"The Voice of the Farm Worker"

English Edition .

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<1!wa La eeut44 EL MALCRIADO ..Published Every Two Week$Farm Worker Press

P. O. Box 894, Delano, Calif.

EDITORIAL: THE SHAME OF ARVINTHE TWENTY FOUR MEN ARRESTED THIS MONTH IN THE ARVIN STRIKEOF THE UNION OF THE NORTH NOW TAKE THEIR PLACE AS HEROES OFTHE CAUSE. THEY JOIN A LONG LINE OF BRAVE MEN WHO, THROUGHTHE YEARS, HAVE SACRIFICED THEMSELVES SO THAT OTHERS COULDLIVE BETTER.

WE CALL IT THE SHAME OF ARVIN BECAUSE IT IS ONE MORE NAIL INTHE CROSS ERECTED BY SOME OF THE MOST IGNORANT MEN IN THE.UNITED STATES. NOW AMONG THEM IS THE SHERIFF OF KERNCOUNTY.

WE CALL FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE SHERIFF FROM PUBLIC OFFICE.HE SEEMS TO WANT TO PRACTICE HIS PROFESSION IN THE TRADITIONOF THOSE POLICE IN MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA -- WE DO NOT WANTHIM IN OUR STATE WHERE MEN ARE SUPPOSED TO LIVE IN FREEDOM,UNDER A LAW WORTHY OF RESPECT.

MAY THE GRAPES OF EL RANCHO FARMS ROT ON THE VINE UNTILMEN ARE PAID WHAT THEIR LABOR IS WORTH. AND MAY THE 24 MENBE REMEMBERED UNTIL THE DAY WHEN THE CAUSE TRIUMPHS ANDSUCH A THING CAN NO LONGER HAPPEN.

EDITORIAL: GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE PEOPLEIN THE LAST WEEK WE HAVE FOUND THREE MORE EXAMPLES OFTHE GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE PEOPLE:

1) THE GOVERNMENT SIGNED PAPERS TO PERMIT 8,000 BRACEROS IN I

THE TOMATOES.2) THE IMMIGRATION SERVICE CLOSED THEIR EYES TO THE MASS USEOF WETBACKS IN THE MELON HARVEST. CAMP 30 OF THE GIFFENCO., IN HURON WAS FULL OF WETBACKS•

. 3) THE TULARE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY STARTED ISSUINGEVICTION NOTICES TO THE LINNELL ANp NOODVILLE RENTSTRIKERS.

ALL OF THESE THINGS MEAN THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE NO VOICE INTHE GOVERNMENT. IN THIS COUNTRY THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE"A VOICE.

IF WE ARE WILLING TO FIGHT, WE CAN HAVE THAT VOICE. AND NOWWE ARE CALLING ON YOU FOR HELP--YOU WHO READ EL MALCRIADO.TURN TO PAGE 8 OF THIS PAPER TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO.

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Police With DogsStop Arvin Strike

They arrested and took away 24 of thestrikers. The charge agai::l.st themwas "Parading without a Permit. "They were held overnight in the jailuntil their friends and relatives postedbond: from $56 to $276.

Among the 24 workers taken to jail inBakersfield were two union organizersMike Gonzales of Earlimart andRefugio Hernandez of Heber, Calif.According to Qne Union of the Northorganizer the arrests came as aresult of an informal agreementbetween the grower and the police.

The arrests, unjust and illegal, arebeing challenged by decent people allover the valley. All the workers arepleading not guilty in the court action.

The strikers, all farm workers fromthe Arvin area, lived mostly in theSunset Labor Camp near Lamont. TheStrike involved about 200 workers andstarted'when the rancher,Mr. Kirkoorian started paying hisworkers a miserable $1. 25 per hourfor picking grapes.

~ El Rancho Farms, with the help ofeight carloads of police from the KernCounty Sheriff, two cars from theArvin City Police, and two from theCalifornia Highway Patrol, plus dogs,squashed the strike of the "Union ofthe North, " last week.

