CHAPTER III. ECONOMIC STATUS. Industrial condition abroad of members of immigrant households studied-General occupation of women at the present time in the households studied-General occupation of males at the present time in the households studied—Comparison of occupations of recent immigrants with other occupations-Annual earnings of male heads of families studied-Annual earnings of males 18 years of age or over in the households studied-Annual family income-Wives at work-Annual earnings of females 18 years of age or over in the households studied-Relation between the earnings of husbands and the practice of wives of keeping boarders or lodgers-Sources of family income-Relative importance of different sources of family income[Text Tables 587 to 607 and General Tables 328 to 337]. INDUSTRIAL CONDITION ABROAD OF MEMBERS OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED. The following tables show the industrial condition and occupation before coming to the United States of foreign-born females in the households studied who were 16 years of age or over at time of coming. The exhibit is by race of individual: TABLE 587.-Industrial condition before coming to the United States of foreign-born females who were 16 years of age or over at time of coming, by race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more families reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign TABLE 588.-Occupation before coming to the United States of foreign-born females who were 16 years of age or over at time of coming, by race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more females reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign Race of individual. born.] Per cent working for wages. Per cent working Per cent working for profit. From the preceding tables it will be seen that of 46 females reporting complete data, the total number, or 26.1 per cent, who were employed abroad were working for wages, the largest proportion being shown by those who were employed in domestic service and as factory operatives, with 8.7 per cent for each, while 6.5 per cent were employed as farm laborers, 2.2 per cent in hand trades, and 73.9 per cent were without occupation. The following tables show the industrial condition and occupation before coming to the United States of foreign-born males who were 16 years of age or over at time of coming, by race of individual: TABLE 589.-Industrial condition before coming to the United States of foreign-born males who were 16 years of age or over at time of coming, by race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.] TABLE 590.-Occupation before coming to the United States of foreign-born males, who were 16 years of age or over at time of coming, by race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) (This table includes only races with 20 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.] Upon information secured from 683 males it may be seen that the largest proportion, or 44.5 per cent, were working for profit, 42.8 per cent were farmers working for profit and 1.8 per cent in occupations other than farming. Thirty-four and six-tenths per cent were working for wages, 16.8 per cent in hand trades, 9.4 per cent as farm laborers, 1.9 per cent as laborers, other than on the farm, and 6.4 per cent in other occupations. Of the total number 20.1 per cent were working without wages, 19.8 per cent as farm laborers, and 0.3 per cent in other occupations. Only 0.9 per cent were without occupation. Comparing the two races shown in the above table, it will be seen that of those working for wages practically the same proportions are shown by each race in each different occupation, except for those who were farm laborers and in hand trades. The Magyars show the larger proportion, or 20.6 per cent, while the Bulgarians show 5.6 per cent who were farm laborers, and of those employed in hand trades these races show approximately the same proportions reversed. Both races report that the largest proportion were employed as farm laborers working without wages, with 29.1 per cent as shown by the Magyar and 16.5 per cent as shown by the Bulgarian, while less than 1 per cent are shown otherwise employed without wages. The largest proportion working for profit were farmers, with 46.4 per cent and 33.1 per cent, respectively, for the Bulgarian and Magyar, less than 2 per cent in any other occupation being reported by either race. GENERAL OCCUPATION OF WOMEN AT THE PRESENT TIME IN THE HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED. The following table shows, by general nativity and race of individual, the general occupation in the community of females 16 years of age or over in the households studied. TABLE 591.-General occupation of females 16 years of age or over, by general nativity and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more females reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.] The above table shows that none of the Magyar women are in domestic service or engaged in trade, and none at school, while 82.7 per cent are at home and 17.3 per cent otherwise employed, the large proportion of those thus designated being at work in the corn products and enameling and stamping works. GENERAL OCCUPATION OF MALES AT THE PRESENT TIME IN THE HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED. The following table shows, by general nativity and race of individual, the general occupation of males 16 years of age or over in the households studied. TABLE 592.-General occupation of males 16 years of age or over, by general nativity and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only races with 20 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all races.] The preceding table shows that the large majority of the Bulgarians are employed in the iron and steel industry, only 6.9 per cent being at home, 16.6 per cent employed in other industries than iron and steel, and a negligible proportion at school. On the other hand, the Magyars, as already pointed out, display a tendency to move away from the iron and steel industry to other occupations and pursuits, only 18.6 per cent of the males of this race of working age being employed in the iron and steel industry and 74.6 per cent otherwise employed, while 6.8 per cent are at home and none at school. COMPARISON OF OCCUPATIONS OF RECENT IMMIGRANTS WITH OTHER OCCUPATIONS. Five years ago the unskilled labor in the steel works was performed by Americans, Irish, Germans, English, Welsh and a few Magyars. Since that time these races have been entirely displaced by the Bulgarians and other southeastern European races. The Germans and English in the employ of the steel companies have advanced in the industrial scale, as well as the Magyars. They do not come into direct contact with the recent immigrants, except in "chipping," as described elsewhere. The Irish who have remained with the steel companies are generally foremen or bosses. The Germans, Irish, and English are practically Americanized. Their children have passed through the public schools and are engaged in clerical, mechanical or business pursuits elsewhere. Very few Magyars have remained in the steel plants. There are some Magyar chippers and molders. Most of them, however, have gone to the granite or steel ware works or the corn-products plant, where the work is lighter and the compensation higher than that of the unskilled laborer in the steel and car plants. To secure these positions in these establishments, they are required to have a fair knowledge of English, and this requirement they have been able to satisfy because of their long term of residence as compared with other southeastern European races. About 325 Magyars have employment in the corn-products refining company, and the greater part of the remainder are in the granite ware and steel plants. The skilled positions with the steel companies, the granite ware, and the corn-products plant are held by Americans, Irish, and Germans. The entire canning factory of the corn products plant is operated by these races, who receive $2.50 per day. The mechanical positions and trades are also controlled by them. The Germans are very numerous as machinists and carpenters. In the steel mills of this community it is found that the positions of trust and those calling for skilled labor, such as clerks, draftsmen, foremen, switchmen, teamsters and watchmen are filled by the Americans, Germans, and Irish, while the positions for unskilled labor such as unloading, floating gang, etc., are filled by negroes, Poles, Bulgarians, and Macedonians. In the smelting departments, the skilled and responsible positions such as melters, ladlemen, charging-machine men, bricklayers and chemists are filled by Americans, Germans, and Irish; while the positions calling for unskilled labor are occupied by Bulgarians and Slovaks. The same is true of the molding departments where the foundrymen, molders, foremen, and carpenters are Americans, Germans and Irish, and the rammers, helpers and common laborers are Macedonians, Bulgarians, and Ar |