STATEMENT TO THE SUBCOMtIITTEE OH EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES,
АШ) Ш'ОЖ,
OF THE COMMITTEE CM AGRICULTURE ,
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
.Submitted, by
Henry F/, Anderson,
670
Зааде
Ave.
Clareiuarrb, Calif.
This subeemsaiitee Is considering prc^oaals dealing with Public tm 78, the enabling
legislation under which the Mexican National or brscero program functions. For over & yta&
a half I h&w been active in research b&ving^odo'larith this program. I a» employed
F School of Public Health, University of California (Berkeley), as a Reeerach Public
■■ealth Sociologist, Although in this statement I shall mate uae of data collected by the
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pro jost with which I
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associated, I speak
аз
an individual and not as a repre-
tive of the University of California or
оду
other organisation*
I r-s<e that Host of the testimony before this subcommittee will, be concerned with
ha oo^omio in^lications of the brecero program, With the permission of the subcommittee,
o/- ula like to confine my rerssrlrsTo & different matter* the implications of the brae ©re-
;rc?v*ssi for relations between the United States and Mexico. Certain findings from
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^v-% derived frei.? interviews with a representative
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of Mexican Nationals, ehsd
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I believe is
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light on this subject about which little concrete evidence has hereto-
fore "been available.
It is widely accepted that the international movement of persons is an effective and
economical means of fostering good will and understanding between nations. So far as X
;
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no international movement of peoples involves larger numbers of individuals than close
-he bracero program. A®prcecimste3y
«50,000
Mexican National» have come to this country
t-uring aih of the last two year’s. It is estimated that 2,500*000 different
ад
imve boon
• nvolvoc! at on© Urn or another since the program began. It is equally important to note ~
‘hat ualika tls international movement of diplomats, businessmen, “and tourists, this r.ro-
• ram involves persons tsho are drsam from the grass roots of an underdeveloped or send-
:i?velo ped nation. Virtually all braceros com from tbs two-thirds or
кого"
of Mexico which
; 3 reral, agricultural, and poor .~~K’ may be said that for all practical, purpose©, the
; oic'v- of Africa among the great
тавеез
of Mexico consists of braeeroe who have been to the
tatted States and then returned to their homes.
These two and a half millions of men could fens one of the greatest reservoirs of
friendship wo c-atfoy la acsr oomtxy in the world — or ess of the greatest reservoirs of
resentment. There is tremendous potential inherent in this orograra, bat that potential
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cut either
ту,
X should like to address ay self to the Question of how greatly the
potantieXitiee are being realised, end in what direction.