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~£~ LoW-LIFE STRIKERSHAD ;0 PicK oN Mt=. m~y­

BoDy I£#CJI{S I 7PEAT MYP£OPI.:E f2.lbH, Af\{D pAy 1liEM1YE ,op WAGE.

rT'S NoT MY FAverTIlEY ~IT ~OW HOW oro

PENT> nIa/2.. MO~Y

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Candido EspinozaMercedes SernaLupe MendialaDolores CucipitMarcelina CastanedaJosie PerezToni RodriguezJennie Rodrigue zVirginia OhiarezMargarita EspinazaG. Z. MucadoCarmen De La VegaRosa Delia Watson'Curetana EscobarDomingo EspinozaRicardo PedrazaCleto Champion

Thelmia VelaConcepcion PedrazaRamero PediazaElvia SilvaEvaristo ValdezCruz GarciaMuyro LoredoFidel MartinezDavid MabarreteAmancio Jack;onJumencio SernaPaula MorenoMary EspinozaElidio GarciaMaria PedrazaWillie ChampionErnestina Champion

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, Jose Garcia Ramos.Sara De Garcia RamosMauro RamanBeatrice RamanPonciano MataHortensia MataManuela Jackson,Clarl~a HinajosaJuan'BozonEdmundo HinajosaJorge Hinajosa'

~ .Asencion Caudillo-Frances CaudilloElsa JacksonClara SanchezSimon SanchezGustavo Vela

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The following workers are all strikers in the Association Strike in TulareCounty against the Martin Ranch. They are laying out the path for the future.

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COUNTY AND STATE INVESTIG'AT'ELINNELL AND WOODVILLE CAMPS

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FARM WORKERS CREDIT UNIONBANCO COOPERATIVO CAMPESINO

VISALIA (Aug. 12) - Eight inspectorsfrom Tulare County closed in onLinnell Camp this morning. Theirpurpuse was to find violations of thehealth, building and safety laws ofwhich the Housing Authority i;s guilty.

At the same time a new State Dire~tor

of. Housing was appointed by GovernorBrown. This man, Walter Monasch,came immediately to Visalia to try tosettle the rent strike.

On August 24, the Housing Authoritywill hold a special secret meeting todecide what to do about the rentstrikers. They have already stoppedissuing eviction notices because theyare afraid of the workers who havema~e so much trwble for them.

'EL MALCRIADO SAYS: TheAssociation will continue its rentstrike against the Tulare CountyHousing Authority until a completevictory, is won. Not one cent of rentwill be paid until the rents are lowered

,and the camps cleaned up.

YOU BE '!HE JUDGE!

HOW TO STRIKE?1. TALK TO YOU CREW: MAKESURE EVERYONE IS WITH YOU.

2. MAKE A STRIKE COMMITTEE

3. COME TO THE ASSOCIATIONFOR ADVICE AND HELP.

102 ALBANY

WHYSTOPNOW?

You have fini hed payingup your Joan-but keepthe payments comingto the credit union!

DELANO, CALIF. P. O. BOX 894

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RANCHER WHO BEAT WORKER'CHILD STILL WALKS THE STREETS

EL MALCRIADO SAYS: Justice movesslowly: without a push from theworkers and their Assoctition, itdoesn't move at all.

The Police of Buttonwillow, Calif.,have failed to make any further inves­tigation in the case of the beating ofRamirite Villal'eal, ·5 years old, bythe grower Bud Buerkle. The patronhaG already been served with a sum­mons from Civil Court, where thefather is suing him for $5, 000.

The Association demands, however,that a criminal complaint be filed.The letter which appears on this pagewas sent to the Buttonwillow Police.

- FARII WORKERS JSSOCIJTIONP£'_A:'IIC'. CALIF'. PO. POX H.

Sheriff's OfficeButtonwillow, California

Dear Sirs:

We are ,"lriting to you regard the case of five year old RamiritoVillareal, who was beaten by Mr. Bud Buerkle of Buttonwillowwithout cause on July 3.

We have waited a month in order to give you an opportunity tomake an investigation and the results public. As of today, nocomplaint has been filed, and, therefore, your depart~nt standsas an embarrass~nt to law and order, and a mockery of justice.

The National Farm Workers Association, therefore, on behalf ofour member Alfonso Villareal, father of Ramiro Villareal, herebydemands that a complaint be filed. If this is not done, and thecriminal aspect of this beating ignored, we will expect acomplete explanation.

If you do not make a full answer to this inquiry, by your actionsyou and your department invi te the condemnation and anger of theworking people of Kern County.

C:ce~~~~Director

- 7 -I.Association StrikeContinues Successful

The J. D. Martin vineyard between Earlimart and Poplar remained empty asthe strike by the Asociacion entered its third week. All the workers strikingwere working on other jobs. Mr. Martin's only comment was, "Good luck onyour strike." He is one of the largest ranchers in the area.

The strike, officially recognized by the State of California, involv~d aboutsixty workers. The strike was the first labor action against a~ employer inTulare County by the Association.

Martin owns oranges nan Yettem, and a cattle ranch and gold mine in otherareas. He was offered $15 million dollars for the local holdings, which herefused.

