Give And Take With Mexico (1944)

[Music] the United States of America has only two bordering Powers Canada and Mexico and throughout our great country there is always a feeling of friendliness toward these countries this is a very unusual State of Affairs in the world today at present the United States of America has a special reason to be thankful to her good neighbors in a time of acute labor shortage Mexico has sent over 100,000 of her young men to help us out on our Farms they have come from many parts of Mexico and are working in the middle west in the South and in the west they are called Nationals and large camps have been provided to house them they are under the jurisdiction of the United States government in addition to the Farm Workers there are also tens of thousands of Nationals keeping our railroads in repair throughout our country at the foot of Mount Hood in the midst of the Oregon Fruit country near the town of Hood River there is a large camp for 500 Nationals some of the men stay All Summer in one camp and go out by the day to work on the neighboring Farms however the larger Farms have their own camps for seasonal workers and on these Farms the Mexicans live very close to our American homes and learn to know the way we really live when the people of two countries become well acquainted then the two countries have the best possible chance for international understanding this is the story of Antonio who lives on Mr Bryant's Farm it is apple picking time the Mexicans sing as they work and from a distance it sounds as if the orchard was a large music box with the tops of the beautiful trees breaking into songs Antonio leads the singing [Music] the Mexicans love music it is part of their daily lives perhaps in America they miss most of all the music of their Homeland land and so they bring us some of the beauty and charm that is Mexico Molly bran likes the songs and will remember always these men who sing as they work the fruit trees must be watered regularly and Antonio spends many days working on the irrigation ditches the men rotate the flow of the water so that each section of the farm receives its Supply they open the gates and direct the water into the ditches that flow into the Orchards the source of the water is snowcapped Mount Hood the snow melts and rushes down the mountain side forming rivers and streams the large main irrigation ditches Branch off from the river dam is built partway across the river and the water is directed into the large ditch gates at the mouth of the ditch control the water flow these large ditches carry the water to all parts of the Fertile Valley Molly thinks it's fun to play along the banks lots of things for a little girl to do interesting too how the smaller ditches break off from the main ditch the wheel opens or closes the gate Antonio and Tito have finished at the ditch and will now work in the orchard clearing the small trenches called irrigating reals every part of the orchard must be watered as the entire crop depends on the thoroughness of the irrigating Mr brand chose Antonio for this work because he is reliable and has good judgment Molly likes to watch The Water Rush by the Swift Current takes her play boats of twigs and leaves twirling down the stream she likes to dream about when she will grow up and hopes she can visit this Mexico where the men are so kind and the people always sing Antonio will to town this afternoon he asks Mrs brand where he can buy some things that he needs this Saturday the men will stop work early and they have many plans or they have little time away from work it is fun to go shopping in a foreign country and Hood River is a very beautiful Town Antonio and his Chum Felipe have a full day first an ice cream cone one of those quaint American Customs m tastes good the American stores are different from those in Mexico and there are certain things that they wish to take back home Antonio buys a rain proof jacket this store is full of things all men like Sporting Goods hunting and fishing tackle and electrical appliances they Marvel at the electric ice boxes sweepers stoves ironers and so for so many things to make housework easy they meet some old friends from Mexico would they like to take a boat ride oh not this time they're going to a movie Antonio and Felipe have planned this boat ride for a long time Mrs Brandt suggested that they should see the river as the Columbia river is famous for its beauty they make friends easily with the American children in Mexico where the men live they use paddles and the men have difficulty trying to paddle with the long ores it's all fun and just what the men need after a long week of picking fruit also it's nice to get away from camp and talk over their impressions of the strange country a boat ride in your own country is fun but in a foreign country it becomes a mysterious ious and exciting experience well they'd like to stay longer but they are to meet Mrs brand Antonio pays for the boat and they start up town they tell their old friend Roberto all about the boat ride when they get there and they ask him to drop around and see them now here's Mrs brand the other men from the ranch went home earlier on the truck they enjoy the ride home like to see the beautiful surrounding country back at Camp some of the men gather around to study English they go to an English class once a week but still can speak only a few words and are dependent on making signs to say what they mean but here's Antonio what did he buy in town well a short light coat that is a windbreaker and will keep out the rain mhm they think he has made a very good buy Felipe looks pleased the men asked Mr Brandt to buy them some shirts in the city they couldn't find just what they wanted in the small town Augustine knows exactly what he wants but it's hard to say it in a strange language he really must study harder now it's pear harvesting time Antonio is careful not to hurt the fruit or pull off the stems the spur is located at the base of the stem and if it is injured it would endanger next year's CR propop their old friend Roberto stops by for a chap these pairs are high priced and must arrive at the market with no bruised spots or scratches loading the boxes is heavy work but these men are young and strong only men in good physical condition are sent to America with the Nationals this Farm has 150 acres of fruit trees and that means means about 50,000 boxes to be picked trucks take the fruit to the farm packing house to be stored and packed and so the season passes with its variety of crops pears plums and apples several times a year the fruit must be sprayed with arsenic of lead and oil to keep it free from Bugs worms and plant diseases the spray gun distributes the spray evenly over the apples before the fruit is packed the apples are thoroughly washed in a big machine Filipe brings Antonio a letter from Manuel an old friend that lives in their Hometown in Mexico he joined up with the