Of the total number of 619,595 industrial workers included in this study, 346,203, or more than one-half, were of foreign birth. It was found that only onefifth of the total number of wage-earners in thirtyeight of the principal branches of industry were native white Americans, while three-fifths were of foreign birth. Of the remaining one-fifth, about three-fourths were industrial workers of the second generation, or of native birth but of foreign father, and about onefourth were native negroes. There is a higher proportion of native Americans among the women wageearners than among the men, 30 per cent. of all the females, as contrasted with only 14 per cent. of the men, being native white Americans. Of the total number of wage-earners of foreign birth and of the old immigration, the Germans form the largest proportion, followed by the French-Canadians, English, Irish, Swedes, Scotch, French and Welsh, in the order named. Of the races of recent arrival in the United States, the largest proportion was furnished by the Poles, the representation of this race being one-tenth of the entire operating force. The race next most extensively employed is the Slovak, followed by the South Italian, which race, in turn, is closely followed by the North Italian. The Magyar, Lithuanian and Croatian races appear in the next largest proportions. Altogether, fifty-six distinct races appeared in the operating forces of the mines and manufacturing establishments. Thirty-seven of these races were of the south and east of Europe or of the Orient. Almost one-half of all the wage-earners were from southern and eastern European countries.

As regards the racial composition of the operating forces of the principal branches of manufacturing and

mining, more than three-fourths of the iron and steel workers, employees of oil refineries, slaughtering and meat-packing establishments, furniture factories, leather tanneries and finishing establishments and woollen and worsted goods and cotton-mill operatives, together with two-fifths of the glass workers, onethird of the silk-mill operatives, glove-factory employees and cigar and tobacco makers, seven-tenths of men and women garment makers, one-fourth of the boot and shoe factory operatives, and four-fifths of the wage-earners in sugar-refineries, were of foreign birth.

The native-born Americans, or native-born whites of native father, are employed most extensively in the manufacture of cigars and tobacco, collars and cuffs, glass, gloves, and shoes, the proportion of the race in other industries ranging from one-tenth to one-fifth. The native negroes have their largest proportions of wage-earners in cigar and tobacco manufacturing, bituminous coal mining, construction work, and iron-ore mining of the Southern States; considerable proportions are also engaged in the slaughtering and meat-packing industry. The wage-earners of the second generation, or of native birth of foreign father, have about the same racial distribution according to industries as the native-born Americans.

French-Canadians are principally employed in the manufacture of cotton goods, in copper mining and smelting, and in the manufacture of shoes and collars and cuffs. The Croatians are employed in the largest proportions in railroad and other construction work, copper mining and smelting, iron and steel manufacturing, iron-ore mining, slaughtering and meat packing, bituminous coal mining, leather manufacturing and oil refining. The Cuban and Spanish races are em

ployed almost exclusively in the manufacture of cigars and tobacco. The Danish appear in the greatest number in leather, furniture, and collar and cuff manufacture. By far the largest proportions of the Dutch are employed in furniture factories, a considerable percentage also being found in silk dyeing and silk goods manufacturing establishments. The English and German wage-earners appear in all the industries specified, the largest proportions of the former race being found to be engaged in the manufacture of gloves, woollen and worsted goods, copper mining and smelting, and the manufacture of cotton goods, while the latter race exhibits the largest proportions engaged in sugar refining, silk dyeing, leather manufacturing and the manufacture of agricultural implements and vehicles. The Finns are employed in any considerable number only in copper mining and smelting and in iron-ore mining on the Minnesota and Michigan ranges. The Greek race shows the largest proportions in leather and cotton goods manufacturing and in railroad and other construction work. Hebrews have by far the largest proportions engaged in making clothing, considerable proportions also being found in glove and shoe factories.

North and South Italians are most extensively employed in silk dyeing, railroad and other construction work, bituminous coal mining and clothing manufacturing. Larger or smaller proportions of Lithuanians appear in practically all of the industries specified, the highest percentage of wage-earners of this race being in sugar refining, clothing and furniture manufacturing, oil refining and bituminous coal mining. Magyars are also well distributed, the largest proportions appearing in iron and steel manufacturing, bituminous

coal mining, agricultural implements, silk dyeing, and sugar refining. The Poles appear in all the industries, the largest proportions being employed in sugar refineries, agricultural implement and vehicle estabments, cotton mills, furniture factories, bituminous coal mining, slaughtering and meat packing, and leather manufacturing. The Portuguese are not employed in any considerable numbers outside the cotton mills. On the other hand, the Rumanians, who appear in unimportant proportions in a number of industries, have their largest proportions in railroad and other construction work and in iron and steel manufacturing. Russians are more extensively engaged in the manufacture of clothing and in bituminous coal mining than in other industries. The Slovak race is more largely employed in bituminous coal mining, oil refining, and iron and steel manufacturing. Sixty per cent. or more of the male portion of the operating forces in carpet, cutlery and tools, rope, twine and hemp, and zinc-smelting manufacturing establishments, as well as 50 to 60 per cent. in car building and repairing, foundry and machine-shop products, and sewing-machine manufacturing, are of foreign birth.

Length of Residence of Immigrant Employees

Of the employees in twenty of the most important industries enumerated above, information concerning length of residence in the United States was secured for 290,923 foreign-born persons. Of that number, 116,466, or 40 per cent., had been in the United States less than five years. Of the total number belonging to races coming from northern and western Europe and Canada, less than one-fifth had been in the United

States less than five years, while of the employees of other races-almost entirely from southern and eastern Europe-slightly more than one-half had been in the United States less than five years. About onethird of the foreign-born employees were of races from northern and western Europe and Canada, but of the immigrant employees who had been in the United States less than five years, only 14.3 per cent. were of these geographical areas.

Reason for the Employment of Southern and Eastern Europeans

The reason for the employment of recent immigrant wage-earners in the United States was primarily the inability of the manufacturers and mine opera tors to secure other labor at the same wages in the face of the growing labor needs of the country. How far there was afterward a reversal of cause and effect, and to what extent the expansion of industry was stimulated by the availability of the recent immigrant labor supply, can not be definitely stated. It is a matter of speculation and controversy, without any data at present upon which to base an approximate determination. Whatever may have been the opinion of employers as to the desirability of this class of labor, they found it necessary either to employ immigrant labor or delay industrial advancement. They chose the former course; and the present industrial situation is the result.

Occupations of Immigrants

It may be said, in general, that the recent immigrant wage-earners from the south and east of Europe are found on the lowest level of the industrial scale.