CHAPTER III.

ECONOMIC STATUS.

Principal occupation of immigrant employees before coming to the United States— Daily earnings [Text Tables 74 to 79 and General Tables 35 to 40].

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OF IMMIGRANT EMPLOYEES BEFORE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.

In order that an intelligent conception may be had of the economic status of immigrant employees in the cigar and tobacco manufacturing industry, it is necessary to set forth their industrial condition before emigrating from their native countries. Such an exhibit is also valuable in showing what training and experience foreign-born cigar and tobacco operatives had abroad in the same industry in which they are now employed; consequently, before entering into a discussion of their present economic status, the following table is submitted, which shows, by race of individual, the percentage of foreignborn male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States:

TABLE 74.-Per cent of foreign-born male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]

The preceding table shows that of 290 foreign-born male employees reporting 1 per cent were engaged in the manufacture of cigars and tobacco before coming to the United States, 8.3 per cent were engaged in other manufacturing, 51.7 per cent were engaged in farming or farm labor, 11.4 per cent were general laborers, 13.8 per cent were in hand trades, 6.9 per cent were in trade, and 6.9 per cent were in other occupations before coming to the United States. The Greek employees show the same percentage of their own number who had previous experience in the manufacture of cigars and tobacco as that shown in the total. The percentage of the Greek employees who were engaged

in other manufacturing before coming to the United States, in hand trades and in other occupations, is smaller than the per cent shown in the total for all foreign-born male employees reporting. The percentage of the Greek employees who were engaged in farming or were farm laborers, who were general laborers, and who were in trade is higher than that shown in the total for all foreign-born male employees reporting.

The following table shows, by race, the percentage of foreign-born female employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States:

TABLE 75.-Per cent of foreign-born female employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more females reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign

The preceding table shows that of 414 foreign-born female employees reporting 0.5 per cent were engaged in the manufacture of cigars and tobacco, 5.6 per cent were in domestic service, 89.9 per cent were farming or farm laborers, 2.7 per cent were engaged in sewing, embroidering, and lace making, and 1.4 per cent were in other occupations before coming to the United States. The Polish female employees show a smaller percentage than that shown in the total for all female employees who were in domestic service, who were engaged in sewing, embroidering, and lace making and in other occupations. The percentage of Polish women who were engaged in farming or were farm laborers before coming to the United States is higher than the percentage of females thus engaged shown in the total, none of the Polish female employees were engaged in the manufacture of cigars and tobacco before coming to this country.

DAILY EARNINGS.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race, the percentage of male employees 18 years of age or over who were earning each specified amount each day:

TABLE 76.-Per cent of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per day, by general nativity and race.*

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more males reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

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.

9.2

The preceding table shows that of 2,372 male employees 18 years of age or over, 99.6 per cent earn $1 or over per day, 97.9 per cent earn $1.25 or over, 83 per cent earn $1.50 or over, 55.2 per cent earn $1.75 or over, 44.2 per cent earn $2 or over, 20.5 per cent earn $2.50 or over, per cent earn $3 or over and 2.9 per cent earn $3.50 or over per day. The average earnings per day for all male employees reporting is $2. The employees who are native-born of foreign father and those who are native negroes born of native father show 100 per cent earning $1 or over per day, followed by the employees who are native whites born of native father and those who are of foreign birth in slightly. smaller proportions. The employees who are native-born of foreign father show the highest percentage earning $1.25 or over per day, followed, in the order named, by the negro employees who are nativeborn of native father, the native whites born of native father and the employees of foreign birth. The employees who are native-born of foreign father show the highest percentage earning each of the other specified amounts per day, the native whites born of native father, the foreign-born employees and the negro employees who are native-born of native father following, in the order mentioned. It will be observed that the proportion of negroes earning from $1.50 or over up to $2.50 or over per day is small, while none earn $3 per day or over.

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Of the employees who are native-born of foreign father, the same proportion of those whose fathers were born in Germany and in Ireland earn $1 or over and $1.25 or over per day, the former show a slightly higher percentage than the latter earning $1.50 or over, but the latter show a larger proportion earning $1.75 or over per day, while the former shows the highest percentage earning each of the other specified rates per day.

Of the foreign-born employees, the Germans show a considerably higher percentage than the Greeks earning each specified amount per day. None of the latter earn $3 or over per day. The employees who are native-born of foreign father show average daily earnings of $2.23, followed by the employees who are native-born whites of native father with average earnings per day of $2.03, the foreignborn employees with average earnings per day of $1.89, and the negro employees who are native-born of native father with average earnings per day of $1.49. Of the native-born of foreign father, those whose fathers were born in Germany show average earnings per day of $2.27, as contrasted with $2.20, which is the average earnings per day of the employees whose fathers were born in Ireland. Of the foreign-born employees, the Germans show average earnings per day of $2.10 and the Greeks average daily earnings of $1.69.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race, the percentage of female employees 18 years of age or over who were earning each specified amount each day:

TABLE 77.-Per cent of female employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per day, by general nativity and race.*

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more females reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

*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.

Of 2,324 female employees 18 years of age or over shown in the above table, 87.7 per cent earn $1 or over per day, 57.1 per cent earn $1.25 or over, 36.1 per cent earn $1.50 or over, 21.7 per cent earn $1.75 or over, 13.3 per cent earn $3 or over, and 4.2 per cent earn $2.50 or over per day. Of the employees who are native-born of foreign father a somewhat higher percentage earn each specified amount per day than the employees who are native whites born of

native father, while in every instance the foreign-born employees show a considerably lower percentage earning each specified amount than the employees who are in the two nativity groups just mentioned. The table further shows that the average earnings per day for all female employees reporting is $1.39. The female employees who are native-born of foreign father show the highest average daily earnings, which is $1.56, the employees who are native whites born of native father follow with average daily earnings of $1.46, while the foreign-born employees show average daily earnings of $1.16. Of the employees who are native-born of foreign father, those whose fathers were born in Germany show a slightly higher percentage earning $1 or over per day than those whose fathers were born in Ireland; the latter, however, shows a considerably higher percentage than the former earning each of the other specified amounts per day. The employees whose fathers were born in Ireland show average daily earnings of $1.72, as contrasted with $1.50, which is the average earnings per day of the employees whose fathers were born in Germany. Of the foreign-born employees the Germans show the highest percentage earning each specified amount per day except that of $1 or over. There the Poles show the highest percentage. It should be noted that none of the Slovak employees earn $1.50 or over per day, and the proportion of Poles earning $2 or over per day is very small. The German employees report average daily earnings of $1.31, as contrasted with $1.16, which is the average earnings per day of the Poles, and $1.04, which is the average earnings per day of the Slovaks.

The table next submitted shows, by general nativity and race, the percentage of male employees 14 and under 18 years of age who were earning each specified amount each day:

TABLE 78.-Per cent of male employees 14 and under 18 years of age earning each specified amount per day, 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.]

*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.

*Not computed, owing to small number involved."

Of 262 male employees 14 and under 18 years of age, 88.2 per cent earn $1 or over per day, 50.8 per cent earn $1.25 or over, 23.3 per cent earn $1.50 or over, 6.5 per cent earn $1.75 or over, 2.8 per cent earn $2 or over, and 0.4 per cent earn $2.50 or over per day. The average earnings per day for the total number reporting is $1.29. The male employees who are native-born of foreign father show a