CHAPTER III.

ECONOMIC STATUS.

Industrial condition abroad of members of immigrant households studied-Principal occupation of immigrant employees before coming to the United States-General occupation of males at the present time, in the households studied-General occupations of women at the present time, in the households studied-Comparison of occupations of the first and second generations-Weekly earnings-Relation between period of residence and earning ability-Annual earnings of male heads of families studied-Annual earnings of males 18 years of age or over, in the households studiedAnnual earnings of females 18 years of age or over, in the households studied-Annual family income-Wives at work-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 18 to 47 and General Tables 6 to 21].

INDUSTRIAL CONDITION ABROAD OF MEMBERS OF IMMIGRANT HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED.

Before entering upon a discussion of the economic status of the shoe-manufacturing employees in this country, the general industrial condition and principal occupation while abroad of foreign-born employees and members of their households are considered. The first table submitted in this connection shows, by race of individual, the industrial condition before coming to the United States of foreignborn males who were 16 years of age or over at the time of coming to this country:

TABLE 18.-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 families reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign

born.]

Race of individual.

Number

report

com

ing With- Work- Work- Work- With- Work- Work- Work-
out ing ing ing out ing ing ing
plete occu- for without for
for without for
data. pation. wages. wages. profit. pation. wages. wages. profit.

occu

Of the 828 males reporting complete data in the foregoing table, the largest proportion or 36.5 per cent were working for wages before

coming to the United States. A slightly smaller proportion were working without wages, and 22.1 per cent were working for profit. Eight per cent were without occupation. None of the English or Lithuanians were without occupation, as compared with 14.9 per cent of the Armenians, 13.9 per cent of the Hebrews, and 13.8 per cent of the South Italians. Only 2.2 per cent of the Poles were without occupation. Approximately 50 per cent of the South Italians were working for wages. Of the English, 91.7 per cent were working for wages. This table shows that 75.9 per cent of the Lithuanians were working without wages. The Poles, with 48.9 per cent, show the second largest proportion so occupied, and the English, with 4.2 per cent, show the smallest proportion. Among those working abroad for profit, the English, with 4.2 per cent, show the smallest proportion. The Hebrew, with 33.7 per cent, show the largest proportion working for profit.

In the following table the occupation before coming to the United States of foreign-born males who were 16 years of age or over at time of arrival, is shown according to race of individual:

TABLE 19.-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.]

Armenian..

Canadian, French..

English..

24

9.6 6.8 1.4 26. 0 .0 4.2 .066.7 74 9.5 2.7 .0 2.7 13.9 .0 .0 10.9 13. 811.9 3.7 19.3

.0 4.7 .6

14.9 16. 1 1.1 1.1 2.3 11.5 32. 2 12.6 10. 3 23. 010. 319. 529.9

5.5.20. 560. 316. 4 1.4.17.8 6.8 5.512.3 .020. 891.7 .0 4.2 4.2 .0 4.2 4.2 2.7 27. 035. 124. 3 1.4 25.7 5.424. 329.7 5.0 30.7 46.5 3.0 3.0 5.9 2.031.733.7 6.4 8. 349. 5 2.8 6.4 9.2 4.622.9 27.5 .0 .6 4.7 10. 675. 9 .075.9 11.8 1.813. 5 2.2 18.5 1.5 .7 4.4 2.227. 448. 9 .048.9 17.8 3.721.5 13.0 17.4 .0 .0 .0 8.726.130. 4 .030. 413.0 17.430. 4 8.0 10.1 1.3 8.7 3.6 12.7 36.5 30.7 2.8 33.5 8.713. 422. 1

Of the 828 males included in the preceding table 8 per cent were without occupation before coming to the United States, 36.5 per cent were working for wages, 33.5 per cent were working without wages, and 22.1 per cent were working for profit. Of the 36.5 per cent working for wages 10.1 per cent were farm laborers, 1.3 per cent general laborers, 8.7 per cent were employed in the shoe-manufacturing industry, 3.6 per cent in hand trades, and 12.7 per cent were engaged in miscellaneous occupations. Of the 33.5 per cent who were working without wages only 2.8 per cent were employed other than as farm laborers. Of the 22.1 per cent who were working for profit 8.7 per cent were farmers and 13.4 per cent were otherwise engaged. The proportion of each race who were without occupation before coming to the United States ranges from 14.9 per cent of the

Armenians to none of the English or Lithuanians. Among those who were working for wages the English show the largest proportion, or 91.7 per cent, and the Lithuanians the smallest, or 10.6 per cent. Over 10 per cent of the Armenians, South Italians, Poles, and Syrians and less than 10 per cent of each of the other races were farm laborers working for wages. Less than 5 per cent of any given race were general laborers. Of those of each race who were employed in the shoe-manufacturing industry the proportion ranges from 66.7 per cent of the English to less than 1 per cent of the Lithuanians, Poles, or Syrians. Less than 5 per cent of those of each race except French Canadians, Hebrews, and South Italians were engaged in hand trades. The proportion who were in occupations other than specified ranges from 30.7 per cent of the Hebrews to 2.2 per cent of the Poles. The entire proportion of Lithuanians, Poles, and Syrians and a decidedly larger proportion of the Greeks and French Canadians who were working without wages before coming to the United States were farm laborers. A larger proportion of the Lithuanians, Poles, and French Canadians who were working for profit were farmers than were in occupations other than farming.

The following table shows, by race of individual, the industrial condition 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 to this country:

TABLE 20.-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

born.]

Of foreign-born females who were 16 years of age or over at time of coming to the United States, 64.4 per cent had been without occupations, the greater proportions of every specified race, excepting the Lithuanians and the Polish, being so reported. Of the Lithuanians, 72.7 per cent, and of the Poles 44.2 per cent, were working without wages. Relatively large proportions of the French Canadians, South Italians, and Hebrews had worked for wages.

In the next table presented the occupation before coming to the United States of foreign-born females who were 16 years of age or over at time of arrival is shown according to race of individual:

TABLE 21.-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

Of foreign-born females, 16 years of age or over at time of coming to the United States, 15.4 per cent were working for wages. Of that proportion 5.3 per cent were in domestic service; 3.4 per cent in sewing and embroidery, etc. Only 0.9 per cent of those working for wages had been in the shoe industry, the French Canadians and Lithuanians being the only races represented in that industry. All but a negligible proportion of those working without wages had been farm laborers. None, however, of the small proportion working for profit had been farmers.

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

The principal occupation of immigrant employees before coming to this country is set forth in the table next presented, which shows, by race, the percentage of foreign-born male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States.