Article 1 October 5, 1936
In the first article the treatment of foreign migrants to California is described. They migrate there to work on crops and after they finish their work they are shunned out. But, a new issue has arisen now. There are American migrants who lost their farms coming to seek escape from starvation in California. These require a different treatment. Foreign migrants come purposefully to work there but these migrants were forced by circumstances. They are called gypsies of harvest. In the following articles narrator will look into their life.
Analysis
In order to California's agriculture to survive these new American migrants need to be treated and implemented into the society correctly but the writer is not so hopeful according to the previous circumstances.
Article 2 October 6, 1936
The writer describes three types of families living in squatter camps. The first family is the one that arrived most recently and tries to maintain a decent living with cleanliness. The second spent a significant time there already and had something terribly happened to them so they are on the verge of letting go completely. The third family has been there the longest and they experienced loss of multiple children and variety of disease and so they've completely given into filthy lifestyle.
Analysis
The most interesting part of this article is the way these families are treated by the local authority. Their history and character is being inspected while nothing is done to help them.
Article 3 October 7, 1936
In this article the writer talks about the small farmers and bigger farms associations. The small farmers are on the side of the migrants and their treatment of them is within humane reason. The issue is that these farmers depend on the large farm associations which are owned by bank accountants and other people on higher positions. The treatment of migrant workers on these large farms is far beyond and human dignity. And they cannot even be charged for their mistreatment of their workers because they are far too powerful.
Article 4 October 8, 1936
The federal government has decided to work on this issue of mistreatment of migrant workers and set up two camps where alongside working on crops a decent and dignified human life for these workers is possible. These camps prove to be very successful because they are mostly governed by their inhabitants; the migrant workers organize themselves and new migrant arrivals and led the camps successfully without supervision.
Analysis
With hints of irony the writer describes the treatment and opinions of people who are against these migrant workers. They come up with ridiculous reasons why these migrants should not be trusted and treated with human decency.
Article 5 October 9, 1936
In this article the writer talks about the inability for the migrant workers to get unemployment relief. This leads to many complications and trouble for the migrant families. The writer gives an example of a family being completely destroyed because the father couldn't get the relief and the family wasn't correctly medically treated. The malnutrition is also a big issue for this families leading to high infant mortality.
Analysis
Again, with hints of irony, the writer describes the state's treatment of these families and their issues. They are not taken seriously under the excuse that they aren't resident and locals.
Article 6 October 10, 1936
In this article the writer describes the waves of foreign labour in California. These included Chinese, Japanese, Mexican and Filipino foreign workers. Their low standard of living and cheap wages became a threat to American white workers so they were all deported soon after each of their arrival. There will no longer be need for foreign labour because of American migrants arriving to California. But these new migrants won't accept to be treated with terror and starvation as the foreign migrants.
Article 7 October 11, 1936
In the last article the writer gives some suggestions on how these American migrants should be treated. They should be given proper places to live, chances to start their communities, informed about the fields where there is work so that there isn't an excess of labourers where they aren't needed etc. These migrants are migrants by force and they come from respectable lives with integrated American values. The mistreatment of them isn't going anywhere as it is bound to end up in riot.
Analysis
The statement that these American migrants aren't going anywhere is the key point. The foreign migrant workers could be dealt with by deporting them to their countries and the minimal wages and terrible mistreatment of them wasn't followed by a fear of consequences. On the other hand, the American migrant workers can't be deported anywhere and they are there to stay and this mistreatment applied to them as well won't come without consequences.
