acres, & gain of 141,990 acres or over 66%. Fruit crops, an increase from 1,249,109 to 1,670,557 acres, a gain of 421,448 acres or ne:rly 34%. Cotton, an increase from 83,000 to 128,000 acres, a gain of 45,000 acres or nearly 55%. During this same interval other field crops of relatively high man labor requirements registered either gains or minor losses in acresges, and hence did not release man power in any appreciable amount. Hops, rice, and sugar beets are cases in point. The gain in hops acresge amounted to 20% (from 5,000 to 6,000 acres); the loss in sugar beets to 8% (from 61,000 to 56,000 acres); tice acreage gained 50% (from 106,000 to 160,000 acres). Impressive as are the increases in acreages during the last five years, even more so are the increases since the census of 1910. A comparison of the Increase in Labor Needs-cpntimued acreage reported in 1%09 with that of 1927 is as follows: Acreage Acreage Increase ‘ 1909 1927 1927 over 1909 Deciduous fruits (apples, peeches, bears, prunes, plums, cherries, apricots, almonds,walnuts) 308,609 705,727 128% Subtrepical fruits(oranges,lemons, olives, figs, grapefruit) 110,658 305,870 176% Vineyards 260,172 658,528 163% Truck crops 79,163 347,330 338% Cotton 324 128,000 over 39 times Rice none 160,000 - Sorghums 44,308 130,000 193% Beans 157,987 296,000 87% The following show losses: Hops drop of 28% (2,391 acres) Potatoes n"w pa? {15,688 ™ 3% Sugar beets " " 28% (22,671 " ) In addition to the increase in acreages requiring large amounts of hand labor, another influence effectual in shortening the supply of white workers satisfactory to employers is the increase in the number of individual farms; for this increase has turned into owners or tenants men who had been hiring out as farm hands. This is shown by the census data from the years 1910,1920,and 1925. Mumbers of Farms According to Census Findings of the United States Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census. In California 1920 88,197 1920 117,670 1925 136,409 This means an increase in the numbers and percentages of farm owners, tenants, and managers as follows; Increase for California Numbers Percentage 1920 over 1910 29,473 36% 1925 over 1920 18,739 16% 1925 over 1910 48,212 55% Increase in Labor Supplies. Our evidence indicates that during the past five years there has been, to offset needs, an increase in numbers of workers. Observers in nearly a score of counties report a marked increase in certain groups,particularly Mexican, Filipino, and Negro. A falling off in the avail- able supply of Japanese, Chinese, and East Indians is noted in several counties. Apparently, however, there has been a marked net gain in the mumbers of workers available to California farmers, though the gains have occurred in specific groups such as the Mexican, Filipino, and Negro. -36~ P37 Outlook for Labor Needs of the Immediate Future. Since the kinds and acreages of crops planted, and the amounts harvested, are determined by many factors such as market outlook, current selling price, wea=- ther and pest conditions, etc., and since the available labor supply is influenced by conditions in other lines than agriculture, an exact stetement of future labor conditions is impossible. Attention may, however, be called to trends. In the first place, California farmers are tending toward increased plantings of truck crops which require considerable man power for planting, care, and harvest. In- creases during the past three to five years have occurred in acreages of asparagus, green beans, cantaloupes, carrots, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, onions, pe:s, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelons. The only truck crops reflect- ing no change, or a reduction, in acreage are artichokes, cabbage, and cucumbers. In tree fruits the "California Crop Report--1927" estimates that by 1931 bearing acreages will increase of apples, clingstone peaches, pears, apricots, plums, prunes, cherries, figs, grapefruit, oranges, almonds, and walnuts. They predict decreases only for freestone peaches, olives, and lemons. The net gain in bearing acreage is set at 86,207 acres, or an increase of a fractiog over 8%. The forecast for bearing grape acreages by 1930 indicates an increase of 60,008 acres, or 3.4%. Extent of Interest in Common Labor Situation. From the fore; oing discussion it is now possible to gauge something of the interest in the common labor situation, particularly as it is concerned with the use of Mexicans. : According to replies from local men in touch with the situution but not necessarily fermers, the greatest interest in the common labor situatuon is found in the following