TABLE 92.-Present political condition of foreign-born males 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 of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States.] Of 267 foreign-born males who have been in the United States five years or over and who were 21 years of age or over at the time of coming, 35.6 per cent are fully naturalized and 8.6 per cent have first papers only. The Germans show 77.8 per cent and the English and Irish over 70 per cent fully naturalized, as contrasted with only 25 per cent of the French Canadians and 7 per cent of the Poles. The Irish show the highest per cent having first papers only, followed, in the order named, by the English, Poles, and French Canadians. The table further shows that no Germans have first papers only. ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH. As regards ability to speak English, the following table shows, by sex and general nativity and race of individual, the percentage of persons 6 years of age or over in the households studied who were able to speak English. TABLE 93.-Per cent of persons 6 years of age or over who speak English, by sex and general nativity and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only non-English-speaking races with 40 or more persons reporting. The totals, however, are for all non-English-speaking races.] Of 1,821 persons the preceding table shows that 76.2 per cent speak English, the males showing a larger proportion than the females, or 81.7 per cent, as compared with 70.6 per cent. A larger proportion of the males than the females who are of foreign birth speak English. But the females who are native-born of foreign father show a larger proportion who speak English than do the males. The German race alone shows a larger proportion of females than males who speak English. The Poles show the smallest proportion of males or females with ability to speak English. In the following table a comparison is possible of the relative proportions of the younger and older immigrants of non-English-speaking races able to speak English. The table shows, by age at time of coming to the United States and race of individual, the percentage of foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over, in the households studied, able to speak English. TABLE 94.-Per cent of foreign-born persons years of age or over who speak English, by age at time of coming to the United States and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [This table includes only non-English-speaking races with 40 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all non-English-speaking races.] Of 1,310 foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over, information for whom appears in the above table, 92.4 per cent of those who were under 14 years of age at the time of coming to the United States and 58.8 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming can speak English. The Germans and Slovaks show 100 per cent, the French Canadians and the Hebrews show over 90 per cent, and the North Italians and Poles show over 80 per cent of those who were under 14 years of age at the time of arrival who can now speak English. The Hebrews and Germans show over 95 per cent, the North Italians over 85 per cent, the French Canadians and the Slovaks over 50 per cent, and the Poles over 45 per cent who can speak English who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming to the United States. The progress made by persons of non-English-speaking races in acquiring an ability to speak English after designated periods of residence in this country is set forth in the table next presented. The table shows, by years in the United States and race of individual, the percentage of foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over, in the households studied, able to speak English. TABLE 95.-Per cent of foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over who speak English, by years in the United States and race of individual. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.) [By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. This table includes only non-English-speaking races with 40 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all nonEnglish-speaking races.] Of 1,310 foreign-born persons 6 years of age or over reporting, 42.1 per cent of those who have been in the United States under five years, 71.6 per cent of those with a residence of from five to nine years, and 87.5 per cent of those who have been in this country ten years or over can speak English. Of those who have been in the United States under five years the Hebrews show the greatest proportion, which is 89.7 per cent, and the Poles the smallest proportion, which is 30.9 per cent, who can speak English. In the group including persons who have been in the United States from five to nine years, the Hebrews show 100 per cent, the Germans over 95 per cent, the North Italians over 90 per cent, the French Canadians and Slovaks over 70 per cent, and the Poles 57.7 per cent who can speak English. Of the persons with a residence of ten years or over, the Germans, Hebrews, and North Italians show 100 per cent, the Poles over 85 per cent, and the Slovaks and French Canadians over 80 per cent who can speak English. 48296°-VOL 17-11-9 |