He told the Association that he could not afford a l5~ an hour increase inwages for the sixty workers. Also, he was apparently unable to afford toiletsin the field or cold drinking water.

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No workers can be referred to his fields by the Department of Employment.Also any workers who are caught workbg in the Martin vineyard as strike­breakers by the Association will have their name and pictures printed in thispaper and sent all over California.

The strikers are now on the List of Honor of the Association. The strike hascost the workers over $3, 000. 00.

It has cost Mr. Martin much more. See page 12.

CAMP COUNCI·L CONTROLRETURNS TO THE PEOPLE

The Camp Council .of Linnell andWoodville Camp met late last week.It is the Council which has $3,000.00which belongs to the residents of thecamps.

Mrs. ~ria Alvarado was appointedtemporary chairman. A meeting willbe held this week to get control of theCouncil back in the hands of thepeople.

The Camp Councils were set up whenthe camps were new in the 1930's.Dues have been deducted from tenantsrents. The purpose of the Councilsis to act as an Association to repre-sent the workers. .

Now that things are happening at thecamps, the Councils will again actfor the people.

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FARM WOR.KERS JSSOCUTION

Gilbert Padilla

Sincerely yours,

There are countless 1ncidente of mismanagement of the cam.ps which need to beinvestigated. For .xample, in the Linnell Labor Camp the Housing Authority d....nd.payment of 50_ per lIlonth from each ram1y for "camp council dues." This campcouncil has been dead for eeven yeus, yet the treasury conta.in~ about $3,000.00.Checks are signed, at the request at the Housing Authority, by two W'OlI8n who

euppoeedly represent the "camp council."

At Woodv1lle, ree1dente pay 50¢ per II'IOnth dues. No one eeeas to knoW' what happenato this llIOney.

The residents are required to l!Iign a groaaly unconetitutional lease. Furthermore,the le..., are in Englieb. At l ...t 50% of the tenant, do not read ilngUeh.

Further evidence of thil corruption will be provided i£ requested. Pleaeerealize the eense of urgency "hich accolllp8nles this petition. The tenants who haveparticipated in thi, rent ,tr1k. have be.n ••rved with notices nf eviction. Thieaction My take place at aT:f:/ t1me and lIould, in truth, constitute a crime againstfar.. laborer! in the whole etate of Cal1forn1a.

The rent strikers have IBI.Il1 adequate reasons for asking for this investigation.Fundamentally the i.eue i' thie: Tulare Count)"" Hou,ing Authority hoe rwedrente on a monef.imakinbialull. The TCHl rased these rents on SUbstandard awell1nga(llX16 tin e&81 re wi out water or plumbing) by 47%, in ,pite of the fact thatthey had alre.dy bank.d about $130,000 in profit! from rentals on the campo. Th.Houeing Autbority its.lf admit, tb. cabine are in terrible condition. Not only

did the Housing Authority han th1e mon.y in the bank, it gave out fale. infor-...tion regarding the eum involved.

Dear Sir:

Augu,t 15, 1965Farm Workers Association1549 We,t OlivePorterville, Calitorn1a

Th. Honorabl. Oovernor EdIllUlld O. BrownState CapitolSacramento, Cautomia

Resident! of the Woodville and Linnell Farm Labor Canter, in Tulare County havebeen on a rent etrike tor over 100 days. Enclosed 18 a petition from renters inthe.. two campo prote,ting the poor management of the campo and the unju,t rentincrease made on their aublt&ndaM tin shelters. They request you to ask for ani_diate inveetigation.

NEEDED.ISHELPYOURNOW

A letter To The Governor

Ask your friends to write letters also. Send theletters to: "Governor Brown, Sacramento, Calif."

They ask you to write aletter to Governor Brown, in 'Spanish or English.They ask you to say "Governor, these peop.e havesuffered long enough. Now you must help them getjustice by supporting an investigation of the HousingAuthority. "

The workers actually.involved in the rent strike haveshown tremendous courag~ to last this long underthe daily pressure of the Housing Authority.

Here is a copy of a letter sent by the Association tothe Governor. Already hundreds of people havedemanded an investigation and the, investigation willbe made by the State Government. But continuouspressure on these officials is needed or they will donothing.

THE RENT STRIKE.

Cesar E. ChavezDelano, California

Jose BasalduaFresno, California

Editor:Malcriado, I want information aboutthe benefits of the members in theFarm Workers Association because Iam sure I want to be a member. Wethe farm work~rswant to earn .whatothers make. We have the heaviestwork and make the least money. Myname is:

Dear Editor:I wish to thank all of our membersand friends who sent me their lettersand cards wishing a quick recoveryduring my illness. Our specialthanks to all those whose prayerswere offered for my recovery, also toall the people who had the holy sacri­fice of Mass celebrated for my recov­ery. To all of you may God give youhis blessing.

