811.504 Mexico/474
The Chief of the Foreign Labor Section of the War Manpower Commission (Coates) to the Chief of the Division of Mexican Affairs (McGurk)
Dear Mr. McGurk: Your attention is being called to an extremely critical situation as regarding labor needs for the food processing industry which is rapidly approaching an acute stage and which may yet result in the inability of this industry to meet its scheduled production of processed food for Lend-Lease and the armed forces.
It is requested that approval be obtained from the Mexican Government for the immediate importation of 5,500 food processing workers to be allocated as follows: 3,000 to the State of Washington, 2,000 to California, and 500 to Oregon.
The importance of the West Coast in processing the nation’s food is evidenced by the fact that these three states alone contribute practically all of the apricots and prunes, 96 per cent of the sweet cherries, 92 per cent of the peaches and pears, 30 per cent of the tomatoes, 26 per cent of the peas, and 18 per cent of the snap beans processed in this country.
The War Manpower Commission is endeavoring to recruit manpower to meet these increased labor needs for the food processors on the West Coast from domestic sources, prisoners of war, temporary labor from the armed forces, and foreign labor, but critical needs of other industries and lack of sufficient shipping indicate that the problem cannot be met fully without the importation of additional labor from Mexico.
While it is regretted that urgent action of this type has become necessary, the situation cannot be avoided if the War Manpower Commission is to do all within its power to meet the labor needs of critical production programs as they develop. Accordingly, it is urgently requested that the State Department determine the attitude of the Mexican Government towards the importation of 5,500 Mexican workers at the earliest possible moment.9
Very truly yours,
- In reply to this request, Mr. McGurk informed Mr. Coates by letter dated June 12 that Ambassador Messersmith had discussed with the Mexican Foreign Office the question of additional quotas of Mexican workers and had been informed that present circumstances did not permit the extension of the present quotas or establishment of additional ones (811.504 Mexico/474).↩