Session #88 · 1963–65

Speech #880085772

Mr. Speaker. it certainly beggars the power of descriptive phrasing and the English language to call the type of labor made legal under Public Law 78. otherwise known as the bracero law. other than by the most descriptive phrase of all. and that is slave labor act. If it is not a slave labor classification. maybe perhaps the word coolie or maybe the word peon. which would be more apt or more illustrative because it is in more direct connection with what is really happening. should be used. We can deceive ourselves into thinking that because we have entered into an agreement whereby. for example. in my native State the imported worker is guaranteed by law more than the domestic native Texan worker and we can say that because of this protection and others they are very optimistically labeled as necessary. sufficient. and adequate safeguards. that this can be called something other than a slave labor act. But how would anybody define it in better terms if we were to say that a man were brought in under very specific and rigid conditions with no freedom on his part to come in here and negotiate the particular terms of agreement if they are not complied with after he reaches his place of employment?
Keywords matched
coolie

Classification

Target group
Sentiment
Negative
Stereotyping
No
Confidence
90%
Model
gemini-2.0-flash
Framing
Economic threat Legal / procedural

Speaker & context

Speaker
HENRY GONZALEZ
Party
D
Chamber
H
State
TX
Gender
M
Date
Speech ID
880085772
Paragraph
#0
← Prev Next →