Books in Brief: Little Cesar

Little Cesar, by Ralph de Toledano (Anthem, 144 pp., 95 ¢). This is the story of how César Chavez did it. How a cuddly—some said angelic—Mexican-American forced the “mighty” grape growers to recognize his union. Ralph de Toledano also tells the story of the people most hurt by the settlement: not the growers, but the grape pickers. Chavez first asked the pickers to join his union, but very few did. He then had some SDS types brought in to play starving grape picker. Soon, thanks to the media, religious leaders and concerned statesmen of the leftist persuasion, the world heard of the tragedy at Delano. The boycott followed. Chavez now had the country behind him, but he still couldn’t get the workers. As luck would have it, he didn’t need them. The growers had to start selling their grapes or go out of business so they signed a contract with Chavez, and neither Chavez nor the growers consulted the pickers about the settlement. But the crisis was over. Little César had won his battle and he was happy, and Americans could start eating grapes again, thereby making the growers happy. A fairy tale ending, if only the pickers would be happy. They’re not, and the final two chapters tell what they are doing. With the aid of the National Right To Work Committee, the pickers are going to court to find out if the contract between Chavez and the growers is binding on them, a third party not involved in the settlement. This is the last step for the grape pickers; Toledano hopes they won’t be disappointed again.

KL

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K. Lynch

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Little Cesar, by Ralph de Toledano (Anthem, 144 pp., 95 ¢). This is the story of how César Chavez did it. How a cuddly—some said angelic—Mexican-American forced the “mighty” grape growers to recognize his union. Ralph de Toledano also tells the story of the people most hurt by the settlement: not the growers, but the grape pickers. Chavez first asked the pickers to join his union, but very few did. He then had some SDS types brought in to play starving grape picker. Soon, thanks to the media, religious leaders and concerned statesmen of the leftist persuasion, the world heard of the tragedy at Delano. The boycott followed. Chavez now had the country behind him, but he still couldn’t get the workers. As luck would have it, he didn’t need them. The growers had to start selling their grapes or go out of business so they signed a contract with Chavez, and neither Chavez nor the growers consulted the pickers about the settlement. But the crisis was over. Little César had won his battle and he was happy, and Americans could start eating grapes again, thereby making the growers happy. A fairy tale ending, if only the pickers would be happy. They’re not, and the final two chapters tell what they are doing. With the aid of the National Right To Work Committee, the pickers are going to court to find out if the contract between Chavez and the growers is binding on them, a third party not involved in the settlement. This is the last step for the grape pickers; Toledano hopes they won’t be disappointed again.