Nationals and was sent to a camp in California they laugh over Manuel's account of his experiences in the strange country Manuel was sent to a camp near the town of San Fernando California this Camp houses 150 men who go out by the day and work on the different Farms the camp is is in the center of many lemon and orange groves and today Manuel is going to pick lemons he and Pedro pick skillfully and joke as they work apparently they have lots to talk over they have become acquainted with American Mexican families living in San Fernando and are planning what they will do next Sunday these boys come from a cooler climate in Mexico and they find the days hot and dry but they work hard and are healthy they eat in the camp dining room and are served Mexican food however they get homesick and often long for Mexico cool water is kept on hand in the Orchards and it tastes mighty good these men really are happy they are making good money and will have lots of tales to tell the Home Folks when they return the Nationals also work in the Orange Groves across the road in fact this year up and down the Pacific coast most of the farm work is being done by Mexican labor each crop is handled differently and the Nationals working all over the country learn the many methods America excels in mechanical improvements and the men become familiar with our latest equipment the pecking boss calls out it's time to stop work the men are always glad to return to Camp their mascot old lucky goes along each day with the truck he seems to feel that he too has done A Hard Day's work but really he slept all day under a tree he and Manuel are close friends and Manuel will miss him when he goes back home back at the warehouse the trucks unload their boxes of fruit several Nationals from Pico Camp work in this plant the Nationals passed certain requirements before they were accepted they had to be 21 years of age in good health and had experience working on a farm however many have worked at other trades and so they represent a variety of types among the workers are men who have been Factory workers handy makers teachers Barbers small shopkeepers the men arrive back at Camp next to the warehouse in the evening Manuel visits with an American Mexican family that lives near these birds remind him of his own pets in Mexico and so through the season the Nationals work where they are most needed here they are picking in a tomato field these foods will keep the United States well fed in the coming months and just think because of Labor shortage some of our crops have not been harvested so you can see the help of over 100,000 Mexican Nationals as made it possible to save many crops this is true not in just one section but in many parts of the United States in the field of Illinois and Iowa in Michigan and Wisconsin and in the cattle country of Nevada and the cotton fields of Arizona and don't forget the thousands of Nationals helping on our railroads keeping our railroads running bending their backs to help America these men are making friends all over America before returning to their home homes in many parts of Mexico they will tell their friends in Mexico about America these many ties of friendship will form a lasting bond between the two countries the strongest possible basis for good international relations in the evenings the men play baseball they are practicing for a game with one of the other camps of Nationals they like American games and soon learn all the slang strike one aha he hits it right over the plate and a miss he doesn't mind now it's time to change sides they're all looking forward to the American celebration of the day when Mexico first declared her independence this day corresponds to our fourth of July the big day arrives and a neighboring School decorates its float for the parade this part of the city is made up of a large Mexican colony and the people watch expectantly for the parade the American school children with their teachers dressed in Mexican costumes might be a scene in Mexico itself [Applause] the Mexicans love horses the Nationals watch for the queen and she really is pretty many receptions will be held Mr kiry the superintendent of the Los Angeles School Board congratulates the queen she is a lovely Mexican pipe Mr KY is a great student and admirer of Mexico he encourages the studies in our schools that teach young people about Mexico in the current American Fashions there's a marked Mexican influence in the dress designing colors scarfs silver jewelry and styles of hairdressing the Mexican cils and other people who are important internationally enter into the festivities well what's Happening Here the winner of the prize baby contest and what a champion she has almost a perfect health record and look at Miss runner up soon she will be wearing a big flower in her hair Mexican American style in the evening we have Street dancing especially the Mexican national [Music] dancers this is a day with fun for everyone Maria likes this stunning officer and he seems to like Maria there are celebrations in many parts of the city the Nationals visit the small boobs with their Mexican Goods what fun especially after the long days on the farms poly talks Spanish and Manuel is [Music] pleased Mexican flags are flying in the plaza the Old Town Square throughout our country many buildings show a Spanish style in their architecture when the Nationals arrive at this station one of the first things they see is this section of the city across from the station the post office terminal building is an example of Mexican influence from the time the early Spanish Padres built the missions this influence has been carried down the Nationals are surprised at the far-reaching influence of their country and it makes them very proud and happy as this Mission of San Juan Capistrano is reflected in the lovely pool so the Mexican influence has spread throughout our country but let's return to Mr BR Farm where the fall leaves are turning Antonio Augustine and Jose walk back to their Camp they meet Mrs Harding who has charge of their Camp they often play with her grandchild and have made many plans to keep in touch with her after they go home they gather around for a last song while they wait for the [Music] truck Antonio sings lustily he hopes to come back another year but he's happy now because he will soon go home foree [Music] [Music] and now it is Goodbye Mr and Mrs Brandt wish they could keep the men permanently on their Farm Antonio Austine henrique and Loren their faces reflect the depth of their feeling they will remember this adventure always and so the truck leaves for the larger Camp from these camps the men leave on special trains for Mexico and look at the brand new coats boxes and cases brim full of bits of America for Mexico surprises for their loved ones but most of all they take in themselves a little that is America and leave with us a lasting impression of their charm and the way of life in Mexico [Music]