Miller: get a better wage and striving to get better condi- 

 tions for the fruit workers was the initial move in 

 the state of California. It culminated in a series 

 of riots, at Brentwood. 



Baum: Are you saying that this was the first organization 

 activity and that it began right in the Brentwood 

 area? 



Miller: Yes. This was the first that I know of. 



Baum: In the fruit season of 1934? 



Miller: Yes, which would be July 1934. It culminated in a 

 series of riots and very bad feeling, and that cul- 

 minated in a series of incarcerations by certain 

 peace officers in a cattle corral or series of cat- 

 tle corrals in the vicinity of the apricot fruit 

 farms in Brentwood. Of course, this aroused the 

 people, and in particular the agitators, who were 

 known at that time. Some had national connections 

 and were in the files of the peace officers. And 

 of course this repercussion moved over into the 

 fall campaign. I fell heir to some few votes 

 because of it and because the peace was not kept, 

 and to my surprise I was elected by an almost two 



