THE
b-ÓEXICAN VOICE
March 1940
- Stephen reyes -
"much of the work that used to be done by Mexican families. Industries that in times past assured decent returns to the workers are so unprofitable that they do not dpaw thq attentions of the people they formerly attracted. As	a
consequence of this condition	we
have a much- greater portion of our youth in schools, in courts, or in
I the streets.
I am not implying that we are working towards the weening away of all Mexicans from the V/PA, from the orange groves, from the grape fields, from the truck garden labor, from the streets, or from the jails. But I do say that we are concdntrating all our efforts to-the establishment of another class of Mexicans in this country that will do credit to the group and to the country they belong now. As long as there is a society, there will be three classes of people. We will never change that society under our present economic system.
As I see the situation^ there are three fields that in t"hex future will not only attract the attention of o'.'r youth but also in all probability will be offered young men and -zonen of Mexican extraction
The first field, yet vague a-!^ .(continued on p. 2)
A few week's ago, I was asked to write an article touching upon the opportunities for young Americana of Mexican extraction. The question that is most always asked of me /after public talks is ’’But supposing we do encourage young Mexicans to finish their educations, what fields are open to them? What could society develop that would fit in with the pírogram of the Mexican’s movement towards embarking in. a career of higher education so that they might-feel when they .do graduate from the colleges and universities there is a ■ certain field ready to absorb them Into its system?’’
The best we could do towards selecting fields of enterprise for ovr college boys and girls is to look around for opportunities where certain factors peculiar to the group would tend to favor their selection and fitness for positions.
The era of agricultural labor with its ability to absorb as many Mexicans/ young and old, as would care to be absorbed is coming to be more and more a thing of the past.^ Federal and state legislation is making it more and more difficult for enterprises which depend upon
' labor done by juveniles to develop. ) Dust bowl refugees are doing very