The following table shows, according to general nativity and race. of head of household, the range in the number of persons per sleeping

room:

TABLE 168.-Persons per sleeping room, by general nativity and race of head of household.

Of the 359 households studied in the above table by far the greater proportion, or 71.6 per cent, show 2 or more persons per sleeping room, 32.9 per cent have 3 or more persons per sleeping room, 10.9 per cent 4 or more, 3.6 per cent 5 or more, and 0.6 per cent show 6 or more persons per sleeping room. The average number of persons per sleeping room for the total number of households studied is 2.31.

Foreign-born show the greatest congestion in sleeping quarters, with a higher per cent of households having 2 or more or 3 or more persons per sleeping room than native-born, the latter showing no households having 4 or more persons per sleeping room. Of the foreignborn, Slovaks show a much higher per cent of households with 2 or more persons per sleeping room than any of the races studied, Poles, Bohemians and Moravians, Germans, North Italians, Swedes, English, and Irish following in the order mentioned, the last named race showing only 36.4 per cent of households having 2 or more persons per sleeping room. Slovaks also show the greatest proportion of households having 3 or more persons per sleeping room, being followed in order by Poles, Bohemians and Moravians, North Italians, Germans, Irish, Swedes, and English, the last named showing only 4 per cent. The percentage of households having 4 or more persons per sleeping room is higher with Slovaks than any other race; Poles, Bohemians and Moravians, Germans, Swedes, and North Italians follow, English

and Irish showing no households having 4 or more persons per sleeping room. Slovaks show a very much higher per cent of 5 or more persons per sleeping room and Slovaks and Poles are the only races showing a per cent of households with 6 or more persons per sleeping room. The preceding table shows overcrowding of sleeping rooms is much more prevalent among the more recent immigrants than the older immigrant races.

The number and per cent of households regularly sleeping in all except each specified number of rooms is shown in the following table according to general nativity and race of head of household. From a study of the table it is apparent that the necessity of providing sleeping quarters for the number of persons within the households has in some cases left no space and in others a very limited amount available for cooking, eating, and general living purposes.

TABLE 169.-Number and per cent of households regularly sleeping in all except each specified number of rooms, by general nativity and race of head of household.

The above table shows a total of 359 households with an average of 4.27 rooms each, an average of 2.01 rooms being used for sleeping purposes. The native-born of native father, the native-born of foreign father, and the foreign-born each shows practically the same average number of rooms per household, as well as rooms used for sleeping purposes per household. As regards the foreign-born races the average number of rooms per household ranges from 5.12, as shown by the English, to 3.07, as shown by the Slovak, while the average number of sleeping rooms per household ranges from 2.40, as shown by the English, to 1.36, as shown by the Russian.

The largest proportion, or 54.9 per cent, sleep in all except 2 rooms, 11.7 per cent sleep in all except 1 room, and only 1.1 per cent sleep in all rooms. The native-born show a larger proportion than the foreignborn sleeping in all rooms except 2, while the foreign-born shows a larger proportion than the native-born sleeping in all rooms except 1, as well as all rooms.

Of the several foreign races the Slovak, reporting 11.1 per cent, is the only one showing over 1 per cent of their number sleeping in all rooms, while the Slovak again shows the largest proportion, or 40.7 per cent, sleeping in all rooms except 1. The Bohemian and Moravian shows the largest proportion, or 74.1 per cent.

CHAPTER VI.

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

Literacy-Conjugal condition-Visits abroad-Age classification of employees and members of their households-[Text Tables 170 to 181 and General Tables 91 to 100].

LITERACY.

In addition to the purely industrial characteristics of the operating forces of the slaughtering and meat-packing houses there are other qualities of the immigrant labor supply which although having an industrial significance are very important in their bearing upon American life and institutions. By way of illustration, industrial progress and efficiency are largely dependent upon the literacy of the employees, and on the other hand the attainment of citizenship by an alien population or an intelligent and wholesome life in American industrial communities on the part of an immigrant labor supply is largely dependent upon the same quality. In this connection the following table shows, by general nativity and race of individual, the literacy of 15,336 male employees of the slaughtering and meatpacking houses in Chicago for whom detailed information was secured:

TABLE 170.-Per cent of male employees who read and per cent who read and write, by general nativity and race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 40 or more males reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

From the preceding table it appears that the proportion of individuals for whom information was secured who are able to read and the proportion who are able both to read and to write is slightly larger for the native-born of native father, white, and for the native-born of foreign father than for the native-born of native father, negro, and considerably larger for the latter than for the foreign-born. Of the foreign-born, all of the Canadians other than French, Scotch, and Swedes, and a larger proportion of Bohemians, Moravians, English, Germans, Greeks, and Irish than of the individuals of any other race can read. The proportion of individuals who both read and write is large for the Swedes, Slovaks, Irish, Greeks, Germans, English, Canadians other than French, and Bohemians and Moravians.

The following table shows the literacy of persons 10 years of age or over in the households studied. The presentation is by sex and by general nativity and race of individual:

TABLE 171.-Per cent of persons 10 years of age or over who read and per cent who read and write, by sex and general nativity and race of individual.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[This table includes only races with 40 or more persons reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

The above table is compiled from information secured from 1,155 persons, 604 of whom are males and 551 females. Ninety-six per cent of the males and 95.1 per cent of the females can read and 95.2 per cent of the males and 93.3 per cent of the females can both read and write, showing in each instance a slightly higher per cent in favor of the males. Of the total males and females reporting, 95.6 per cent can read and 94.3 per cent can both read and write. The nativeborn of foreign father have a much higher per cent of persons who can read and write than the foreign-born, the former showing 99.5 per cent who can both read and write as compared with 90.9 per cent of the latter.