AGRICULTURE: Four-Legged Wetbacks

Since the first herd of Charolais cattle arrived in Mexico from France more than 20 years ago, U.S. cowmen have hankered after the deep-chested, creamy-white animals. There were formidable obstacles to getting them: the only big Mexican breeder of Charolais refused to sell more than a few at a time, the Mexican government was determined to keep its herd south of the border, and the U.S. was closed to both French and Mexican cattle because of the virulent foot-and-mouth disease.The U.S. Agriculture Department even refused to allow shipment of frozen Charolais semen into the country. Last week, however, 76 Charolais grazed on pastures near Lafayette, La.—in quarantine, facing possible slaughter or deportation.

Alphe Broussard, a Lafayette cattleman and rice grower, years ago dedicated himself to buying Charolais. He wanted to cross them with Brahmas to produce Char-bray, a relatively new cattle breed that, according to preliminary tests, fattens with spectacular rapidity. At one time Broussard planned to buy an island off Alaska and keep the Charolais in quarantine there for a while. The Agriculture Department turned down the idea, but Broussard was not discouraged. He made an enticing offer to devout Henri Gilly, owner of the Mexican herd: if Gilly would sell him the cattle, Broussard would donate income from them to Christian charities. In June 1952, Gilly agreed, for $500,000. That left only the problem of getting the Charolais into the U.S.

The Mexican government, by presidential decree, said no. The U.S., although its border was open to most Mexican cattle from September 1952 to May 1953, refused to let the Charolais in because they came from a tick-infested area. So early this year, without a by-your-leave from anyone, Gilly walked the herd across the drought-dried Rio Grande, and Broussard took them by truck to Louisiana.

Broussard, arrested on charges of smuggling and concealing cattle, was released on $2,000 bond, and the U.S. demanded $1,080,000 (actual value of the herd by Government computation) in duty penalties. Last week federal officials were preparing to present their case against Broussard to a grand jury. Mexico demanded that the Charolais be returned, but the U.S., ever fearful of foot-and-mouth contagion and southern tick fever, wondered whether it shouldn’t slaughter the cattle and wind up the case once & for all.

-With good reason. One Texas cattleman loaded a ship in France with Charolais, brought them to Galveston and, when turned away, finally unloaded them on Martinique, where they all died—of foot-and-mouth disease.