Dear Editor:I am a member of the Association andam curious to know something aboutthe War Against the Poor. .I can'tunderstand why it has to be us poorthey are always picking on. Thegrowers pick on us, the law picks onus, even where we live (campos) themanagers pick on us. But to thinkthat now the government is after us onan all out war, this I can't understand.What is this all about?

Richard Estrada BotellaCampo de la LomaFresno, California

/1Q~71e£PetJtd£A~£7~/aoalone. One thing is clear that thelaws of the world are for the weak ­like the spider web - the rich and thestrong can break them and get away

. with it. I am a witness to this.Epifanio CamachoMcFarland, California

Editor:In your edition 0#16 I read an articlewhich states that Mr. William Moffit,manager of Mount Arbor Nurseries,was called before the District Attor­ney in Bakersfield to answer to char­ges made by the Farm WorkersAssn. I also read that no chargeswere pressed because Mr. Moffitw:asn't aware of the law prohibitinghiring of strikebreakers who are notfirst made aware that a ~abor disputeexists at the place of employment.

The trouble is that these growers actstupid so that they can get away withit. This reminds me when this sameman stole $100. 00 from my wages andand other nursery Konklin stole $66from my wages. These figures rep­resent my bonus. I complained to theLabor Commissioner and the com­panies denied everything and theLabor Comissioner believed them. Iwasn't paid and am sure no onecaught them. I'm sure these menalso just did not KNOW that stealingwages is a crime.

But one consolation I have is that weshowed Moffit that a strike can bemade against his operation. Thisamuses me alot; what he stole fromme he has· had to payout to theworkers double as the result of the.strike.

Through El Malcriado I want to con­gratulate all those who went out onstrike - those men with the spirit ofZapata - too, those women with thespirit of Adelita. Because onlythrough unity will we be able totriumph and it won't be so easy tobreak us now as it was when I was all

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etJtlU '5,Of)SEND YOUR ANSWER ANDYOUR NAME AND ADDRESSTO:

"GAME OF THE TOWNS"P. O. BOX 894DELANO, CALIF.

The winner of the Game of theTowns last week was LUCY SILVERIOof Kerman, California, the firstperson to send the correct name,KERMAN, CALIF. She was sent acheck for $5.00. FIGURE OUT THETOWN IN THIS WEEK'S CONTESTAND WIN $5. 00.

THE $5. 00 CHECK FOR THEWINNER: "GAME OF THE TOWNS"

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r: ---Coy'c're I'::' you SJ..y .r.'~~AiCr IT MV~'7 81: TR.\lC~ 'TliE.1l.l! is AA/ J.5~G( ,.;"~,,,7H1fr WIU-, 'SHeW ~£ J"'I.I£ My]a flE.~A.y yc lJ p.,;:/t. if0012.

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PHONe 11131..... 115154

LAMEXICANABAKERY PANADERlA401 11th A'!ItI. Delqno, Colifornla

, P.h.one: 9178Delicioso Pan de Huevo

Resien Horneado a Toda Hora.Toda Clase de Reposteria FinaPrecios Especiales Para Casas

cIe Borde y Ordenes Grandes

Huron is a Hole

ASPECIALREPORT

Huron, California is a hole in theground. There is no way out of it ifyou don't have a car: there is no pub­lic bus, train or taxi that goes into orout of Huron. The three companieswhich control everything in the areaalso run the town. They also want to I

run the people, but little by little oureyes are opening. The days of thebig shots are numbered. With thehelp of God the Association willchange this and Huron will be a betterplace.

working illegally without papers at astarvation wage.

Another man, an irrigator, went toget his pay which was owed to him be­cause he needed it immediately for anemergency. The grower refused topay it until he got the constable tocome with him to force the employerto pay.

in the Ground

•HUR.ON

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Huron, Calif. - The melon harvestentered its final weeks in the Huronarea. Wetbacks were doing most ofthe work, under the -noses of theImmigration. They had been import­ed to keep the wages down. One­example was Camp 30 of the GiffenCompany, where an illiterate bossheld down all the workers in a reignof terror, threatening to' send themback to Mexico.

Among'the irrigators, things w.ereworse. They were paid $1. 10 per hourand $2. 25 a day was deducted fromtheir wage. Some of these who ,wQfked ~n a, piece rate were for,ced towork two ho'ur's free every day. Theirrigators were even forced to buy'the wrench ne~ded to open the watervalves.