counties: Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Kern,Kings, Tulare, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, Sutter, Yuba, Colusa, Butte, Naps, Sonoma, Contra Costs, Alameda, Sants Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Sen Benito; to &« limited extent in Mendocino County, &nd to a very limited extent (sugar beet growing only) in Modoc and Siskiyou counties. All other counties indicate little or no interest in the types of labor with which this study has been concerned. Thus interest mostly centers in southern Californie, where Mexicans have been an important source of labor for many years; generally in the San Joaquin Valley; in the Sacramento znd San Joaquin deltas; in the southern part of the Sacramento Valley; and in a few of the counties contiguous to the San Francisco bay region. These areas own much to the intensive types of Cali- fornia farming - to cotton, cantaloupes, lettuce, citrus fruits, suger bcets, peaches, celery, potatoes, and other deciduous and subtropical fruits and truck crops The counties not reflecting =n interest either are unimportant sgricul- turally, (relatively spesking), or sre engaged in types of agriculture that can be handled with local labor, or else do not require the types of common labor with which we are desling. One outstanding result that is somewhat surprising is the lack of interest of farmers in the subject, und on the part of the membership of the Cglifornia Farm Bureau Federation - if we may judge from replies received from «37m Extent of Interest in Common Lzbor Situation-continued the county presidents and from the chairmen of the various centers. An inquiry was directed by us to 43 county presidents and 459 center chairmen, requesting information as to the importance of and the interest in the types of labor being studied, together with a request as to whether or not in the opinion of the recipients there was sufficient interest to justify a meeting to discuss the sit~- uation. This is what we got Requests for opinions 502 : Number of replies 138 (27.5%) Number NOT replying 374 (72.5%) Indicating no interest- Number 102 Percent of replies 72.9% Percent of requests 22.0% Indicating interest- Number 30 Percent of replies 21.7% Percent of requests 549% Incomplete Number 6 The principal interest originated in the following counties: Contra Costa, Fresno, Imperial, Madera, Monterey, Riverside, San Bernardino, Sen Diego, San Joaquin, Santa Barbsra, Santa Cruz, Solano, Stanislaus, Tulare, Ventura, Yolo,and Yuba. These, it will be noted, compare with the list given above us being interested in the supply of common labor. The agriculture of the centers indicating no interest includes: alfalfa, almonds, apples, apricots, asparagus, beans, berries, cantaloupes, cattle, celery, cherries, commercial seed, corn, cotton, dairying, field crops, grain, grapes, grapefruit, hay, lettuce, lemons, lima beans, melons, nursery stock, olives, orunges, peas, peaches, pears, plums, peppers, potatoes,prunes, poultry, rice, sheep, spinach, strawberries, sugar beets, tomatoes, truck crops, vegetables, and wood cutting. The agriculture of the centers indicating an interest comprises: alfalfa, almonds, apricots, apples, asparagus, barley, bects, beans, bushberries, cantaloupes, cauliflower, corn, cotton, dates, garlic, grapes, grapefruit, hay, hops, lemons, lettuce, onions, peas, prunes, rice, seeds, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelons. Farm Boys #8 a Potential Supply of Labor. In order to get some ides of the help that might be expected from the growing sons of farm operztors, data were collected to show the number of sons who are of working -ge, and how these are employed. The summation follows. Sioa mar marvels A—— Farm Boys as a Potential Supply of Labor-continued Total number of replies Reporting no growing children Reporting growing children Total number of growing children of working age Average number of growing children per reply Numbers of growing children, per family: Reporting one child " two children 59 " three " 22 " four 1 " five 6 " gix 1 One can draw his own conclusions as to the potential augmentation of labor from this source. Employment of these growing boys of working age was reported as follows: Working exclusively on home farm 166 boys " " for neighboring farmers 24 " " both on home farm and for neighbors 43 Not farming 139 " 372 " Comparison of Wages Paid to Different Groups of Laborers. The 1321 questionnaires returned by employers who reported their wage scale, give the following comparable data upon the question "What are the wage scales being paid to Mexicans, Filipinos, Porto Ricans, Japanese, Chinese, Negroes, am. Hindus, and also to'white labor'?"; and upon the further question "Are Mexicans 'cheap' laborers?" Wages as reported below include a charge for board end lodging. .