Old Missoula

Mexican Nationals – 1943

“CREAM OF THE CROP”

Editor, The Missoulian: “Viva los Estados Unidos de America! Viva los Estados Unidos de Mexico! Unidos por la Victoria! Long live the United States of America! Long live the United States of Mexico! United for Victory!”

This is the handwriting in chalk seen on the cars of the train bringing to Montana the largest group of agricultural workers the state has ever seen transported in one movement. The Mexicans have scribbled the slogans themselves, on some of the cars of the train. These “campesinos” are as fired with patriotism for winning the war as any American. They come up here to save the crops that are as essential as ammunition, and they know the role they are playing in our war effort. The Farm Security administration, in one week’s time, has brought from the interior of Old Mexico to Montana, 1,125 Mexican farm workers from all the farming regions of Mexico.

This is probably the maximum supply that Mexico can allow us for the duration of the war. Because Mexico, also, is at war and has need for manpower.

Now is the time for fellow Montanans to realize that a new type of agricultural labor has been brought to our state to save our crops, a type that we have not seen in 20 years. The interior of Mexico is vastly different from the border towns. Mexico, in a sincere effort to aid us in our agricultural efforts, has allowed the United States to pick the cream of her crop of farm workers. They have treated us well as Allies should do. Let us see that we treat her citizens well. The international contract, signed by both countries, has as one of its main clauses, that they shall be allowed the rights and the respect due American citizens.

The prospect of spending six days and six nights in a day coach en route to Montana did not deter them from standing in line for days to ask for the opportunity of enlisting in this agricultural army.

Most of the men coming into Montana from Mexico have left their wives and children behind. This is not a small sacrifice for them. They are in a country they have never seen before, and they can not speak our language. At any time they have the privilege to ask to return to Mexico and the FSA will repatriate them. They are here as free citizens of a free land, lending their services in time of need. It is our duty to understand the human situation and to educate them in our way of life which is new to them.

If we were miraculously transported to Timbuktoo, we would find ourselves in the same situation, and we would think the people in Timbucktoo were the best people on earth if they helped us along.

We have the workers here now. One hundred ninety-seven were unloaded in Missoula Thursday morning and distributed to sugar beet farms in the trading area adjacent to Missoula. It is a job for all to see that they stay. They are here solely for agricultural work. They can not work in industry. Hence, if they leave agriculture, their only alternative is to return to Mexico. The number that returns to Mexico can not be supplanted. Each Mexican national that is repatriated is a farm worker lost to Montana.

Mexican nationals by the thousands were used by California growers last season. The majority of California growers say they have seldom seen such efficient workers. When three thousand of these workers arrived in California last fall the immediate result was that the sugar factories worked at 100 per cent capacity for the remainder of the season. These Mexicans who were imported for sugar beets also helped in other crops. To quote a manager of a lemon growers’ association: “Their behavior is excellent. Their attitude is inspiring. Their cleanliness, their housekeeping, their self discipline are amazing. In a short period of time they have learned more than many American workers. These nationals have saved our crops.”

Despite our fondest hopes we have no way of knowing that we may not need the help of our “neighbors from the South” again next season. It is up to all of us to so treat these men that if we need them again next season they will be willing to help us and if we don’t need them they will carry back to their native country a friendly feeling that will make for more pleasant relations between the two countries.

Sincerely yours,

HENRY T. MURRAY.

The above letter appeared in The Daily Missoulian on May 24, 1943.

Mr. Murray was a native Montanan, born near Hobson, Mt in 1895. He was acutely aware of Montana agriculture. He was raised and educated in the Judith Basin area, where he farmed and ranched until, during the great depression, he attended Montana State College and earned his B.A. and Master’s degrees. During WW 2 he worked in Missoula as a supervisor for the Farm Security Administration. He retired to Port Townsend, Washington, where he died in 1987. With his wife Alice, he was the father of four children.