One man who had immigrated his twosons. from Mexico legally couldn't getwork for them· in Camp 30. Why?B~cause the' camp was full of wetbacks

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MAPA RECRUITMENT OF WORKERSDOUBLE-CROSSED BY GOVERNMENT

TIDS MAN IS NOTA MEMBER

OF THEFARM WORKERSCREDIT UNION.102 Albany-Delano

ARE YOU?

The demonstration by the Associationat the MAPA Conventiai had a strongreaction all over California. Thelargest effect .of the demonstration wasto force MAPA to have their irrespon­sible recruitment efforts regulated bya union -- the Union of the North.

Their recruiting of farm workers,mostly in the Stockton area, will beunder arrangements that- the Union haswith the labor contractors there.

Meanwhile, behind everybody's back,8, 000 braceros were approved for thetomatoes.

George Trejo, of Parlier, andCipriano Muniz, of Selma, have soldthe highest number of copies ofELM A L C R IA D0 in their towns.

GEORGETREJO

CIPRIANOMUNIZ

EL MALCRIADO SAYS: They alreadyhave their hands deep enough in thepublic.treasury. They don't paygasoline tax on these machines. Whyshould we, the taxpayers pay for theirbridges. Let them build their ownbridges; they have already robbed thegovernment of enough money.

Ranchers Get Their Hands Into Public MoneyFRESNO COUNTY (West Side) - The,ranchers here want the county to taketax money to widen all the countybridges across ~an Luis Canal. Theywant this so that their 36-foot-widemachines can cross. There aresIEcial bridges for the giant farmmachines now, but they are too farapart, the ranchers say.

J "TO.·· MAKE DEMANDS" - 15 -

"••. I am witnessing what people go through when they are not free in a . .co~try that tells them they are free, .who are discriminated against in a- .-­country that claims no discrimination regardless of race, creed, or nationalorigin; people who work in fields where there are no water or toilets fo,r _wages that are debasing, and have not the command of the language:'or a .sense any longer of their own worth to speak out against what is being done tothem; workers who are stamped on every moment of their lives by men whohave the power, not because they are right, not because they are·better, butprecisely because they can pay for the power.

And the worker when he wants to fight back faces perhaps a judge who is agrower, a welfare agency that's been told they're giving too much money awayor a county hospital that treats him like an animal who deserves whateverdise~se he's brought.

They've been doWn so long they cherish what little they have, fear to lose ajob, and they find some way of telling themselves that $1. 25 is a decent wage,is what the labor of their hands is really worth.

So I need very much to be taught that my country means precisely what itsays; I need to be shown there are men in thE country with the strength inthem to make demands of the country, to ask of it that it live up to what itclaims it is••. "

---- This article, reprinted in English from El Malcriado '#13,was written by a student from the East Coast who cameto California to help farm workers with the help of somegovernment money. He has since been kicked out for"stirring up too much trouble".

How Do You GetDis,ability Insurance?

Sr. Editor:

Why don't you give useful informationin El Malcriado, such as to explainhow to get money if you are hurt onthe job. I heard about how theAsociacion got $6, 000, for one man whowas hurt. Please answer my letter inthe paper.

Abel Mendes CabreraBakersfield, Calii>mia

E1 Malcriado says: If you are hurt onthe job, even if it is your own fault andthe knife slips and cuts you, you maybe entitled to time lost from work andmedical expenses. Here are the rules:1. You must report the accident toyour boss immediately, and make surehe reports it to the head of the com~­

pany.2. You must go to the doctor; youhave to use the doctor of the boss.3. Then you come to the Association,if you are a member, and the Assoc.will help you file a claim.Since money is paid only for medicalexpenses and time lost from workafter the first week, you have to behurt awfully bad to get $6,000.

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SEND YOUR ORDER WITH $5 TO

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ORKERS co-or

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ANY SIZEr-------------.•'M®~®l]l ®llILm~W®ILll~LE ~Q~~ @~

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:----..:...----------16 _-----------1...

Published Every Two Weeks by Farm Worker ess,P. O. Box 894, Delano, California..•........:-:~

Price: 10~ each;, 5~ in bulk. Subscriptions: $2 per year. IF YOU MOVEIT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTIFY US OF YOUR NEW ADDRESS.

Size tires(circle one)700 x 14 600 x 15750 x 14 670 x 15800 x 14 710, x 15850 x 14 760 x 15

White- Howwall? manyBlack '!, tires?W3J.1"/ "', ' '

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