PHILADELPHIA, PA.

The employment of recent immigrants in the glazed kid industry at Philadelphia began not more than twelve or fifteen years ago. Seventeen or eighteen years ago the chrome process of tanning was perfected and rapidly displaced the old sumac process. The new process was much quicker and cheaper than the old, and required but little skilled labor in most of its stages. As a result, large factories were erected and the industry expanded enormously within a few years. Poles, Slovaks, Magyars, South Italians, and a few Armenians, Greeks, and other recent immigrants supplied the additional labor required. At the wages offered not enough other laborers could be secured.

Previous to this change the workmen were practically all Americans, Irish, and Germans. The Poles seem to have been about the first of the more recent immigrants to be employed, but they were so quickly followed by the others that there was practically no difference in the time of employment of workers of the various races of recent immigration. At the present time probably 50 per cent of the employees are Irish and Americans, with the other 50 per cent divided among Poles, Magyars, Slovaks, South Italians, and a few representatives of other foreign races. The Poles predominate among the foreigners.

Before the chrome tanning process was introduced the Germans were the chief labor supply for the lime-house and beam-house work. To-day this work is done chiefly by the Poles, and there are practically no German laborers in any department of the industry. The Germans went into other lines of work that paid better. In all branches of the industry the Irish and Americans have left the wet, heavy, and dirty occupations, as, for example, those of the beam house, lime house, flushing department, tanning house, coloring house, the staking, perching, and seasoning rooms, and their places have been taken by the recent immigrants. Like the Germans, the Irish and American former employees have found better-paying occupations. Many work as conductors and motormen on the street cars, in machine shops, or are in business for themselves. In the better paid and more agreeable grades of work in the glazed-kid industry the Irish and Americans have not disappeared as yet, but are gradually dropping out. It seems probable that, if present tendencies continue, the industry, within the next few years, will be wholly in the hands of the recent immigrants.

WILMINGTON, del.

The history of immigration to the leather tanning and finishing industry at Wilmington, Del., may be divided, in a general way, into two periods. In the first period, which had its beginning forty or more years ago, the immigrants were chiefly Germans and Scandinavians. Immigration of this class decreased after the introduction of machinery in the industry about fifteen years ago and has now practically ceased. The second period, during which Poles and Italians have been the most numerous immigrants, began about twenty years ago.

The line of separation between the two periods referred to was the introduction of machinery, by reason of which skilled native, German, and Scandinavian workers were supplanted by cheaper Polish laborers and, to a slight extent, by Italian laborers. From the information secured from the laborers it appears that machinery was introduced for the purpose of breaking up Knights of Labor, and that, as cheaper labor was thus made possible, immigrants of the races of southern and eastern Europe gradually took the place of the former skilled workers.

Briefly summarized, the following are the principal changes in labor conditions brought about through the use of machinery: (1) Calf-kid finishers, employed twenty years ago as hand workers at from $16 to $22 per week, were supplanted gradually by machine glazed-kid workers. (2) Hand shavers, formerly employed at from $30 to $50 per week, were supplanted by machine shavers paid at the rate of $11 per week. One machine shaver does the work of from 6 to 8 hand shavers, and the machines are operated by women. By 1901 or 1902 practically all skilled hand shavers were supplanted. (3) Staking machines were introduced in 1893 and 1894 and supplanted all hand staking. (4) Glazing machines were introduced about twenty years ago. Men glazers were at first employed on the machines, but when the French side machine was introduced a few years later, women largely took the place of men. (5) The use of machinery in the above occupations and in a few other minor occupations has had the further result of increasing the demand for a supply of cheap labor to handle the product. This increase has taken place chiefly in the occupations of seasoning, putting out, hanging skins in the lofts, striking out, and in the work done in steam rooms and beam houses.

In the days of the hand-working plants the majority of the workmen were natives, while the remainder were, for the most part, Germans, Scandinavians, and Irish. All the employees were skilled workers, and were under a union and apprentice system. With the introduction of machinery, however, skilled laborers were supplanted, the unions were broken up, and the apprentice system was abolished. At present about 50 per cent of the employees are foreign-born. The majority of the foreign-born workers are Poles. Both men and women and, to some extent, girls of this race are employed in the industry. Italians are employed to a less extent than the Poles, and, while definite information upon this point is not available, workers of other foreign races are probably present in smaller numbers.

Although both Poles and Italians began coming into the leather factories about twenty years ago, the majority of employees of these races entered the factories a few years later, as the demand for unskilled labor increased. The proportion of foreign labor, according to the opinion of the superintendents of the factories, has not varied to any degree in the last ten years, but the total number of laborers has increased with the growth and expansion of the factories.

The Poles have entered, to a slight extent, the skilled occupations that have survived the introduction of machinery, and there are several instances of Polish foremen in the striking-out, putting-out, and steam rooms. In general, however, it is not considered necessary to employ immigrant foremen, except for the supervision of "gangs."

Polish and Italian girls are employed in seasoning and Polish boys work in the lofts hanging skins. Very few skilled immigrant women are employed in the industry. In one factory, for example, women are employed as glazers, knee stakers, and hand putters-out, but there is only one Polish woman among their number. In the rough work, such as cleaning up, handling and loading the materials and the products, etc., immigrant men, chiefly Italians and Poles, are employed in the place of the native, Irish, and Scandinavian laborers employed in the days of hand plants.

