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EXHIBIT 12989

[Copied from the files of the Associated Farmers of Imperial County, Inc. under subpena] PAUL SHOUP, President FRANK PARTRIDGE, Secretary

Mr. HUGH OSBORNE,

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS, INC.

411 WEST FIFTH STREET Telephone: TUCKER 8131

Court House, El Centro, Cal.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, May 31, 1939.

DEAR HUGH: With reference to my telegram and letter of May 29th, in which you were notified of the impending jurisdictional dispute between the Amalgamated Union and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, affecting the Pacific Greyhound Bus Lines, indications this morning are that this matter will be automatically postponed for five days and is to come up before the N. L. R. B. in San Francisco today.

It is our intention to keep you fully posted on developments and please be assured that we appreciate your hearty cooperation in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

NORM. Norman Kemp.

NK:AA

A UNITED COMMUNITY EFFORT TO KEEP SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIALLY FREE

EXHIBIT 12990

[Copied from the files of Southern Californians, Inc. under subpena. JPH/imb

12/15/39 LA]

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIANS, INC.

INTERDEPARTMENT

Date: August 21, 1939

To: Mr. Shoup via Mr. Partridge.

From: A. J. Brechtel.

Subject: Terminal Wholesale Produce Market Association.

With reference to the proposed deliveries by Otto Knudsen, Mr. Dick Watson and I interviewed four concerns who are expected to take these shipments.

At K. & S. Jobbers, 1119 South San Pedro, we talked to Mr. Kim, who is either Chinese or Korean. He said that he wanted the fruit but did not want to take any steps which might result in trouble with the union, unless instructed to take a positive stand by Mr. Homer Harris, the Association's Secretary. We next called on the Valley Fruit and Produce Company, Mr. La Lande, manager, and Mr. Miller, assistant manager. Their attitude was much the

same as that of Kim.

At Hall, Haas & Vessey, 724 South Central, Mr. Vessey was a little firmer in his position. While he did not care to become the spearhead of trouble with the union, he believed there was a principle involved and that by cooperative action they could force the union to live up to its contract.

At the A. & F. Produce Company, 756 Market Court, a man known as Abe is the manager and his sentiment was much the same as Mr. Vessey's.

We then went to Mr. Homer Harris, executive secretary and manager of the Association, and laid the matter before him and asked that he call these four men into a meeting at his office, which he has agreed to do.

Mr. Watson and I both feel that it will be necessary to force Harris out into the open before these four members of his Association in order to strengthen the position of Vessey and Abe and also put a little more backbone into the other two. My own opinion is that Harris will make every effort to sidestep trouble rather than stand on the rights set up in the contract. I have asked that he call this meeting for Wednesday, if possible.

AJB: mr

EXHIBIT 12991

[Copied from the files of the Associated Farmers of Imperial County, Inc. under subpena] Telephone El Centro 1518 Post Office Box 479

ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF IMPERIAL COUNTY, INCORPORATED, El Centro, California, June 21, 1939. Mr. PAUL SHOUP, Southern Californians, Inc., 411 West Fifth Street,

Los Angeles, California.

DEAR MR. SHOUP: Since talking to you I have given the matter of the Farmers Transportation Association a great deal of thought. During the past year we have appreciated the co-ordination of effort eminating from your office. We have been very happy and proud to call on you with our problems and ask your advice, which we have always received in a kindly manner. We shall continue to maintain that relationship with you as long as our organization exists. We thoroughly appreciated the position of your organization after the defeat of No. 1, state wide, and realize that you could do very little to help us, but that was appreciated.

We are financing our Transportation Association entirely from this county, in addition to the budget for the Associated Farmers group. This additional expense thrown upon this county amounts to $600.00 per month, and these are expenditures solely to protect our products of Imperial County in the confines of Los Angeles County on their way to market. We have avoided the payment of any tribute to the unions because of this activity, and we have done our part toward maintaining "open shop" at all times.

