Immigrants in Woolen Goods Manufacturing. persons than the native-born. Of the foreign-born races the French, with 79.9 per cent married, show a larger proportion married than any other race. ... The proportion of husbands reporting wives in the United States is 100 per cent for the Irish. With this exception the French Canadians, Canadians other than French, Germans, English, and Scotch, have the largest proportions for husbands reporting wives in the United States. The proportion of husbands reporting wives in the United States is very much smaller for the Armenians than for the individuals of any other race. (3) Visits Abroad. . . . The proportion of foreign-born male employees in the United States under five years who have made visits abroad is largest for the Canadians other than French and much larger for the French Canadians than for the individuals of any other race. The French Canadians, followed by the Scotch, English, and Canadians other than French, in the order mentioned, have the largest and the Syrians the smallest proportion of individuals in the United States from five to nine years who have made visits abroad, and the Scotch, followed by the French Canadians, Canadians other than French, and English, in the order mentioned, have the largest proportion of individuals who have been in the United States 10 years or over who have made visits abroad. . . . (4) Age. Of a total of 17,757 employees, 19.9 per cent are from 14 to 19, 25.8 per cent from 20 to 24, 16.8 per cent from 25 to 29, 10.9 per cent from 30 to 34, 15.1 per cent from 35 to 44, 7.8 per cent from 45 to 54, and 3.7 per cent 55 years of age or over. ... Among the foreign-born the Russian Hebrews, North Italians, South Italians, Portuguese, Russians, Lithuanians, and Syrians, report 50 per cent or more under 25 years of age. The English, French, Germans, Irish, and Scotch report 50 per cent or more 30 years of age or over. The Lithuanians show a comparatively high percentage from 25 to 29 years of age. (ee) General Progress and Assimilation. (1) Citizenship. Of 1,702 males who reported complete data and who have been in the United States five years or over, 21.5 per cent are fully naturalized and 31.2 per cent have first papers only. Of those with a residence of from five to nine years, 9.2 per cent are naturalized and 18.2 per cent have first papers. In the group of males who have been in the United States 10 years or over, 29 per cent are fully naturalized, and 39.1 per cent have first papers. Of all males who have been in the United States five years or over, Irish show the highest percentage fully naturalized, followed by Germans in somewhat smaller proportions. South Italians, English, and North Italians show very small proportions naturalized when compared with the races first mentioned. English show by far the highest per cent having first papers only and North Italians the lowest. . . . Immigrants in Boot and Shoe Manufacturing. (2) Ability to Speak English. The proportion of foreign-born employees who speak English is 47.3 per cent for the males, 34.4 per cent for the females, and 42.1 per cent for all individuals. The Germans, followed by the French Canadians and Russian Hebrews, in the order mentioned, have the largest and the South Italians the smallest proportion of males, and the Germans, followed by the Russian Hebrews and French Canadians, in the order mentioned, the largest and the Lithuanians the smallest proportion of females who are able to speak English. . . . Information was obtained in this industry for 8,790 foreign-born employees, 42.1 per cent of whom speak English. Of those who have been in the United States under five years, 19.6 per cent speak English, as compared with 59 per cent of those with a residence of five to nine years, and 83.5 per cent of those with a residence of 10 years or over; thus it will be seen that the length of residence in the United States materially affects the ability of the foreign-born employees to speak English. It will also be seen from the preceding table that the Germans, without regard to the length of residence in the United States, show a considerably larger proportion who speak English than do the French Canadians. The French Canadians, in turn, show a much larger proportion who speak English than do the Syrians, Russians, or French, and a very much larger proportion than do the North Italians, Poles, Lithuanians, or South Italians the last named reporting only 24.6 per cent. The males, it will be noted, in each period of residence group, show a considerably larger proportion than do the females. D. BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURING.1 (1) Territory Studied. — In collecting data relative emphasis was placed upon different sections of the country according to the geographical distribution of the industry as indicated by the Federal Census of Manufactures of 1905. The operating forces of the factories were studied more intensively in Massachusetts and the other New England States because of the greater concentration of the industry in that section, but detailed data were also obtained from the shoe factory operatives of Illinois and Missouri and other States of the Middle West in order to ascertain conditions and to have a basis of comparison with New England. (2) Contents of Report. The report on this industry consists of three parts: I. A general survey of the industry in the United States, with statistical data obtained from employees in all sections of the country; II. A general statistical survey of the East, with an intensive study of two representative boot and shoe manufacturing communities in the New England States; and III. A general statistical survey of the Middle West. Except 1 From Vol. 12 of the report of the United States Immigration Commission. Immigrants in Boot and Shoe Manufacturing. for a brief review of Parts I and III, the present discussion of the report on this industry will be confined to data