- A, esa © Q 3 = or +P a © oO 1 n 5 © ~ oO q G4 o 2, 3 = 0, +L a oO ~ © Cot G4 ori a Oo FE] o 3 aN 0 oO a = SHI Oo = © 0 od k < 5 oO 29% 6°9¢ LL L°g¢ 9*9¢ G°9¢ 0° 0% 0*6¢ c*g¢ GLE *s30 g*ge H OHM . © 0 ~~ o~ ND MDD Now . WwW Wels MN MMMM S30 7°. ney Jeg Pe epee 83° ¢ ep 0¥%°¢ cH 69°¢ oL*¢ 93°¢ L¥°S 0L°¢ 9° CE 69°¢¢ © © NY ®o O +233 SREBI * MMM HMM UImTo0 T®OoT3JeA 3SITJ UT pexduu MdodsesJoQ SUNMIOD oseyr) Awvp Jag eT8dg a3 odBaoAy ¢ eseurdep esauTyy 8 eseurdep soutdrTtd 92 vy seoadey L ¢¢ esaurdep CY T esautyp; IT L seurdirig LY 1 seocadey 01 21 essuedep HT 0% 0 esauTy) J 6 0 soutrdilTd 0% a 62 IS sueoTXe 627 seaTyy £9 JI0J J0J Jay3ty 19y3dty sures Sutquaoday utqacdey 3utgaodey Jaqum py Jequmyj Joqumy] ct Se 71 04 aT 8S 91 99 £1 6S €¢2 o180s sauaoded Jo Jequmy 1836] esousdep puw aseuUTY) eseusdep pur sourdrriy Se¢J3dey pus SUBOTXOW esasuedep pu®B SUBOTXSJ] 8SeUTY) puUB SUBOTXEN soutdr{T] pues SsusoTXenm seodde|| pus se3Ty} eseusdep pus se3IY}; 8ssuTyp pue seqryy soutdITTJd pu® So3Ty SUBOTXe) pue se3Tyj Jo uostaeduey Comparison of Wages Paid to Different Groups of Laborers-continued The tabulation of wage ssales, as just given, is interesting in that it shows the relationship of wages paid to different groups as compiled from records showing at least two groups of l:borers doing comparzble work. The 588 completed questionnaires report, for eleven sets of paired labor groups, 271 euses of pairing in which the members of any one pair receive the same wage. In each of the 317 ether cases, one group was reported as receiving more money than another. The Japanese was the only group paid eonsistently more money than the group with which it was compared. This applies not only to Mexicans, Filipinos, and Chinese, in competition with Japanese, but also to white workers in competition with Japanese. Daily wage paid to Japanese was higher by 6¢ thun to Chinese or whites; 15¢ higher than to Filipinos, and 30¢ higher than the Mexican wage scale. The hourly rate shows very little difference. The differences are t:bulated belew. By day By hour Increase paid Japanese compared with whites 6 - " " " " " Mexicans 30¢ 3.4¢ ” " " " " Filipinos 15¢ hd » . " " " Chinese 6¢ 1.4¢ The wage schedule for whites in comparison with Mexicans, Filipinos, Chinese, and Negroes was higher on both a day and an hour basis. The differences appear below. Dey basis Hour basis Increase over Mexicans _23¢ 1l.6¢ " " Filipinos 23¢ 1.3¢ " " Chinese 13¢ l.6¢ " " Negroes 21¢ 2.5¢ In general, it is safe to say that the wages paid to Mexicans, Filipinos, and others of the groups under study, range very close to the wages paid for sim- ilar work to whites. Many times there is no basis for comparison becsuse white men are hired for different tasks from those of Mexicens, Filipinos, Jaspanese,etc. Some of those answering the questionnaires evidently did not make this distinction, so thet in actual practice it is probable that the wage scales are really closer than our comparisons show, and these indicate very little difference at that. Not enough dats were available to compare: Whites and Porto Ricans Whites and Hindus Mexicuns and Filipinos Mexicans and Hindus Porto Ricans and Filipinos " " " Chinese n " " Japanese ”" 1" 1" Hindus. " " ”" Negroes Filipinos and Chinese " 7" Hindus " " Negroes Chinese and Negroes " " Hindus dapanese and Hindus " " Negroes Hindus and Negroes. will Somparison of Wages Paid to Different Groups of Laborersecontimed The range in wage schedules wus found to be as follows: For Per da Per hour Whites $3.00 = $6.00 35¢ = 50¢ Mexicans 2.75 = 6.00 30¢ - 45¢ Filipinos 2.50 - 4,00 35¢ « 40¢ Chinese 2.70 = 4.00 35¢ ~ 40¢ Japanese 34156 = 5,00 35¢ = 45¢ Negroes 2.80 - 4.20 35¢ - 40¢ The greatest frequency in wage scales wss as follows: For Per day Per hour Whites @ 3.50 ~ 40¢ Mexicuns 350 35¢ Filipinos 3.50 35¢ Chinese 3450 35¢ Japenese 3.50 40¢ Negro 350 35¢ Data regurding Porto Ricsns and Hindus were not sufficient to warrent including. Comparison of Output of Workers. Although the wage scale is generally lower for Mexican, Filipino, Porto Ricun, and Negro lsborers than for white or Jupanese, the me jority of growers are emphatic in declaring thst this difference does not mesn "cheap labor" in the sense of workers producing st less cost to the employer. A tabulation was attempted of employers' ideas concerning the amount of work these different peoples usually accomplish in comparison with white laborers. The results follow: Opinions: Ombput compared -. . Number of with