This activity, we have always felt, was the responsibility of the Los Angeles people, but nevertheless the job had to be done, and we have done it. If in your set up there is any way that assistance can be given us in maintaining this service for the nine southern counties and others who need protection, I would like to discuss the matter with you and your group. Looking at our transportation service from the stand point of saving to the farmer, the expenditure of $7,000.00 has been saved many times over to our farmers. But even taking this into consideration the margin between success and failure at the present time is a very

narrow one.

I talked briefly with Mr. Chandler a few days ago relative to this matter, of course, naturally he could not make any definite statement, but I think he understands the situation.

Through our experiences during the past year we have very definite ideas of how to handle difficult situations and are quite proud of the results obtained by our small force. If you are interested in discussing this matter further, I will

be pleased to come to Los Angeles at any time and meet with you and your group.
Would appreciate some sort of a set up more inclusive than the present one.
Please let me hear from you relative to this matter.
Yours very truly,

ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF IMPERIAL CO.
HUGH T. OSBORNE, Sec'-Mgr.

HTO/mv

9. SOLICITATION OF CONTRIBUTIONS

EXHIBIT 12992

[Copied from files of Associated Farmers of Los Angeles Co., Inc. under subpena,

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Main Office and Warehouse: 1429-35 Antelope Ave., Lancaster, California. Telephone

Lancaster 38

Bellflower Office: G. Fuller, Manager, 941 So. Woodruff Avenue, Bellflower, California. Telephone 72278

LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA, May 17, 1938.

ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, INC.,

442 Chamber of Commerce Bldg., Los Angeles, California. ; DEAR MR. CLARK: We have made all arrangements for our meeting on Friday Evening, May 20, at 8:00 P. M. We are giving all the publicity that we possibly can and sincerely hope that we will have a real meeting. We hope you can bring someone along with you as a speaker who will be able to enthuse the bunch and put over our program.

The principal object of this meeting as we see it is to get additional members for Associated Farmers, as well as to inform those in attendance of the activities of the Farmers Transportation Association, and solicit their full support. We would like to bring out in some manner and secure the approval of the question of finances. Our own thought is that the hay industry should pay about 1e per ton on all hay that goes out of the valley, and this we have talked in a general way at the different times we have had an opportunity to present it to different groups. In each instance this has been readily accepted. The method of collection is the only thing that bothers us and that is the point we would like to cover. Our hay association would have no trouble in taking care of our own members but they represent less than one-half of the production, and it is the independent producer that will be difficult to collect. Any method by which this could be tied up that you can suggest, we would appreciate.

At this meeting we would also like to organize what we term a local unit, and elect some directors or representatives so that probably one of them at least could attend meetings of the County organization in Los Angeles when they are held. If you have any suggestions to offer as to any of the points mentioned, that should be given attention before you come out, please let us have them.

Yours very truly,

WTG:S

/s/ W. T. GRAHAM, Manager.

EXHIBIT 12993

[Copied from files of Associated Farmers of Imperial County, Inc. under subpena, AWS: MJS: 11/29/39, LA]

Directors. Brawley H. A. Hastain, J. S. Sanborn, H. B. Stewart. Calexico Fred Gunterman, L. C. Hawk, Argyle McLachlan. El Centro: J. L. DuBois, President; H. W. Hunt; Ward McGrew, Vice-Pres. Holtville: E. V. Edwards, Frank McCown, J. R. Snyder. Imperial: Geo. M. Conley, S. E. Robinson, H. C. Worthington.

Executive Committee.-E. V. Edwards, Fred Gunterman, Ward McGrew, S. E. Robinson, H. B. Stewart. Secretary-Treasurer, Argyle McLachlan, 915 Heber Avenue, Calexico, California. Telephone 463.

SOUTHWEST FLAXSEED ASSOCIATION

A Growers' Cooperative
Telephone 203 P. O. Box 277

IMPERIAL, CALIFORNIA, March 3, 1939.

ASSOCIATED FARMERS,

El Centro, California.

(Att'n: Hugh Osborne).

