The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 85, July 1981 - April, 1982 Page: 51
497 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Texas and Mexican Labor
revoked its rules relating to Public Law 45 and closed the border,
thereby shattering the Texans' hopes for an abundant, and unregu-
lated, cheap labor supply. Some of the more vocal Texans vehemently
censured the State Department, contending that its action violated
the Constitution by overruling the Congress.12
The War Food Administration (WFA), which by presidential des-
ignation replaced the FSA as operator of the farm-labor program,
attempted to mollify the growers by explaining that the Mexican gov-
ernment prohibited extra-agreement recruitment or border recruit-
ment of braceros. It admonished growers to follow established pro-
curement procedures by placing labor orders with the county extension
agents, who, if unable to locate sufficient workers, would certify the
need for workers to the state director of extension. This, most Texas
farmers refused to do, for they opposed the principle of labor-supply
regulation and the bureaucratic procedures for labor procurement.
Frustrated, they blamed their inability to maintain the customary
labor supplies on the bureaucrats of Washington and persistently im-
plored the INS to refrain from punctilious execution of the immigra-
tion laws.'3
Ironically, the few Texans who attempted to work with the estab-
lished procurement machinery found it uncoordinated and inade-
quate. Weekly WFA and WMC labor reports from Texas invariably
indicated an abundance of labor. Since these reports did not corre-
spond with Texan complaints, the WFA sent a special team in July,
1943, to investigate. The WFA found that the labor-procurement sys-
tem was practically nonexistent. That which did exist had no organiza-
tion, no clear line of authority, no apparent desire to function. Or-
ganized under the director of extension service, the program had made
no effort to determine labor resources or future needs. For example,
12Joseph F. McGurk to George S. Messersmith, May 15, 1943, State Department,
811.504/2233, RG 84; O'Daniel to Secretary of State Cordell Hull, May 15, 1943, trans-
mitting various communications, State Department, 811.504/2242; Thomason to Hull,
May 14, 1943, transmitting various communications, 811.504/2238, RG 81; Louis J. Ivey,
manager of Farmers and Merchants Association, El Paso, to WFA, Farm Labor 3-2-Mexi-
can, File Box 14, RG 224, NA; McCain, "Contract Labor as a Factor in United States-
Mexican Relations," 117-143.
13H. K. Fawcett, president, Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association, to Chester C.
Davis, WFA, June 17, 1943, telegram; Paul T. Vickers, manager, Chamber of Commerce,
McAllen, Texas, to Davis, WFA, June 17, 1943, Farm Labor 3-2-Mexican, File Box 14,
RG 224, NA. Very few Texas farmers sought workers under the bracero program. A few
requests came from the El Paso, Panhandle, and Coastal Bend regions, but almost none
from any other legion. Once the farmers became aware of the necessary guarantees, in
contract form, they cancelled their requests.
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 85, July 1981 - April, 1982, periodical, 1981/1982; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101208/m1/71/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.