white laborers replies. . Group Same More Less 576 Mexicans ; 258 151 167 50 Porto Ricans 16 8 26 181 Filipinos 60 56 65 100 Chinese 30 31 39 244 Japanese 71 145 28 69 Negroes 29 7 33 1,220 464 398 358 The 624 farmers behind these 1220 replies =- operators experienced enough to make fair comparison of output as between two laborers - appear to hold in general that the non-whites do, under similar conditions, as much as or more than the whites. Experiences with different groups differ, however. Rather more than half the employers of Porto Ricans report these workers as doing less than whites. Six among every ten employers of Japanese believe that these do more than white men; and most of the others say the Japanese does as much. Nearly half of his employers credit the Negro with doing less than the white; and only one in ten with his doing more, Almost 45 per cent of employers of the Mexican says he has about the same work output as the white man when conditions permit comparison; about 25 per cent that he outdoes the white; about 30 per cent that he does less. Comparison of Output of Workers-contimued Opinion concerning the Filipino output per day is about equally divided as between "same," "more," and "less"; and likewise for the Chinese. On the whole, apparently, the contention that the Mexican and Filipino are "cheap labor" falls down. And the difference in wages, involved, is tco slight to be of more than minor practical importance. Extent of Interest in Matters Pertaining to Common Labor. In closing this discussion of common labor as it developed from our data, attention may well be called to the degrees of interest in common labor as manifested by returns of questionnaires: The following table presents the findings in a brief form. Questionnaires sent tos: Numb er Number Percentage sent out returned of returns Secretaries of Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade 92 55 59.8% Horticulture Commissioners 50 27 54.0 Presidents of Farm Bureaus 42 3 7.1 Chairmen of Farm Centers 460 140 30.4 Farm Operators 5166 1430 21.9 Totals 5810 1655 28.5 Summary, Conclusions, and Suggestions. l. In a final analysis of the place that any group of people should occupy in a Nation's life the economic advantages must be weighed against the social disadvantsges, and vice wersa. This presentation deals only with the economic aspect of common labor as it affects California agriculture, with special reference to the liexican. : 2. The need for farm labor cannot be conceived as made up of any single group. A variety of operations and crop demands, differences in climatic environ- ment and working conditions, all tenc to a diversity of need. There is a definite rlace for a large number of Americans to handle tractors, teams, machinery, threshers, hay balers, farm implements, and other devices calling for a knowledge of machinery and livestock. There is a vast amount of range riding, dairying, hog raising, poultry keeping, and other livestock enterprises that necessitate a higher class of farm labor than can be recruited from the Mexican, Filipino, Porto Rican, Negro, and similar groups that have been the object of this study. But in addition to the work that white men can and will do is a vast field of endeavor requiring men able and willing to work at back-bending monotonous tasks under try- ing conditions of climatic and livinge The harvesting of many fruits, the thinning of sugsr beets and their final pulling, topping, and loacing, the chopping of cotton and the picking of the mature crop, the raising of lettuce, cantaloupes, and oi’ er truck crops, the picking of peas, and many other tasks such as were liste¢c above, show a labor need that experience indicates has not as yet (and probably will aot according to present outlook) been filled by white men. There are, of course, exceptions. There are white men who are doing some of the work 43 Summary, Conclusions, and Sug gestions-continued that the Mexican, Japanese, Filipino,etc., is hired to do. And there are ex- ceptions in the groups of Mexicans, Porto Ricans, Japunese,etc., who are valuable as teamsters, milkers, etc. 3. From the evidence, much of which has been given in detail in the preceding pages, the Mexican is an important factor in the producing of California crops. His economic importance is proved. He is today the principal source of farm labor in California. He will do tasks that white workers will not or cannot do. He will work under climatic and working conditions, such as excessive heat, dust, isolation, and temporary employment; conditions that are often too tryin for white workers. ¥ He is available in numbers for the large holdings and for farms where the hou#ihg and boarding conditions cannot be ideal. He will work in gangs. fio wil) work under direction, taking orders, and suggestions. He is not expensive abor. 4. Compared with groups of workers other than whites, that is Japanese, Filipinos, Porto Ricans, Chinese, Negroes, and East Indians, he is preferred by a large ma jority of farm operators employing farm lator. He is outstandingly favored over either the Porto Rican or the Filipino. 