The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 84

EoaAnseUaSUlraea f. 2, 1979 Part IV 13 i) )Y 'e3 rt if 0 r1 6 i ro (Mi (Sum fl" I tl urn- ooo iv: sntTOfli tflnmrnm whwiti 4 What Cesar Chavez and his United Farm Workers are doing is wrong. Rather than the peaceful labor movement he professes, Cesar Chavez has demonstrated these last six weeks that he thinks he is above the law and above the people of California. Night after night on network television news, as the entire nation watches, Cesar Chavez's so-called peaceful pickets turn into marauding bands of armed 7 rioters, attacking people, private property and law -1; -si Yf "NT- enforcement orticers with rocks and clubs. Time after time, we have asked for your help.

Three separate times, after major episodes of violence and mass rioting with the Imperial County Sheriff outnumbered 100 to one we asked you to mobilize the National Guard. Each time, you refused. You said you did not want to get involved. After battling against huge odds for five weeks, trying to control the riots and keep the peace, the Imperial County Sheriff has now formally filed charges with the State of California against the United Farm Workers Union, seeking a county-wide injunction, to address the problem of mass and violent picketing. He also formally requested that you mobilize the riot control section of the National until we can be assured that there is peace once again in this Again, you refused.

You say you don't want to get involved, Governor Brown? Well, we are sorry, sir, but you are involved. Deeply involved. You crnt i nvnl vpH a Inner timp aon whpn vmi frrreH your close, historic alliance with Mr. Chavez. You got involved when you ran tor President in 1976, relying almost completely upon Cesar Chavez and his grass roots political organization across the country.

You got involved when you demonstrated your debt and gratitude to Cesar Chavez by asking him to make your nominating speech at the 1976 Democratic National Convention. A 1 1 Sss a Ana, mucn to your cnagnn, you got involved again in 1976 when you paid some of your political debt to Mr. Chavez by spearheading his disastrous "Yes on 14" campaign against private property rights. And you are involved now, siding again with Cesar Chavez against private property rights and, by your silence, condoning his conduct in the Imperial Valley Riots. A A- Governor Brown, we think the people of California deserve better.

We deserve to have our laws obeyed. We deserve to have the violence stopped, the trespassing and property damage punished. We deserve to have our law enforcement officers respected. Violence and trespassing are still wrong, and Cesar Chavez is not above the law. The strike and the violence are now affecting agricultural areas throughout the state and affecting food prices throughout the nation.

Maybe California agriculture is just a few votes, Governor Brown, but we are still citizens of California. We are still entitled to the protection of the laws of California. And you are still our governor. You can demand that the mass picketing be stopped. You can honor the Sheriff's request for National Guard riot control troops.

You can use your political influence with Cesar Chavez and ask him to end this strike and come off his outrageous demand of nearly a 200 increase for work that already pays approximately $4 to $13 per hour and from $250 to $450 a week. You can ask Cesar Chavez to stop the violence and begin serious negotiations at the bargaining table. W- wn, C- Wednesday, February imperial Valley, Ca- Rioting farm workers (some of over 1500 involved) overturn a lettuce loader during Imperial Valley Riots. a Ji2 COMMITTEE FOR FAIR NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN GROWERS AND WORKERS 1681 Main Street. El Centra.

California 92243. Fhone: (714) 353-3012. JON VESSEY and ALICE COLACE. Co-chairpersons.