Speaker. Public Law 78. the Bracero Act. met a possible death in this House recently when we voted down a 2year extension of that law. During that debate and since. some Members spoke as if the lot of the domestic migrant workers was not deplorable enough to concern us. That is a tragic and unforgivable indifference to the plight of one of the most exploited groups of our population. We should all be ashamed of such indifference in our minds. Let us look realistically at the domestic migrants condition. He earned only $6.25 per day in 1962. and averaged only $1.054 per year including his nonfarm labor. How can our consciences allow such a condition to continue? How could we possibly refuse to set free the * market forces which would improve his condition. a step we can take by refusing * to extend Public Law 78? A director of a west coast region packinghouse union. during the hearings on Public Law 78 this year. vividly commented after describing the absence of toilet and handwashing facilities for the migrants: Most consumers would gag on the salad if they saw these conditions. the lack of sani* tary conditions. under which these products are grown and processed. A Texas migrant worker. told the Senate Subcommittee on Migratory Labor: I dont call it a good life. A fellow would call it a good life when he comes to enjoy it. when he make very good money. That Is the only way he can enjoy life.
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migrants migrant