5. A material reduction in the present available supply of farm labor, unless offset by an equivalent curtailment in typees of agriculture requiring a large amount of common labor, would force changes in California agriculture. This would have a direct effect not only upon individual producers, but as well upon the financial situation. The return of much money loaned on farm properties and in connection with irrigation districts, reclamation districts,etc., is predicated upon highly specialized types of agriculture, capable of making relatively high returns per acre. These high-returns crops are largely accompanied by high man- labor requirements. It is not possible to substitute crops largely grown with machinery (such as barley, wheat, hay,alfazlfa,beans, corns,ectc.) and expect returns commeasurate with crops such &s sugar beets, enions, lettuce, celery, grapes, peaches, oranges, and similer field, fruit, and truck crops of high man- labor requirements. An indication of this is shown in the following paragraphs. The Palo Verde Irrigation district (surrounding the town of Blythe, in eastern Riverside County) contains an assessed acreage of 78,504 acres, of which 70,000 acres are deemed irrigable. Thirty-two thousand five hundred twenty-two acres are under cultivation, The district bonds authorized on December 31,1927, amounted to {6,475,330.36, of which $218,000 was for refunding purposes. The sum of $479,000 was retired, prior to December 31,1927, and $1,669,000 remained unsold in the treasury on that date, leaving a net amount outstanding of $4,327,330,36,0r an average of $61.82 per acre of land estimated as being irrigable ultimately. The district tax rate for the year 1927-28 was $13.84 per acre on good farm land and $5.19 per acre on good uncleared land. General county taxes and school taxes are levied in addition to the district tax. Phe Merced irrigation district in Merced County, of the San Joaquin Valley, has an assessed acreage of 189,682. The bonded indebtedness of the irri- gation district amounts to $16,250,000. Other bonds outstanding against land within the district, including those of three drainage districts, the City of Merced, and the estimated proportion of general county and school bonds against the district land, bring the total to $17,805,000; or $93.86 per acre estimated -44~ P45 Summary ,Conclusions, and Suggestions~continued as being irrigable ultimately. The average annual interest and principal pay=- ments on the irrigation district bonds over the period from July 1, 1922, to the final maturity date in 1966 will be about $1,015,000, which will be reduced by any revenue which may accrue from sale of power generated at Exchequer Dam (estimated at $500,000 annually). The present annual charge against good farm land in the district is $6.00 per acre. The Glenn-Colusa irrigation district, located in Glenn and Colusa Counties of the Sacramento Valley, has an assessed area of 121,592 acres. The bonded indebtedness is $1,959,900. The Vista Irrigation District in San Diego County has an assessed area of 18,143 acres. Of the total assessed area, only 14,589 acres are considered irrigable, the extent of the water supply being the limiting factor. A bond issue of $1,700,000 has been voted. Of this issue, $1,679,000 was outstanding on Jan- 1,1928. After lateral extensions of pipe lines have been completed, it is an- ticipated that the entire bond issue will be outstanding, giving an average bond- ed indebtedness per irrigable acre of $116.52. Viste District purchases its water under contract, paying at the rate of $17 per acre-foot and this charge must be passed on to the landowner. The total assessed valuation of the district in 1927-28 was $2,246,185, good farm land being assessed from $200 to $130 per acre, The tax rate in 1927-28 was $7.85 per $100 of assessed value. In addition to this levy, a water toll of $6.25 per acre was charged which entitled the landowner to 0.26 acre-foot of water. Additional water could be acquired by purchase of water from the district at the rate of four (4) cents per 100 cu.ft., or by purchasing an assignment of water toll credits from another landowner. General county, school bonds, and special assessment district