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The Other American Dilemma
This chapter is in the book The Other American Dilemma
Introduction IIn 1928, University of Texas at Austin professor Max Sylvius Handman delivered a paper in Chicago to the American Sociological Society. To provide context to this group of scholars interested in rural sociology, he informed them that European nations with higher standards of living recruited people from neighboring countries to fulfill their labor demands. He used Europe to describe the intricacies of immigrant labor, how such arrangements were formulated, and how agreements were undertaken over space and time. His audience, however, did not attend his session to learn about European labor. They attended because they wanted to know about Mexican immigrant workers who were coming to the United States. Handman contended that immigration from Europe to America had come to a virtual standstill, that African Americans were moving from rural areas to urban centers, and that the Mexican Revolution of 1910 had pushed thousands of Mexicans to the United States. Given these events, Handman declared that Mexicans had become the chief source of agricultural and railroad labor in the United States.1While the geographic proximity of Mexico to the United States simplified labor recruitment, Handman claimed that US farmers and the railroad industry preferred Mexicans over other groups because they worked harder, for lower wages, and because they tolerated living in conditions others would not accept.2 Handman believed these two industries were ruining the United States because Mexicans were establishing permanent roots in the United States and, as a by-product of their settlements, they were creating “slum conditions” and causing problems in locations where their numbers had “reached a certain height.”3 Handman deemed Mexicans to be so inferior that “[e]ven the Negro has managed to climb higher in the general raising of the average standard of living.”4 Given 1
© 2021 State University of New York

Introduction IIn 1928, University of Texas at Austin professor Max Sylvius Handman delivered a paper in Chicago to the American Sociological Society. To provide context to this group of scholars interested in rural sociology, he informed them that European nations with higher standards of living recruited people from neighboring countries to fulfill their labor demands. He used Europe to describe the intricacies of immigrant labor, how such arrangements were formulated, and how agreements were undertaken over space and time. His audience, however, did not attend his session to learn about European labor. They attended because they wanted to know about Mexican immigrant workers who were coming to the United States. Handman contended that immigration from Europe to America had come to a virtual standstill, that African Americans were moving from rural areas to urban centers, and that the Mexican Revolution of 1910 had pushed thousands of Mexicans to the United States. Given these events, Handman declared that Mexicans had become the chief source of agricultural and railroad labor in the United States.1While the geographic proximity of Mexico to the United States simplified labor recruitment, Handman claimed that US farmers and the railroad industry preferred Mexicans over other groups because they worked harder, for lower wages, and because they tolerated living in conditions others would not accept.2 Handman believed these two industries were ruining the United States because Mexicans were establishing permanent roots in the United States and, as a by-product of their settlements, they were creating “slum conditions” and causing problems in locations where their numbers had “reached a certain height.”3 Handman deemed Mexicans to be so inferior that “[e]ven the Negro has managed to climb higher in the general raising of the average standard of living.”4 Given 1
© 2021 State University of New York

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Illustrations ix
  4. Acknowledgments xi
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Francisco Maestas et al. v. George H. Shone et al., 1912-1914 15
  7. "Porque tenian sangre de "NEGROS,'" 1915-1916 37
  8. "In These Towns Mexicans Are Classified as Negroes," 1915-1935 53
  9. Diplomatic Relations to School Segregation and Jim Crow 71
  10. Legally White, Socially "Mexican," 1930-1947 101
  11. Epilogue 125
  12. Notes 135
  13. Bibliography 169
  14. Index 181
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https://doi.org/10.1515/9781438484549-003

Chapters in this book

  1. Front Matter i
  2. Contents vii
  3. Illustrations ix
  4. Acknowledgments xi
  5. Introduction 1
  6. Francisco Maestas et al. v. George H. Shone et al., 1912-1914 15
  7. "Porque tenian sangre de "NEGROS,'" 1915-1916 37
  8. "In These Towns Mexicans Are Classified as Negroes," 1915-1935 53
  9. Diplomatic Relations to School Segregation and Jim Crow 71
  10. Legally White, Socially "Mexican," 1930-1947 101
  11. Epilogue 125
  12. Notes 135
  13. Bibliography 169
  14. Index 181
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