epersecution fled to the United States, along with people trying to escape the blood shed and major change. In the late 1800's and early 1900's Japanese and Chinese immigration to the United States was thwarted by new foreignpolicy imposed on the two nations. The two groups made up most of the railway work force. Mexicans were used tosupplement their departure from this business. At this stage Mexicans made up most of the railway work force in thesouthwest. Between 35,000 and 50,000 Mexicans were employed by the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe lines. Mexicans were usually referred to as peons . They were thought to be lazy, docile, and lacking ambition. "The Mexican,"reported economist Victor S. Clark in 1908, "is docile, patient, usually orderly in camp, fairly intelligent undercompetent supervision, obedient and cheap. If he was active and ambitious, he would be less tractable and would costmore. His strongest point is his willingness to work for a low wage" (Reisler 25). There was a small number of Americans who thought otherwise. Protestant missionaries trying to convert Mexicans saidAmericans could learn from Mexicans. "They emphasized the Mexican artistic and musical ability and his love of beauty"(Reisler 27-28). In 1930 Congress passed a quota bill curtailing the number of Mexican immigrants allowed to enter the United States.This ended the first phase of Mexican immigration. "Perhaps as much as ten percent of Mexico's populationapproximately one and a half million people [immigrated] to the U.S. between 1900 and 1930" (Reisler 23). Between the first and second phase of Mexican immigration 350,000 to 500,000 Mexicans went to back to their nativelands during the great depression. The Second Phase of Mexican Immigration to The United States- The Bracero Program The second phase of Mexican immigration came around the end of World War II with the Mexico Contract laborers, betterknown as the Bracero Program. This came about with the sh...
