TABLE 87.-Per cent of foreign-born employees who speak English, by locality, by sex, and by race-Continued.

Of the total number of foreign-born employees in the shoe manufacturing industry, 75.1 per cent speak English. Of the total number employed in each of the two localities studied, only a small difference is shown between the proportions who speak English-74.7 per cent in the East as against 77.1 per cent in the Middle West. The proportion of both males and females employed in the Middle West who speak English is slightly larger than the proportion in the East.

The progress of younger and older immigrants in acquiring an ability to speak English according to age at time of arrival in this country is considered in the table next submitted.

TABLE 88.-Per cent of foreign-born persons 6 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.]

Upon information obtained in this industry concerning 1,805 foreignborn persons, it will be noted that of those who were under 14 years of age at time of coming to the United States 95.3 per cent now speak English, as compared with 60.1 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over at time of coming. All North Italians and Syrians who were under 14 years of age at time of coming to the United States now speak English, the smallest proportion, or 80 per cent on the other hand, is shown by the Poles. With the above exceptions, proportions of the other races vary little from the proportion shown for all races. As regards those who were 14 years of age or over at time of coming to the United States, the Syrians, with

88.4 per cent who now speak English, show a slightly larger proportion than the French Canadians, a considerably larger proportion than the Hebrews, Armenians, and North Italians, and a much larger proportion than do the South Italians, Poles, Lithuanians, or Greeks, in the order named, the last named reporting only 41.9 per cent.

The progress made by persons of non-English-speaking races in acquiring the ability to speak English, after designated periods of residence in this country, is set forth in the following table, which shows, by years in the United States and race of individual, the percentage of foreign-born persons in the households studied who were 6 years of age or over and who could speak English:

TABLE 89.-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 non-English-speaking races.]

There is a greater increase in the extent to which English is spoken between the periods under five years and five to nine years than between the latter period and ten years and over. The Armenians and Greeks, however, show a comparatively small proportion speaking English for those who have been here under five years and a comparatively large proportion for those who have been in this country every other period of time. The North Italians show a relatively large proportion speaking English for those who have been here from five to nine years, but a comparatively small proportion for those who have been here a shorter or longer period.

The table following shows by race the percentage of foreign-born employees who speak English, by sex and age at time of coming to the United States.

TABLE 90.-Per cent of foreign-born employees who speak English, by sex, age at time of coming to the United States, and race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only non-English-speaking races with 200 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all non-English-speaking races.]

Of 4,294 individuals employed in the shoe-manufacturing industry the greater proportion, or 75.1 per cent, speak English, and 98.8 per cent of those who were under 14 and 69.2 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over when they came to the United States speak English. Among those who were under 14 years of age on coming to the United States, over 95 per cent of each race, except the Greeks, speak English, and in the case of those who were 14 years of age or over on coming to the United States the proportions are lower in each instance. The older immigrant races and the Russian Hebrews show a considerably higher proportion than the more recent races, and the difference in proportions of the two age groups is not so marked with them. Among the males it is seen from returns made by 3,730 who reported that the totals are very nearly the same as that shown in the totals for both males and females. All races except the Greeks show more than 95 per cent of those who were under

14 years of age on coming to the United States as able to speak English, while the proportions are very much reduced, especially among the more recent races, the Russian Hebrews excepted, with those who were 14 years of age or over. Of 564 females 78.5 per cent speak English, while of those who came to the United States under 14 years of age 98.4 per cent speak English and 63.2 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming to the United States. Among the different races reporting it is seen that a very high proportion of those who were under 14 years of age at the time of coming to the United States, of all races, can speak English, while a very much lower precentage is shown by those who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming. This difference is more marked in cases of the more recent immigrant races, especially the Slovak and Polish races.

The following table shows, by sex, years in the United States, and race, the percentage of foreign-born employees who speak English: TALBE 91.-Per cent of foreign-born employees who speak English, by sex, years in the United States, and race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[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 200 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all nonEnglish-speaking races.]

MALE.

From information secured from 4,294 employees in the shoemanufacturing industry it is seen that the greater proportion or 75.1 per cent speak English. The increase in each of the periods of residence over the one preceding is quite marked. More than 80 per cent of the Canadian French, Russian Hebrews, and Germans who have been in the United States under five years can speak English, while of the other races all except the Greek and North Italian show less than 50 per cent in this period who can speak English. Only the Polish, Slovak, and South Italian races show less than 80 per cent in the five to nine year period who can speak English, while all races other than these show higher than 90 per cent who can speak English in the ten year or over period. The older immigrant races and the Russian Hebrew show higher proportions in each period.

Among the 3,730 males reporting it is seen that the totals are slightly lower throughout than the totals shown for the females. Among the males who have been in the United States under five years, the Germans, with 92.6 per cent, show the highest proportion and the Slovaks, with 32.6, the lowest, and in the case of the females the Canadian French, with 100 per cent, show the highest and the Slovaks, with 4.8 per cent, the lowest. In the period from five to nine years in the United States, the French Canadians, with 97.1 per cent, show the highest proportion among the males, while with the females the Germans and Russian Hebrews show 100 per cent who can speak English, the Slovaks showing the lowest proportions in both cases. In the ten year or over period the Russian Hebrews show the highest proportion among the males speaking English and the South Italians the lowest, while 100 per cent of the females of the German, Russian Hebrew, North Italian, and Polish races speak English.