DELANO~ CALIFORNIA Vol. III~ No. 15 November 1-15~ 1969 \, \ Pf course I believe in equality before the law ... for those who can afford George Murphy, the Sen­ Murphy and Reagan are furious at' a lawyer... you ior (Republican) Senator from CRLA because it has sponsored lazy poor people California, has launched a new attack many law suits in behalf of the should get a on the farm workers and the rural poor, to preserve the Medical Pro­ job and then poor. In a .special amendment to gram (which Reagan wanted to cut), you can be the law extending the Office of to force compliance with state mini­ 'equal with us Economic Opportunity for another mum wage laws in agriculture, and two years, Murphy proposes to put more recently, to force the state •all legal aid programs directly under to ban DDT and protect farm workers the control of state governors. The and others from the dangers of purpose of the amendment, which pesticides. Powerful agribusiness. passed the Senate on October 14, oil, and chemical interests are es­ is to give Governor Ronald Reagan pecially enraged that the poor would control over the California Rural dare to challenge their "right" to Legal Assistance Program. South­ poison California, and have, ern racist politicians also 'support demanded that their servants Mur- ( the proposal. since it would mean phy and Reagan destroy CRLA. (J !'~ the Federal Government could not UFWOC Vice President Philip ~ finance any legal aid program for Vera Cru~ commented, "It' would the poor in their states without be a real tragedy if Senator Mur­ the approval of the Governor phy's amendment to the OEO bill Wallaces and Governor Maddoxes. were passed. It woulci take away President Nixon and his Director from the rural poor in California of the OEO, Donald Rumsfeld, both the best friend they have in seek­ oppose the law, which would take ing equality before the law. We away their power over legal aid hope all friends of the farm workers programs. Rumsfeld predicted flat­ will write to their Congressmen and ly that Southern governors w~uld protest this action." use their power over the programs Letters should especially be sent to deny all legal aid to the poor to Congressman Carl Perkins, ee~ Senator~ in their states. Chairman of the Education and Labor I would but I Murphy's real object, as he has Committee, House Office Building, don I t know how tr:..........._-' stated frankly, is to destroy CRLA Room 2252. Washington, 0, C. 20515. to tap dance. ~ or turn it into a divorce agency. SAVE CRLA! Viva 10 Causa EL HALCRIADO, The Voice of the Farm cated at the northwest corner of r.ar­ Worker, Is published twice monthly by cas H/qhway and Mettler Avenue, Dela­ y the UNITED FARM·WORKERS ORr.ANllINr. no, California. COMMITTEE. AFL-CIO. Subscriptions In Address all correspondence to: EL Ei· Progreso the United States and Its polsesslons MALCRIADO, Post Office Box 130, Dela- are $3.50 per year, and forelqn. I~­ no. California 93215. ' cludlnq Canada and Mexico, US $5.00. Subscriptions for members of UN!)C, Second class postage paid Delano,Ca. _ efMVete4fl AFL-CIO are Included In monthly du~s. Ciecorka~ tJI busl~ess Cover by Frank Editorial and offices 10- 4 to celebrate the harvest EL ~IALCRIADO More, and more people are findinl out that • 11teue4Ie- P.O. BOX 130 subscription to EL MALCRIADO is the best _ay 'DELANO, CA to keep up with the farm worker stru••le. 93215· Don't be left out--send in this coupon today I AHtelUe4#e FILL OUT THIS CARD AND SEND IT WITH $3.50 TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS FOR A ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO EL MALCRIADO, SENT TO YOUR HOME EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR ONE YEAR. NAME, _ ADDRESS- Fresno California CITY· -------=-..---,;;",...--_.STATE- ........_-..;;..;..:--ZIP EL MALCRIADO/3 "FAST --NOT FEAST" IS THEME FOR FARM WORKERS' THANKSGIVIN,G DELANO, November 6 -- Grape New, York boycott, Peggy McGivern "When we are really honest with boycott co - ordinators announced of the Buffalo boycott, Alfredo and ourselves we must admit that our today that a primary effort will be Juanita Herrera of the Denver Boy­ lives are all that really belong to made to stop grape sales during the cott, Joe Serda and 8hris Hart­ us. So it is how we use our lives Thanksgiving buying season. "The mire of the Los Angeles boycott, that determines what kind of men effort will be two-fold,n stated Union and many others have fasted to show we are. It is my deepest belief Vice' President Gilbert Padilla. "On their concern and dedication to the that only by giving our lives do the one hand, we shall try to have struggle to liberate farm workers we find life. I am convinced that a picket line at every Safew~y store from poverty