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To Congressman James Roosevelt, December 20, 1957 In addition to being the principal speaker, pamphleteer, researcher, and organizer for the National Agriculture Workers Union, Galarza was an indefatigable lobbyist, who kept constant pressure on elected officials and high-level bureaucrats. When the union was denied access to public information about braceros and growers, Galarza reached out to Congressman James Roosevelt (1955– 1965), the son of former president Franklin D. Roosevelt. Congressman Roosevelt was considered a liberal democrat and a staunch opponent of Senator Joseph McCarthy because of his red-baiting tactics that recklessly attacked the character and patriotism of individuals and organizations. Galarza argued that denying the union access to the data was indicative of the Bracero Program’s corruption. Hon. James Roosevelt 1031 Franquette Ave. 5308 West Adams Street San Jose, Calif. Los Angeles, Calif. December 20, 1957 Dear Congressman Roosevelt: During the past few weeks we have been sending you, to your office in Washington , copies of recent complaints of domestic farm workers who live in San Joaquin County. The complaints are based on the continuing violations of Public Law 78, specifically the provision that domestic farm workers shall be given preference in agricultural employment over Mexican contract Nationals. Because of the peculiar investigatory procedures followed in such cases by the Department of Employment; and because of the screen of secrecy which has been drawn across public information now available only to growers, it is no longer possible for the members of our Union and other domestic farm workers to expect fair and equitable treatment, in accordance with the law, either from the state agencies involved or from the West Coast officials of the Department of Labor. 262 part 6. letters from an activist The Mexican National labor recruitment program, still sound in principle, has become a corrupt system of exploitation of the Mexican contract workers, and a device to drive domestic farm labor from the land by wage cuts and other equally drastic methods of harassment. The Mexican farm labor recruitment program is the creature of Congress, and we do not believe that its present sorry state was intended by Congress. If it is at all possible I should like to discuss this entire matter with you in Los Angeles on Friday, December 27, or any other date during the first week of January which you may suggest. Sincerely yours, Ernesto Galarza ...

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