The prejudice against the Japanese is so great that the discrimination against them in employment is all but universal. Where they have been employed it was because other labor was not easily available. They are not desired, partly because of unsatisfactory experience with them as workmen, but more because of the strong feeling against them in the community and the hostility shown by laborers of other races. The prejudice against them is so very strong in some instances that managers say they have not employed Japanese nor would they do so under any conditions whatsoever.

A similar but much less strong prejudice is exhibited against the Armenians. In a few instances they are discriminated against in employment, though usually this does not extend so far as to deny them employment under any and all circumstances. The prejudice is partly due to their treatment of other employees working at the same tables, for it is said that they are not considerate and sometimes wish to be paid for work which they themselves have not done, but is due more to circumstances, elsewhere discussed, which causes them as a race to meet with disfavor throughout the community.

In a still smaller number of places discrimination against the German-Russians, along with Armenians and orientals, was found to exist. The explanation lies largely in the effect their employment produced on the moral tone of the establishment and the consequent tendency exhibited by other races to withdraw and to seek employment elsewhere. One packer stated that he employed no GermanRussians, Armenians, or orientals lest his other employees should leave. From every other point of view, unless it be that of cleanliness, the German-Russians are unobjectionable. They are honest, industrious, and strong, and are intelligent enough to perform the processes incidental to the packing industry.

Because of the facts just presented, the number of laborers of certain races employed in packing houses is smaller than it would. otherwise be. The orientals aside, the immigrant races on the whole commend themselves to the employers in so far as their work is concerned. In fig packing, which is of a disagreeable character, few native women are employed and the Armenians and Italians predominate. The Armenian and Italian women are very efficient at this work. In the packing of seeded raisins these, and, more especially the German-Russian women, find favor, for they are strong, can endure the strain incidental to the rapid pace set, and are willing to work up to the limit of their capacities, for they are intent upon earning as much as they can. Some employers claim that the native women are capable of equal endurance, but do not like the work and are not so willing to work hard. Hence, though the opinions of employers differ somewhat, where they are employed, the immigrant women are preferred for fig and seeded raisin packing. In raisin cleaning and layer packing and in the " facing" of dried fruit, on the other hand, the native and older immigrant women are generally preferred. These occupations require more intelligence, taste, and care than the packing of the products mentioned above. Yet it can not be said that the German-Russian, Armenian, and Italian women are not competent to do this work, for in many instances they do it satisfactorily.

Among the men, the native and north European elements are almost universally preferred to the other races, even as common laborers, while, as has already been pointed out, they are almost always employed to the exclusion of others in those occupations which require experience, skill, or responsibility. Though other races may be as industrious or even more so, though they may be efficient when once trained to a given kind of work, some of them are slow to learn new processes and are not very adaptable. This is true of the Portuguese, Italians, Mexicans, and Armenians, most managers assert, but especially true of the more numerous GermanRussians. Moreover, many of the members of these races do not understand English, this making it necessary to use interpreters and to supervise the work more carefully. Aside from these considerations the Portuguese, Italians, Mexicans, Armenians, and GermanRussians commend themselves as laborers. They are frequently more industrious than the natives, for they more frequently put forth special effort to win the favor of the foreman or superintendent. This is of little moment, however, for in most occupations the pace is set by the machinery used and preferences turn upon other considerations.

CHAPTER IV.

THE WINE-MAKING INDUSTRY.

THE INDUSTRY IN GENERAL.

In wine making is found the second of three industries (packing, wine making, and canning) incidental to the marketing of the Fresno grape crop. The manufacture of wine in Fresno County dates back many years to the time when viticulture was assuming an important place among the industries of the community. It has expanded with the related industries. At present 18 wineries and ten distilleries are in operation.

The wineries are usually located near the wine-grape vineyards from which the product to be crushed is obtained. Indeed, nearly all of the wineries are run in conjunction with large vineyards which supply a part of the grapes for the vintage. Others are purchased from neighboring ranches.

The grapes are hauled to the wineries from the neighboring vineyards, weighed, and then shoveled into the "crusher." The crushed grapes are then conveyed into large vats, where they remain for a few days to ferment. The fermented wine is drawn off into large tanks, while water is added to the skins and seeds remaining in the vats, after which the juice is pressed out and goes through the still to obtain the alcohol. The final process consists of fortifying the wine by adding a sufficient amount of alcohol. The wine is then barreled and stored in warehouses until it is placed upon the market. Incidentally, a cooperage shop is almost always required and in the case of large wineries several incidental departments of work will be found.

Wine making, like grape growing and raisin picking, is seasonal in character. Yet as the industry is organized, there is a smaller variation in the number of laborers required than in either of those industries. The vintage begins in September and lasts from six weeks to more than three months. Its duration on the average is in excess of two months. During that time the largest number of men is required. When this work ends, however, many of the wineries keep practically all of their employees to do ranch work, while others retain a smaller percentage of them for that purpose and to make repairs about the winery. It is probable that onehalf of the winery hands return to ranch work when the vintage ends. Or, putting the matter in another way, it is probable that one-half of the winery work is done by regular hands who divide their time between the winery and the vineyards. The other half are secured as they are needed and are discharged after six weeks or three months' work.

THE RACES EMPLOYED AND THEIR OCCUPATIONS.

The total number of men employed in the wineries of Fresno County does not exceed about 800 at the busiest time. Thus the industry is of comparatively little importance as compared with fruit and grape growing and packing.

Of the wineries in operation in this county, agents of the Commission visited 15 during the season" of 1908. These 15 had some 325 men on their pay rolls at the time they were visited. In Table 8 some of the superintendents have been omitted. The races employed and their occupations were as indicated. The table given includes only those employed in the wineries. The numerous persons employed in picking grapes and in other ranch work are excluded.

TABLE 8.-Number of male employees working in wineries in each specified occupation, by race.

Unlike the ranch work, only two groups of races, viz, "miscellaneous white persons" and Italians, were employed in any considerable number in the wineries visited. Though the racial distribution of the employees in all of the wineries would be somewhat different, other races are not employed to any noteworthy extent. Japanese and Chinese find little place in the various employments other than the incidental domestic service, and the German-Russians, Portuguese, Armenians, and Mexicans are comparatively few. The Italians, on the other hand, constituted about one-third of the employees of the wineries investigated. In some 5, owned or superintended by Italians, they constituted the vast majority of the employees, while they were found in smaller numbers in others. In only 3 of the 15 were no Italians employed. Natives, Scandinavians, English, Scotch, and other members of the "miscellaneous white" group were employed in all but 1 of the 15 of the wineries visited, though the numbers of such employed in those managed by Italians were comparatively small. They constituted about 55 per cent of the total number of employees, thus presenting a strong contrast to the vineyard work, where Asiatics are in the majority.

As indicated in Table 8, the members of the Italian and "miscellaneous white" groups are found engaged in all of the occupations connected with winery work. Domestic service excepted, the other races are employed almost exclusively as "common laborers" and "cellar men." Yet almost one-half of the "cellar men ” and “ laborers" are Italians. In the other occupations where the work is more agreeable, requires more skill or responsibility, or is better remunerated, they constitute a small minority. In fact, Italians seldom are engaged in such occupations, save where the superin

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