RELATION BETWEEN PERIOD OF RESIDENCE AND EARNING ABILITY.

The following table, by grouping those of each period of residence under the specified races, makes possible a comparison of the progress exhibited by each race.

TABLE 501.-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.

The table next presented shows, by race and length of residence in the United States, the comparative earnings each week of foreignborn male iron and steel workers 18 years of age or over.

TABLE 502.-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.]

IN THE UNITED STATES LESS THAN 5 YEARS.

*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.

Comparing the Magyars and the Poles who have been in the United States under five years, it is seen that the Poles have a larger proportion earning under $7.50 per week and a larger proportion earning $15 or over and $17.50 or over, than the Magyars. The same relation, however, does not exist between the Magyars and Poles who have been in this country from five to nine years, or ten years or over. For example, in both the latter cases the Poles have a smaller proportion earning less than $7.50 than the Magyars.

Of the two races studied in the table, a comparison of the proportions earning each specified amount with regard to each specified number of years in the United States shows that the general tendency is for the earning capacity to increase with length of residence, a larger proportion of those with a period of residence of ten years or over than of from five to nine or under five years, earning each specified amount, except $7.50 and $25. The latter of the two exceptions is more probably an individual than a racial variation, while the former is too small to require special comment.

ANNUAL EARNINGS OF MALE HEADS OF FAMILIES STUDIED.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race of husband, the number and percentage of husbands in the households studied who were at work:

TABLE 503.-Husbands at work, by general nativity and race of individual.
(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

The above table shows about the same proportions of native-born and foreign-born husbands to be at work, all of the husbands nativeborn of native father, as well as the Croatian and Polish husbands, being regularly employed. The average annual earnings of nativeborn husbands are much in excess of those of the foreign-born, the average for the former being $592, and for the latter only $381. Of the foreign-born, the highest average annual earnings is exhibited by the German husbands, followed by the Croatian, Irish, Magyar, and Polish, in the order named.

The following table shows the annual earnings of male heads of families, by general nativity and race:

TABLE 504.-Earnings per year of male heads of families, by general nativity and race of

individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[This table includes only male heads of selected families. For selection of families, see Vol. II, p. 272.]

Over 50 per cent of the 414 male heads of families included in the preceding table earn under $400 per annum, while only 3.6 per cent earn $800 or over and 1.2 per cent earn $1,000 or over. With the ex

ception of those earning under $100, the foreign-born show a larger proportion than the native-born of native father earning each specified amount. Of the foreign races, none show a proportion earning as high as $1,000, while each of those reporting in sufficient numbers for computation, except the Croatian, shows over 50 per cent earning under $400 and each shows 95 per cent or over earning under $800 per annum.

ANNUAL EARNINGS OF MALES 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OVER IN THE HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED.

The next table presented shows, by general nativity and race of individual, the average annual earnings and range in yearly earnings of all males in the households studied who were 18 years of age or over and who were working for wages.

TABLE 505.-Yearly earnings (approximate) of males 18 years of age or over, by general nativity and race of individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

Number

working

for wages Average

porting

amount.

and re- earnings. Under Under Under Under Under Under Under Under $200. $400. $600. $1,000. $200. $400. $600. $1,000.

Of a total of 523 males studied in the above table 18.2 per cent earn under $200; 55.6 per cent earn under $400; 85.7 under $600, and 99 per cent earn under $1,000 per annum. Those in households the heads of which were foreign-born show a larger proportion than do the native-born of foreign father, and these, in turn, a larger proportion than the white persons native-born of native father earning under each specified amount, except under $1,000, the native-born of foreign father showing the largest and the native-born of native father the smallest proportion earning less than this amount annually. Of the three foreign-born races reporting in numbers large enough to be representative, the Poles have a larger proportion than the Magyars and the Magyars a larger proportion than the Croatians earning under each specified amount except $1,000, each race showing 100 per cent, or all, earning under this amount.

ANNUAL FAMILY INCOME.

The table next presented exhibits the average annual family income and its range by showing, by general nativity and race of head of family, the percentage of the families studied having a total yearly income of each specified amount:

TABLE 506.-Per cent of families having a total yearly income of each specified amount, by general nativity and race of head of family.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[This table includes only races with 20 or more families reporting. The totals, however, are for all races. One family is included which reports income as "none."]

The preceding table shows a much lower range of family incomes among the families whose heads were foreign-born than among those whose heads were of native birth, 27.2 per cent of the former having an income under $300 and 59.8 per cent under $500, as compared with only 4.4 per cent of the latter with an income under $300 and 26.7 per cent under $500. At the other extreme the families whose heads were native-born show larger proportions with an income between $750 and $1,000 and between $1,000 and $1,500 than do the foreign-born. The Croatians exhibit the smallest proportion of families among those whose heads were foreign-born, with an income under $300 and under $500. On the other hand, it is noteworthy that 68.8 per cent of the Poles and 50 per cent of the Magyars have an annual family income under $500. In the higher ranges of of yearly income the Croatian families among the foreign-born make the best showing, and the Polish the worst, the Magyar families standing midway between the two other races.

WIVES AT WORK.

The earnings of the heads of families have already been examined, but, in connection with the annual family income and especially with the inquiry as to the sources of such income, it is important to consider the efforts made by the wives of the families to supplement the earnings of the husbands. As bearing upon this question, the table next submitted shows, by general nativity and race of head of family, the number and per cent of wives in the households studie l who were at work, together with their average annual earnings.