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TABLE 131.-Per cent of foreign-born male employees in the United States each specified number of years, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. No deduction is made for time spent abroad. This table includes only races with 40 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]

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In this locality 36.8 per cent of the foreign-born male employees, for whom information was secured, have been in the United States under five years, 22.8 per cent have been here from five to nine years, 6.1 per cent have been here from ten to fourteen years, 9.4 per cent have been here from fifteen to nineteen years, and 25 per cent have been here twenty years or over. The proportion of individuals who have been here under five years is largest for the Greeks and smallest for the Canadians other than French, while the proportion of individuals who have been here from five to nine years is largest for the Croatians, and smallest for the Canadians other than French. The Lithuanians have the largest and the Slovenians the smallest proportion of individuals who have been here from ten to fourteen years, and the Canadians other than French have the largest and the Greeks the smallest proportion of individuals who have been here from fifteen to nineteen years. None of the Slovenians and Greeks and a larger proportion of Irish, English, Germans, and Scotch than of the individuals of any other race have been here twenty years or

over.

The following table shows by race of individual the per cent of foreign-born persons in the households studied who had been in the United States each specified number of years:

TABLE 132.-Per cent of foreign-born persons in the United States each specified number of years, by race of individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[This table includes only races with 20 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign

born.]

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The above table shows that of 727 persons from whom complete data were secured, 19.4 per cent of this number have been in the United States under five years, 39.3 per cent under ten years, and 63.5 per cent have been here under twenty years. The South Italians and Russians show a considerably higher per cent of persons with a residence of under five years than the other races given in the table, while Germans, Swedes, and Irish show very small proportions having this period of residence. The South Italians, Russians, Magyars, Poles, and North Italians all show 50 per cent or over who have been in the United States under ten years. The Swedes and Irish show small proportions in this group. The South Italians show 100 per cent, the Russians show over 90 per cent, and North Italians, Slovaks, and Magyars over 80 per cent who have been in this country under twenty years. The Germans, English, and Swedes show less than 50 per cent in this group, while the Irish show only 17.5 per cent who have been in the United States under twenty years. It is particularly noticeable that races from northern Europe show a longer length of residence than those from southern and eastern Europe.

RACIAL CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AT THE PRESENT TIME.

The following table shows the male employees of each race for whom information was secured:

TABLE 133.-Male employees for whom information was secured by general nativity and race.

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Of 15,489 male employees of each race for whom information was secured, 78.1 per cent are of foreign birth, 14.1 per cent are nativeborn of foreign father, 4.8 per cent are native-born whites of native father, and 3 per cent are native-born negroes of native father. Of the employees who are native-born of foreign father those whose fathers were born in Germany show 6.2 per cent, those whose fathers were born in Ireland 4.4 per cent, and those whose fathers were born in Austria-Hungary 1 per cent. The employees whose fathers were born in other countries shown in the table exhibit less than 1 per cent of the total number for whom information was secured. Of the employees of foreign birth, the Poles show the greatest proportion, which is 27.7 per cent, the Lithuanian employees show 12 per cent, and the German employees 10.4 per cent. The Irish employees show 7.5 per cent, the Slovak employees 5.3 per cent, and the Bohe

mian and Moravian employees 4.3 per cent. No employees of any of the other specified races show over 3 per cent of the total number of male employees for whom information was secured.

REASONS FOR EMPLOYING RECENT IMMIGRANTS.

The chief reason for employing recent immigrants has been the tendency of the Irish, Germans, and Americans to seek other work. This process has been gradual, becoming more marked about 1899 and 1900, when increased industrial prosperity gave greater opportunities to the English-speaking workmen.

The greatest racial change seems to have been the case of the Irish. Within a few years most of them had left the packing houses and gone into other lines of work, especially as motormen and conductors on street-railway lines and newly constructed interurban lines.

There seems to be only one acknowledged case, and it unimportant, where the immigrant has been employed as a strike-breaker. This occurred in 1904, when some Greeks and quite a number of negroes were employed for that purpose.

METHODS OF SECURING IMMIGRANTS.

The majority of the plants have either an employment bureau or some one man who is selected by the superintendent to pass upon the applicants. These men state that they experience no trouble in securing labor, as every day any number of applicants appear. They accept such men as present themselves from time to time who appear capable to do the work, regardless of race. The supply, of course, greater in some seasons than in others. It is said that this class of work, because of it not being so regular, appeals most strongly to the

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Immigrants and native-born laborers are paid the same for the same class of work. For example, splitters 50, backers 45, rumpers 42, hide droppers and neck splitters 32 cents per hour. When questioned on this subject, the American laborer admits the accuracy of the foregoing scale, but by way of strengthening his contention claims that the immigrant is very often kept on this work for some little time after learning it before his pay is raised to the regular wage for the particular occupation he has entered.

EFFECT OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF IMMIGRANTS UPON FORMER

EMPLOYEES.

Native-born labor for some time past has been slowly giving way to immigrant labor in the industry, but whether this displacement has been voluntary or involuntary is a question that can best be answered by recording briefly the simple statements of the employer on the one hand and, on the other, of representatives of labor organizations.

The employer states that the native-born or American laborer does not apply for work as he formerly did, and therefore his place is being taken by the immigrant, who is constantly seeking employment. This contention is met by the other side with the statement

that the American laborer does not apply because of the low wages and irregularity of work; also that the low standard of living of immigrants in general makes it necessary for the American laborer to seek other employment in order to make proper provision for his family. While these statements are somewhat a repetition of the reasons for employing immigrants, they show that there is no discrimination against the American laborer, so far as opportunities for employment is concerned. The companies arrange their scale of wages, and it remains for the American laborer to decide whether to apply or not apply for work. The contention of the early employees is, however, that the supply of recent immigrants who were ready to work for low wages made possible the fixing of such a wage scale by the companies, and as a consequence made it impossible for the American to apply for work, and rendered it necessary for him to seek other employment.

To note the displacement that has occurred in the industry, it is only necessary to recall a statement already made to the effect that the Americans, Germans, and Irish were the races first employed, and compare this statement with the table exhibiting the percentage of each race employed at present." From this comparison it will be seen that the Americans, Germans, and Irish that were almost exclusively employed in the beginning have decreased until they represent less than 50 per cent of the present force. While this displacement has been greater in the unskilled class, almost complete, in fact, in which all the more recent immigrants have had a part, it by no means stops there. In very nearly every department and occupation will be found representatives of at least one of the more recent races. This is especially true of the Bohemians, who are considered bright and very efficient. The Poles also have been able to advance themselves from the unskilled to the skilled occupations, but not in such numbers as the Bohemians. The other races of recent immigration employed are principally engaged as common laborers.

PROGRESS AND PREFERENCE.

Reference has already been made to the advancement of the Poles, and especially of the Bohemians, to the more skilled occupations. Occasionally also, when they are intelligent and have become familiar with the English language, a few recent immigrants will be found as foremen.

As regards the opinions of the officials of the various companies relative to the employees, excluding the Americans, the Germans, Irish, and Bohemians are considered the best on the basis of general efficiency; the Germans, Bohemians, and Irish, in the order named, most progressive; and the Irish, Germans, Bohemians, Poles, and Lithuanians, in the order named, as being the most tractable and having the greatest degree of adaptability. The Germans, Bohemians, Irish, Lithuanians, and Poles, in the foregoing order, are stated to be the most industrious. All employers agree that the class of immigrants coming under their observation at present are not to be compared with those of the same races that came to this country some years ago, either mentally or physically.

a See page 201.

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