appearing in the intensive study of one of the two representative New England communities, as the facts presented will afford a basis of comparison with similar facts for boot and shoe manufacturing communities in Massachusetts. (3) General Survey. The general survey was based on information obtained for 19,946 operatives in all sections of the country. Of this number 72.7 per cent were native-born and 27.3 per cent foreign-born. The percentage who were foreign-born was only 11.1 for the Middle West as compared with 37.2 for the East. The number of males employed in this industry far out-numbered the females, the males constituting nearly twothirds of the entire number of employees considered. The races most highly represented among the foreign-born are South Italians, Russian Hebrews, French and other Canadians, Greeks, Slovaks, Irish, North Italians, Germans, and English. In no case, however, did any of these races of foreign-born constitute more than 3.4 per cent of the total number of employees considered. A study of 2,753 foreign-born shows that 41.4 per cent have had experience in shoe manufacturing before coming to the United States, 29.2 were farmers or farm laborers, 7.4 per cent were in hand trades, 8.3 per cent in trade, 5.0 per cent in manufacturing other than shoe manufacturing, 3.1 per cent in general labor, and 5.6 per cent in other occupations. The South Italians and Germans show over 60 per cent employed in shoe manufacturing before coming to the United States. Although the general survey contained but little data making specific reference to Massachusetts, the study of the representative community appears to be of distinct value in that it presents data with which may be compared similar data for those cities in Massachusetts that are known to be distinctively boot and shoe manufacturing centers. As in the case of other industries, studies were made of representative communities engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and for one of these communities data have been presented in the following paragraphs. (b) Study of a Representative Community. (aa) Racial Classification. Original information was obtained for 463 households with 2,337 members, and detailed information was also secured for 4,959 operatives in the community. In this review attention will be directed principally to the matter having reference to the 4,959 operatives. Immigrants in Boot and Shoe Manufacturing. The racial classification of the operating forces of the boot and shoe factories in this community is shown in the following table: TABLE 12. Employees for Whom Information was Secured, by Sex and General Since 1875 there has been a marked increase in the proportion of foreignborn inhabitants. The first immigrants to come to the city in any number appear to have been the Irish. There were 1,857 of these people in the community in 1855, and 2,307 in 1865. From 1865 to 1895 the Irish population increased rapidly, but the figures for 1905 show a slight decrease. Even in 1905, however, the Irish are present in larger numbers than persons of any other European race. Canadian immigration to Community A has been heavy since 1875. Many of the persons of Canadian nativity are from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and many others are of French descent. English and Scotch immigration, while not so heavy as the Irish and Canadian immigration, has been regular since before 1855. Since 1885 there has been a limited Scandinavian immigration. The immigration of persons of Southern [and] Eastern European nativity was very light until after 1895. By 1905, however, persons of Polish, Russian, Italian, and Austrian birth had come to the community in considerable numbers. The foreign-born constituted 38.9 per cent of the total number considered, while 23.7 per cent were native-born of foreign father and 37.4 per cent were native-born of native father. The 10 leading races represented among the foreign-born were: Russian Hebrew, 6.5 per cent of the total number (4,959) considered; Canadian (other than French), 5.8 per cent; French Canadians, 5.5; South Italian, 5.1; Irish, 3.1; North Italian, 2.4; English, Immigrants in Boot and Shoe Manufacturing. 2.2; Greek, 1.9; Swedish, 1.6; and Armenian, 1.1 per cent. The males of each race specified exceeded the females, the excess being particularly large in the following races where the relative numbers were: Armenians, 51 males, five females; Greek, 88 males, seven females; North Italians, 103 males, 16 females; South Italians, 226 males, 27 females; and Swedish, 66 males, 11 females. In the case of the native-born the excess of males over females was not so large as in the case of the foreign-born, the native-born males numbering 1,877 and the native-born females numbering 1,155, as compared with 1,433 foreign-born males and 494 foreign-born females. (cc) Economic Status. (1) Prior Occupation of Immigrants. Before immigrating to the United States, 60.8 per cent of the 863 foreign-born males were employed in shoe manufacturing, 5.6 per cent in manufacturing other than shoe manufacturing, 11.6 per cent as farmers or farm laborers, 1.5 per cent as general laborers, 5.7 per cent in hand trades, 10 per cent in trade, and 4.9 per cent in other occupations not specified. Over 88 per cent of both North and South Italians were engaged in shoe manufacturing. The French Canadians show 36.9 per cent who followed farming or farm labor before coming to the United States, whereas less than three per cent of any of the other races reported were so occupied. The Russian Hebrews showed 24 per cent engaged in trade, and each other race showed less than five per cent. The following table shows by general nativity and race the number of male operatives reporting, the average wages per week, and the percentage who earned specified amounts each week: TABLE 13. Weekly Wages of Male Operatives 18 Years of Age and Over, with Percentages Earning Specified Amounts. |