bonds were estimated as amounting to $230,000. The Imperial Valley irrigation district, located in Imperial County in the Southernmost part of the State, adjoining Mexico, has & gross area of 605,000 acres and a total irrigable area of 550,557 acres. The bonded indebtedness amounts to $17,113,000 or $31,08 per irrigable acre; the average annual charge to $4.39 per irrigable acre. The Turlock irrigation district, in southern Stanislaus and northern Merced Counties, of the San Joaquin Valley, comprises 177,082 assessed acres. The bonded indebtedness totals $8,747,575 and averages $49.39 per assessed acre; the average annual levy $3.39 per assessed acre. The Modesto irrigstion district, in central Stanislaus County of the San Joaquin Valley, contains an assessed area of 79,000 acres. The total Bonded indebtedness is $7,054,157.70 and averages $80.43 per assessed acre; the anmual charge $5.65 per assessed acre. The Fresno irrigation district, in Fresno County, of the San Joaquin Valley, comprises 240,728 assessed acres, with a total outstanding bonded indebted- ness of $3,977.820. 6. The effect of an immediate and drastic curtailment of Mexican laborers would be fourfold. It would affect those localities where white and other work- ers cannot or will not acce:t employment. It would affect those enterprises which necessitate the doing of tasks that are repugnant or not suited to white 4 Be p46 Summary, Conclusions, and Suggestions-contimied workers. It would greatly affect the employer who requires large numbers of men for relatively short periods. It would affect those who have loaned money to finance agricul tural operations and developments. Mexicans after they range riders, sheep herd- ers, teamsters, choremen, milkers, hogmen, and general farm hands. Thus as their stay is Prolonged many do equip themselves to handle positions of greater reg-~ ponsibility than attaches to the kinds of work that they do when new-comers into a strange land. 7 8. The Mexican tencs to remain in agriculture. In this they differ from the Chinese, Filipino, Porto Rican, and Negro (the latter three being our chief Sources next to the white worker and the Mexican). The latter tend to gravitate to the cities and towns. Nin 9. The present supply of lubor, if it remained static, would be about enough for agricul tural needs, but if agriculture continues to expand - and the evidence indicates that it will contimie to do So for some years - then the pre- sent supply may conceivably prove inadequate. Cn the other hamni, any release of laborers from industries other than agriculture which draw upon the same common reservoir of man power will correspondingly help the situation. 10. Every community so situated thst it can use white men should do so, whether the reasons be in the attractive living or working coditions, in its type, of agriculture, or in the size and equipping of the various holdings. Such use is good business. It stresses a duty tewards one's fellow men, and it re- leases Mexicans and other similar lsbor for other communities which, not so for- tunately situated, may be dependent on workers other than white men. ll, In conclusion, should the final consensus indicate that the social objections to the lexicans (or to any other group, for that matter) offset the economic advantages, then and in that event fair play and justiee to those who are now engaged in agricul ture or who are supporting agriculture with financial contributions suggest that a period of time be allowed to elapse before restriction is allewed full Play. It will teke severel years for California farmers to adjust their eperutions to & materially changed labor condition. During thet tine, they should be assisted to the limit. If the quota basis were to be immediately placed in force, the United Stutes as & whole could receive (legally) only 1557 Mexicans against en estimated present net increase for the year ; er General of Immigration). ble, to shut off the flew nly would result in hardships, particularly upon those lesst advantageously situated. Either the restrictive provision should be postponed in its entirety for « few yezrs, or a sliding scale should be planned designed to reduce the numbers graduzlly over a period of years; a low reduction at first, followed by « gradually increusing curteilment, Either of these methods should provide the necessary pcriod required by producers and others to readjust their plins to a new order, 15| 1 | i | 21/314 I tH — — - oO | onl “or 7) 'g 6 4 HHH 2 Ig 'a| 's 3 3 ida S | QQ? » SS Vv Sh N PM-1 3%."x4” PHOTOGRAPHIC MICROCOPY TARGET NBS 1010a ANSI/ISO #2 EQUIVALENT mn 2s Jj2s ie Jl32 | 22 a mm m I l= fle es END OF TITLE