It is claimed by the native-born laborers and those of the races. of old immigration that the employment of recent immigrants has resulted in the reduction of wages, and the feeling of resentment against the "cheap immigrant" has never died out. On the other hand, it is claimed by the superintendents of the largest plants for which data were secured, that wages have increased in the various occupations, although the high wages paid to several classes of skilled hand workers have been done away with as a result of the introduction of machinery.

NEW ENGLAND.

A further insight into the racial changes in the operating forces of the East may be obtained from an account of the history of the employment in a representative establishment in New England. These establishments are designated by number. Plant No. 1 has been in operation about twenty-five years. The output, which, at the beginning, was 25 dozen skins daily, has increased to 1,200 skins daily. It is stated that the first employees were Irish and Irish Americans, with a few Swedes and Germans. Workmen of Armenian race entered the establishment about thirteen or fourteen years ago, and were followed, three years later, by Polish and Lithuanian workers. Within the past three or four years some 25 or 30 clerks have been employed. The change in the racial composition of the working force is said to have been due to labor difficulties. At the present time the native-born employees and those of the races of old immigration hold the better paid positions. American workmen will not undertake the lower grades of work except in cases of extreme need. For this reason, there is no friction between the old employees and the immigrants. The displaced employees have, in most cases, gone to work in shoe shops. It is said that the immigrant workers in the establishment, after saving a little money and acquiring some experience, usually leave and secure employment in the shoe shops. Their places are then filled by immigrants of later arrival in the country or in the community.

Establishment No. 2 is engaged in tanning hides and manufacturing kid. The total number of employees is between 270 and 280. The first employees at the establishment were either Americans or Irish. Each man performed all the operations connected with the manufacture of the goods and it took three years for a man to learn the business. As the industry grew and machinery came into use, it became possible to replace the American and Irish workers with recent immigrants who would work for much smaller compensation. The old employees gradually left the tannery and went into the shoe shops of the city, while immigrants took all the positions in the tan

nery with the exception of those of foremen and instructors. Armenians were the first immigrants employed in the establishment and were followed by Lithuanians, Poles, and Hebrews. Since their arrival in the community about five years ago, Greeks have been employed in the industry. It is said that t e employees of this race are not in favor with the employers. At all times the change from race to race has been gradual and no friction between the races has resulted.

MILWAUKEE, WIS.

The tanning of leather in Milwaukee, Wis., which began about sixty years ago, has steadily expanded until at present it is considered among the most important of the city's industries. The racial movements to this locality may be considered as largely representative of the situation in the Middle West. Because of the large German population of Milwaukee the representatives of this race, as might be expected, have played a most important part not only in the development of the tanning industry but in the development of its many other industries as well. As the city developed and various industries were started, the employment of many additional men became necessary. In the natural order of things, this development attracted to Milwaukee a large number of outsiders, many of whom were from southern and eastern European countries. A new and different supply of labor was therefore created, and while employment of the more recent immigrants, in the tanning industry, attracted very little attention at first, it soon became apparent that a change in the racial composition of the force had taken place. The employment of the more recent immigrants has continued for one reason or another until to-day they have become the most important factor in the operation of the various tanneries in this locality. Of course, the same percentage of each race will not be found in all tanneries. This situation in Milwaukee, as in all other large cities, is due in a very large measure to the location of the plant, for the tendency of the more recent immigrant is to take up his abode with others of his own race. This results in the building up of colonies among the different races, and these are almost invariably established near some industrial plant. This accounts for the fact that some particular race predominates in one plant, while in another the representatives of this race may not be employed at all. The Germans, Irish, Americans, a few English and Scotch were the first employees in the tanning industry in Milwaukee, with the Germans largely predominating. In all, about 18 different races are represented in this industry at the present time, but not one-half have become a factor in the operation of any of the tanneries. The foreign races now a factor are the Germans, Poles, Greeks, Slovaks, Croatians, Lithuanians, Magyars, and Russians. From one to a dozen persons of each of the following races are employed in one of the largest tanneries: Italians, Swiss, Swedes, Danes, Bohemians, Finns, Dutch, and Bulgarians.

The Poles were the first of the more recent immigrants to secure employment in this industry. Their employment to any extent first occurred in 1870. In 1877-1878 they were strongly represented and have continued so until now, although there has been quite a falling off at various times. The Russian Poles (called Russians by the employers) entered the industry in 1885; Italians in 1890; Croatians,

Magyars, and Slovaks in 1892; and Lithuanians and Greeks in large numbers in 1903, although a few of the latter were employed in 1898-1899. Representatives of other races have been employed from time to time, but in such small numbers that their employment has attracted little or no attention.

PERIOD OF RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES OF FOREIGN-BORN EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS OF THEIR HOUSEHOLDS.

The character of recent and past immigration to the industry may also be seen in the following series of tables showing the period of residence in the United States of foreign-born employees and members of their households. Length of residence in this country and period of employment in the industry are not necessarily identi cal, but as a rule they approximate each other. The first table submitted, which immediately follows, shows, by sex and race, the percentage of foreign-born employees in the East who had been in the United States each specified number of years:

TABLE 13.-Per cent of foreign-born employees in the United States each specified number of years, by sex and race-East.

(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 80,or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]