RELATION BETWEEN PERIOD OF RESIDENCE AND EARNING ABILITY.

As regards the progress in the earning ability of foreign-born employees after designated periods of residence in this country, the following table shows, by race and years in the United States, the comparative weekly earnings of foreign-born male employees who were 18 years of age or over. In this table the periods of residence are grouped in a way to enable an examination into the progress exhibited by each race.

TABLE 141.-Per cent of foreign-born male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week, by race and length of residence in the United States.*

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. This table includes only races with 200 or more males reporting.]

*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.

• Less than 0.05 per cent.

TABLE 141.-Per cent of foreign-born male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per week, by race and length of residence in the United States-Contd.

The earning ability of foreign-born male employees is materially increased in many cases by an extended period of residence in the United States. Upon the whole the greatest gain, it will be seen, is reported by those of each race who have been in the United States from five to nine years as compared with those who have been in the United States less than five years. In some few instances those who have been in the United States ten years or over show slightly smaller proportions earning the various specified amounts than do those with a residence of from five to nine years. The instances are, however, very rare where the proportions of those with a residence of ten years or over do not exceed the proportions with a residence of under five years. By way of illustration it will be seen that the Croatians, with a residence of less than five years, show 45.7 per cent earning $10 or over, 13.1 per cent $12.50 or over, and 3.3 per cent earning $15 or over, as compared with 60, 27.1, and 14 per cent, respectively, of those who have been in the United States from five to nine years, and 67.5, 40, and 19.7, per cent, respectively, of those who have been in the United States ten years or over. As regards those Croatians earning $20 or over per week, it will be noted that the proportion with a residence of ten years or over, while slightly smaller than the proportion with a residence of from five to nine years, is slightly larger than the proportion with a residence of less than five years earning this amount. The most consistent gain in the proportions earning each specified amount, among those who have been in the United States ten years or over over those with a residence of from five to nine years, and of those in this latter period over those with a residence of less than five years, is shown by the Slovaks, the proportions earning each specified

amount, without a single exception, increasing with each succeeding period of residence.

The following table shows, by race and length of residence in the United States, the percentage of foreign-born male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified rate per week. In this table the several races are grouped under the different periods in order to make racial comparisons possible.

TABLE 142.-Comparative earnings per week of foreign-born male employees 18 years of age or over by race and length of residence in the United States.*

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. This table includes only races with 200 or more males reporting.]

*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.

• Less than 0.05 per cent.

TABLE 142.-Comparative earnings per week of foreign-born male employees 18 years of age or over, by race and length of residence in the United States-Continued.

The data presented in the foregoing table show that of the foreignborn male employees 18 years of age or over who have been in the United States less than five years the Scotch, Swedes, Welsh, and English have the largest proportion of individuals earning $10 or over, $12.50 or over, $15 or over, $17.50 or over, $20 or over, or $22.50 or over each week. In the case of employees in the United States from five to nine years the proportion of individuals earning all or nearly all of the sums specified is largest for the Welsh, Swedes, Scotch, English, and Irish than for the representatives of any other race. An increase in the proportion of individuals of the races of recent immigration from southern and eastern Europe in the higher wage groups is, however, evident. The tendency toward increased earning ability becomes more marked in the case of employees who have been in the United States ten years or over. Even in this group, however, the proportion of individuals earning each of the sums specified, with the exception of those earning $7.50 or over, is higher for the Welsh, Swedes, Scotch, and English than for the individuals of any other race.

CHAPTER IV.

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

Literacy-Conjugal condition-Visits abroad-Age classification of employees-[Text Tables 143 to 149 and General Tables 56 to 60].

LITERACY.

As regards the degree of literacy which prevails, the following table shows, by general nativity and race of individual, the per cent of male employees who read and the per cent who read and write:

TABLE 143.-Per cent of male employees who read and per cent who read and write, 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.]