and hunger. the truest actofcourage, the strong­ in California, urging consumers to In ending his 22-day fast for est act of manliness is to sacri­ pass up grapes, and pass up shop­ non-violence in March of 1968, fice ourselves for others in a total­ ping at stores that stock grapes. UFWOC Director Cesar Chavez ly non-violent struggle for justice.n On the other hand, we will invite stated: ,our supporters to join us in a full day of fasting during the Thanks­ UFWOC Di~ector Ce­ giving Holidays. We want to re­ sar Chavez reeeives mind the communities across this Communion~ ending rich land that hidden away, in shacks his 22-day fast for and camps, there are thousands of non-vio lence~ March~ migrants for whom there will be 1968. To his left ~ hunger, not feasting, on Thanks­ Robert Kennedy and giving." Mrs. Helen Chavez. The theme for the period of No­ vember 23-27 will be "Fast -- not Feast.n Padilla pOinted out that the plan, will be made public through many churches where p~stors and priests will urge their congregations GOVERNMENT MOVES TO Ban DDT to join the fast. "We have re­ WASHINGTON, D. C., November pose a more direct threat to farm ceived communications from as far 13 -- Secretary of Health, Educa­ workers and consumers. Union away as Philadelphia where r;najor tion, and Welfare Robert Finch an­ leaders were also wondering if, after plans are under way for several nounced today that the FederalGov­ all the publicity about "banning" days ofpicketing and fasting just pri­ ernment is planning to phase out use DDT, the government would really or to Thanksgiving. Maybe this of DDT on food products over the take that step, and put teeth and sacrifice will be just enought to next few years. The action was enforcement procedures in a bring growers to the bargaining accompanie'd by a great deal of program to eliminate the poison. table again. n publicity, but as yet the actual speci­ "We have information t1iat the ban In Delano, some are planning to fics of the Government's program applies only' to foods destined for ,begin their fasting with an ecu­ are not known. domestic consumption," said one menical service on Sunday, Novem­ "We welcome this action by the UFWOC spokesman. "Does that ber 23, and break their fast with government," stated UFWOC 0(ice mean that they will continue to use a mass on Thanksgiving Day. In President Oolores Huerta. "It signi­ DDT on grapes, for instance, and some cities, plans are underwayfor fies that at least the government is send those grapes to Canada, where a one-day fast on the 23rd, followed aware of the dangers of DDT. But the 'ban' does not apply?" What by intensive work on the boycott we are adopting a 'wait-and-see' ac tion will the government take for the rest of the week. attitude, since the government's past today, in 1969, against grapes and The idea fOr a Thanksgiving fast performance in this area has leftus other crops with residues of DDT originated with UFWOC's Philadel­ with considerable 'skepticism about on them? If DDT is harmful in phia boycott co-ordinator, Hope Lo­ their performance. 1971, then it is just as dangerous pez, who went on an extended fast Specifically, Union leaders point­ today. And finally, what program herself last Spring. Others on the ed out that the government might will the government conduct to pre­ boycott, including Carolina Franco, be bowing to the widespread p'ublic vent other poisons with dangerous Lilli Sprintz, and Tonia Saludado outcry against DDT, while doing and long lasting residues from being of the Philadelphia grape boycott, nothing about the other, stronger used on grapes and other food crops! Tina Best and Joe Guevara of the chlorinated hydrocarbons --which UFWOCAwaits United Farm Workers Organizing Committee has again appealed to California and Arizona grape grOIN­ ers to open negotiations to end the four-year old grape strike. Growers have given no answer, either publi­ cally or privately, to the latest appeal for negotiations, justas there was never any response to the Union's offer to reopen negotiations in September. ·Once again I am contacting the representatives of the table grape industry to inform you that the United Farm Workers Organizing Com­ mittee, AFL-CIO, represents a ma­ jority of your agricultural employ­ ees," wrote UFWOC Director Cesar Chavez in a telegram to major grape growers' associations. "We there­ fore request a meeting at your earliest convenience to effectuate recognition and to begin negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. Please respond immediately." The Coachella grape grower Lionel Steinberg (left) lis­ telegram was sent to the Desert tens as UFWOC Vice President Dolores Huerta explains Grape Growers League in care of Union demands for contract terms.