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In comparing the totals of the preceding table, the significant feature disclosed is the large proportion of native-born employees as compared with the foreign-born and the native-born of foreign father. The white employees, native-born of native father, form 32.6 per cent of the total number furnishing information, and the negroes of the same nativity group, 39.1 per cent. On the other hand, the employees of native birth but of foreign father constitute only 6.9 per cent and the foreign-born 21.5 per cent of the total. The principal races of foreign birth employed in the South and furnishing information for the preceding table are the South Italians, Greeks, Slovaks, Russians, and Germans, and the second generation is made up principally of Germans and Irish.

CHAPTER III.

ECONOMIC STATUS.

Principal occupation of immigrant employees before coming to the United StatesWeekly earnings-[Text Tables 640 to 642 and General Tables 364 to 366].

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OF IMMIGRANT EMPLOYEES BEFORE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.

The extent of the training received before coming to the United States by the immigrants now in the iron and steel industry in the South is set forth in the following table, which shows, by race, the percentage of foreign-born male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States.

Table 640.—Per cent of foreign-born male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]

The above table shows that of the 1,501 foreign-born male employees in this locality for whom information was obtained a much larger proportion (47.6 per cent) were employed in farming or in farm labor than in any other occupation before coming to the United States; 20.4 per cent were employed in general labor, 8.9 per cent in hand trades, 2.5 per cent in trade, and 9.1 per cent in occupations other than specified, while only 9.2 and 2.5 per cent, respectively, were employed in the manufacture of iron and steel and in other manufacturing.

Not any Greeks, less than 1 per cent each of the South Italians and Russians, and only 6.3 per cent of the Slovaks, as compared with 34.1 per cent of the Germans, were employed in the manufacture of iron and steel abroad. The Germans in other manufacturing, as in the manufacture of iron and steel, show a considerably larger proportion than is shown by the other races. The proportion of Ger

mans engaged in farming or employed in farm labor, on the other hand, is very much below that of any other race, the largest proportion employed in this occupation abroad, 82.7 per cent, being shown by the Russians. Following the Russians, but with a considerably smaller proportion, are the Slovaks, who in turn show a larger proportion than the South Italians and the Greeks.

The proportion of Greeks employed in general labor is considerably in excess of that shown by the South Italians, which is in turn considerably in excess of that shown by the Slovaks and largely in excess of that shown by the Germans or Russians. With the exception of the Russians and Slovaks, none of whom were in trade, each race shows a proportion employed in hand trades, in trade, and in occupations other than specified. In each instance the Germans show a larger proportion than is shown by any other race, the Russians showing the smallest proportion in hand trades, the Greeks the smallest proportion in trade, and the Slovaks the smallest in occupations other than specified.

WEEKLY EARNINGS.

The average earnings of the iron and steel workers in the South, together with the range in weekly earnings, is exhibited by the following table, which shows, by general nativity and race of individual, the per cent of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week.

TABLE 641.-Per cent of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week, by general nativity and race.*

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more males reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

*This table shows wages or earnings for the period indicated, but no account is taken of voluntary lost time or lost time from shutdowns or other causes. In the various tables in this report showing annual earnings allowance is made for time lost during the year.

Upon information obtained for 7,605 male employees in this locality it will be seen that 56.3 per cent earn $10 or over per week, 32.8 per cent $12.50 or over, 23.4 per cent $15 or over, and 13.6 per cent $17.50 or over, while 7.7, 4.4, and 2.7 per cent earn $20 or over, $22.50 or over, and $25 or over, respectively. The proportion earning under $7.50 is slightly in excess of that earning $25 or over per week. The foreign-born report a smaller proportion earning each specified amount than do the native-born.

Among the foreign-born not any of the English, Greeks, or Slovaks, as compared with 19.4 per cent of the Russians, earn under $7.50. The proportions of Greeks, South Italians, and Russians earning $10 or over are in striking contrast with the large proportions shown by the English, Germans, and Slovaks. Among those earning $12.50 or over the small proportions shown for the Slovaks, Greeks, Russians, and South Italians are in striking contrast with the large proportions of English and Germans. No Greeks or Russians and only very small proportions of South Italians and Slovaks earn $15 or over per week. None of the South Italians and less than 1 per cent of the Slovaks earn as much as $20. The English, with proportions ranging from 55.6 per cent earning $15 or over per week to 8.9 per cent earning $25 or over per week, show a considerably larger proportion than the Germans earning $15 or over, and a slightly larger proportion earning each of the other specified amounts.

The extent to which boys between the ages of 14 and 18 years are employed and the range of their earning ability is shown in the table next presented. It exhibits, by general nativity and race of individual, the percentage of male employees 14 and under 18 years of age earning each specified rate per week.

TABLE 642.-Per cent of male employees 14 and under 18 years of age earning each specified amount per week, by general nativity and race.*

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 40 or more males reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

*This table shows wages or earnings for the period indicated, but no account is taken of voluntary lost time or lost time from shutdowns or other causes. In the various tables in this report showing annual earnings allowance is made for time lost during the year. a Not computed, owing to small number involved.

The above table shows that of the 314 male employees between 14 and 18 years of age for whom information was obtained in this locality none earn less than $2.50 per week, 87.9 per cent earn $5 or over, 50.6 per cent $7.50 or over, and 10.2 per cent $10 or over,