other race. It will be noted that in general the proportion of wives reported in the United States is much smaller among the husbands of the races of recent immigration from southern and eastern Europe than among the husbands of the races of old immigration.

The tendency on the part of the married male employees of foreign birth, who had come to this country without their wives, to send for them after designated periods of residence is exhibited in the following table, which shows, by race of husband and by years husband has been in the United States, the percentage of foreign-born husbands who report wife abroad:

TABLE 574.-Per cent of foreign-born husbands who report wife abroad, by race of husband and by years husband has been 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 100 or more husbands reporting.]

From the data presented in the above table it is seen that the proportion of husbands in the United States under five years who report wives abroad is largest in the case of the Macedonians, Croatians, Slovaks, and Russians, in the order mentioned. The Magyars, Croatians, and Slovaks, in the order named, have the largest proportion of husbands in the United States from five to nine years, and the Croatians, Slovaks, and Magyars, in the order mentioned, the largest proportion of husbands in the United States ten years or over reporting wives abroad. It will be noted that in the case of every race there is a steady decrease in the proportion of husbands reporting wives abroad according to increase in length of residence of husbands in the United States.

VISITS ABROAD.

The fact that considerable proportions of the immigrant labor supply are single men or married men without their wives makes it possible for them not only to adopt a group method of living, but also to move readily from place to place. Moreover, there is a pronounced tendency among all races to visit their native lands, as is

set forth in the following table, which shows, by years in the United States and race, the visits abroad made by foreign-born male employees:

TABLE 575.- Visits abroad made by foreign-born male employees, by years in the United States and race.

(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 100 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]

Upon referring to the totals in the above table it is seen that the proportion of foreign-born male employees who have made one or more visits abroad is 4.1 per cent in the case of employees who have been in the United States under five years; 11.2 per cent in the case of those who have been here from five to nine years; 12.3 per cent in the case of employees who have been in the United States ten years or over; and 8.9 per cent in the case of all iron and steel workers of foreign birth. The North Italians and Slovaks have the largest proportion in the United States under five years; the North Italians, Magyars, and Slovaks the largest proportion in the United States from five to nine years; and the North Italians and Magyars the largest proportion of employees in the United States ten years or over who have made one or more visits abroad. It will be noted that the proportion of individuals making visits abroad increases, in the case of the majority of the races, with years of residence in the United States.

AGE CLASSIFICATION OF IMMIGRANT EMPLOYEES.

The table next presented shows, by general nativity and race, the percentage of male employees within each specified age group.

TABLE 576.-Per cent of male employees within each age group, 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.]

Upon information secured from 12,053 males employed in the Middle West, it is seen that none were under 14; 26.3 per cent were from 14 to 24; and 39.1 per cent from 25 to 34 years of age-leaving 12.8 per cent who were 45 years of age or over. The native-born employees of foreign father have 13.9 per cent of their number from 14 to 19 years of age, as compared with 11.4 per cent of native-born whites of native father; 2.6 per cent of the foreign-born, and none of the native-born negroes. The native-born iron and steel workers of foreign father again show the largest and the native-born negroes again the smallest proportion who were from 20 to 24 years of age. The foreign-born races, except the Irish, Norwegian, and Scotch, show proportions ranging from 14.5 per cent of the Macedonian to less than 1 per cent of the Swedish from 14 to 19 years of age. Each race of more recent immigration from southern and eastern Europe shows over 50 per cent of its number to be from 20 to 34 years of age, the races of older immigration from Great Britain and northern Europe showing the largest proportions above this age.

CHAPTER V.

GENERAL PROGRESS AND ASSIMILATION.

Citizenship-Ability to speak English-[Text Tables 577 to 581 and General Tables 322 to 324].

CITIZENSHIP.

The tendency among iron and steel workers of the Middle West toward becoming citizens is set forth in the following table, which shows, by race, the present political condition of foreign-born male employees who have been in the United States five years or over and who were 21 years of age or over at time of coming.

TABLE 577.-Present political condition of foreign-born male employees who have been in the United States 5 years or over and who were 21 years of age or over at time of coming, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States.]

a Not computed, owing to small number involved.