GENTLEMEN: At a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Southwest Flaxseed Association held March 2, 1939 the following motion was adopted and made a part of the Association Minutes:

Motion by Director McCown, second by Director Hawk, and unanimously carried, that the Association, upon written authorization from active grower members, pay to the Farmers' Transportation Association the sum of 10€ (ten cents) per acre on the acreage planted to flax for the 1939 season covered by such written authorizations from members.

It might be of interest to know that we now have authorizations for contributions from some 4,973 acres.

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[Copied from the files of the Associated Farmers of Imperial County, Inc. under subpena]

MARCH 21, 1939.

DEAR SIR: You no doubt are aware of the program of the labor unions, particularly the teamsters union, in seeking to unionize all farm labor.

One and one-half years ago the teamsters union, meeting in Hollywood. told representatives of the Associated Farmers they were not over-looking the six hundred million dollar industry in the State of California. They proposed to unionize agriculture in California through the control of transpor tation. They have tried to do this during the past year, but have not been entirely successful. They have now revamped their program and are now moving in on one industry at a time, their intentions now being centered upon the hay industry. They propose to force every driver into the teamsters union, and then demand that all labor. including all tractor drivers and helpers connected with the production, harvesting of the crop, baling, etc. be unionized and if this is not accomplished no farmer's hay will be moved. They have even delivered their ultimatum to the stations where the scales are

located, telling the management that unless full cooperation is extended the union no farmers hay will be weighed over their scales and no purchases of gasoline and oil will be made. This is a deliberate effort to force a "Closed Shop" on agriculture and will not be tolerated in this fair valley.

Our difficulties through the past year have been in the Los Angeles area. Through our Transportation Association facilities we have been able to maintain the freedom of the markets and we intend to continue this program. At a meeting held Feb. 27th at the Court House, it was decided to raise sufficient funds to enable us to continue protection to the industry, not only in Imperial Valley, but in the large markets. I am asking that you attend a meeting to be held the evening of March 29-7:30 at Holtville Grammar School when competent speakers will explain the entire situation to your satisfaction. Please attend this meeting as it is all important to the industry and to you in particular.

Yours for co-operation in maintaining American Democracy in Imperial Valley and elsewhere.

Yours very truly,

HTO/MV

J. R. SNYDER.

P. S. Deputy District Attorney Russell Parsons will be the main speaker at the above meeting. Mr. Parsons is the Deputy prosecutor of all labor cases in Los Angeles County and is a dynamic speaker.

EXHIBIT 12995

[Copied from the files of the Associated Farmers of Imperial County, Inc. under subpena]

ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF IMPERIAL COUNTY, INCORPORATED,

El Centro, California, June 1st, 1939.

DEAR SIR: Attempts have been made repeatedly in recent months to unionize the different branches of agriculture. An effort was first made to unionize all truck drivers and then through an agreement to control filling stations where bay and grain is weighed on the way to market. This is only a portion of the plans, other schemes have been devised to accomplish their purpose.

Some months ago the hay, grain, and flax associations in a joint meeting decided to carry on for another year the Farmers Transportation Association, which was formed a year ago with the express purpose of maintaining the freedom of the highways, the freedom of the markets, and to guarantee to every person the right to work without fear of intimidation or coercion from any source.

It was decided to finance the requirements of the Farmers Transportation Association by voluntary contributions at the rate of ten cents per acre for all farmers in Imperial County. To aid in the collection of contributions the marketing associations passed resolutions to the effect that they recommend to the individual members the payment of such sums, and further authorize acceptance by the offices of the various associations, orders directing payment of designated sums to the Farmers Transportation Association, the same to be charged to the account of the contributing member.

The Farmers Transportation Association has been effective during the past year, avoiding difficulties and insisting upon individual rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Statute of the State of California.

If in your opinion the principles of this organization are correct, we urge that you cooperate not only with the payment of ten cents per acre, but by personal effort when the occasion demands.

Yours for cooperation,

(Handwritten) Mimeograph 200. Argyle when ready. H. T. O.

ASSOCIATED FARMERS OF IMPERIAL COUNTY,
H. T. OSBORNE, Secretary-Manager.

Get stamp for my signature and phone

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