Mr. President. that the Senator is confusing forced labor with indentured labor. which Is entered into usually voluntarily by people in the crowded parts of the world. where employment is difficult to secure. and where. by entering into a contract. they may be taken to another country. and may be used there on rubber plantations. or sugar plantations. or in mines. or in other occupations. and at the end of the contract returned to their homes. said contracts usually containing provisions for medical care. food. housing. and so forth. and said contracts also nearly always containing some penal clause. Not to interrupt the Senator further. what I desired. to point out was that. if his amendment were agreed to. it would mean that our supply of rubber as now received in the United States from Brazil and from the East Indies would be stopped at the customhouse and could not come in. for nearly all the rubber raised in the world today is raised by indentured labor. sometimes called coolie labor. sometimes called contract labor. Furthermore. most of the products of South America would be kept out of our ports. because under the domestic polity of most South American countries. indentured contracts with penalty clauses attached are regarded as the ordinary means of procuring labor for any definite or distinct period of time. The Senators amendment would. have an extremely serious effect on our commerce with South America. with the East Indies. and with parts of.
Keywords matched
coolie contract labor