cent are from 35 to 44, 12.1 per cent are from 45 to 54, and 3.6 per cent are 55 or over. The proportion of males from 20 to 34 years of age is largest for the foreign-born, slightly larger for the native-born of native father white than for the native-born of native father negro, and smallest for the native-born of foreign father. The proportion of males 35 years of age and over is largest for the native-born of foreign father, the same for the foreign-born as for the negroes native-born of native father, and smallest for the whites native-born of native father. Among the foreign-born, the Swedes, North Italians, and Greeks, in the order named, have the largest, and the English and Scotch the smallest, proportion of individuals from 20 to 24; the Greeks, Swedes, and Scotch have the largest and the English and South Italians the smallest proportion of individuals from 25 to 29; and the Bulgarians, Scotch, and Greeks have the largest and the North Italians, Swedes, and English the smallest proportion of individuals from 30 to 34. The proportion of individuals from 35 to 44 is largest for the English; that of individuals from 45 to 54 is largest for the Scotch; and that of individuals 55 or over is largest for the English.

CRIMINALITY.

No records of criminality by races were obtainable in this locality. Various local magistrates, however, were asked for expressions of their opinion regarding comparative criminality by races. Owing to the fact that there were so few immigrants in comparison with native races, they were unable to give anything like an estimate of the numerical proportion of crimes as distributed among the races. The only criminal cases before them from among immigrants were those involving Italians, and to a very small extent Greeks. The Italians, it was believed, were in the criminal courts quite frequently in proportion to their numbers. Cutting, shooting, and other forms of affrays constituted the majority of their offenses. In only rare cases did Slovaks appear in the courts. There seems to be an unanimous opinion that the Italian was the most troublesome in proportion to the number of that race in the district.

CHAPTER IX.

GENERAL PROGRESS AND ASSIMILATION.

Ownership of homes-Status of children in the households studied-CitizenshipAbility to speak English-Schools-Churches-Immigrants in business and street trades [Text Tables 711 to 720 and General Tables 416 to 424].

OWNERSHIP OF HOMES.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race of head of family, the number and percentage of families of those studied in the Birmingham district who own their home:

TABLE 711.—Number and per cent of families owning home, by general nativity and race of head of family.

The above table shows that 23.6 per cent of all families studied in this locality own their homes. In this respect there is a very marked contrast between the native-born and the foreign-born families. Only 2.3 per cent of the former, as compared with 30.3 per cent of the latter, are reported as owning homes. It will be noted, however, that almost the entire number of native-born of native father are negroes. Of the foreign-born, the Scotch report the largest proportion, and the South Italians the smallest, of families owning homes, the Scotch reporting 59.5 per cent, as compared with 19.6 per cent of the South Italians. In the case of the majority of foreign-born races, the numbers involved are so small that the percentages have not been computed. From this table, however, it will be seen that a larger proportion of families of the older immigration from northern Europe and Great Britain than of the more recent immigrant races from southern and eastern Europe own homes.

STATUS OF CHILDREN IN THE HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED.

The table next presented shows, by general nativity and race of father and by birthplace of child, the number and percentage of children 6 and under 16 years of age at home, at school, and at work.

TABLE 712.-Number and per cent of children 6 and under 16 years of age at home, at school, and at work, by general nativity and race of father and by birthplace of child.

(STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

[This table includes only races with 20 or more children born in the United States and also 20 or more born abroad. The native-born of native father are shown for comparative purposes.]

With the exception of the children born abroad of South Italian father, each race shows that over 50 per cent of the children, both native and foreign-born, are at school. With the exception of the children born abroad of Slovak fathers, and the children born in the United States of Scotch fathers, each race shows a larger proportion of children at home than at work, whether born in the United States or born abroad.

CITIZENSHIP.

The table next submitted shows, by race, the present political condition of foreign-born male employees in the Birmingham district who have been in the United States five years or over and who were 21 years of age or over at time of coming to this country.

TABLE 713.-Present political condition of foreign-born male employees 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.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States.]

TABLE 713.-Present political condition of foreign-born male employees 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-Continued.

Of the 162 male employees reporting complete data in the above table, 35.8 per cent are fully naturalized and 10.5 per cent have first naturalization papers only, leaving 53.7 per cent who have taken no steps toward becoming citizens of the United States.

The following table shows, by race of individual, the present political condition of foreign-born males in the households studied who have been in the United States five years or over and who were 21 years of age or older at time of arrival.

TABLE 714.—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 the total number of foreign-born males in the households studied who have been in the United States five years or over and who were 21 years of age or older at time of arrival in this country,

only 17 per cent are fully naturalized, and 7.7 per cent have taken the preliminary step toward citizenship by securing first papers. None of the Bulgarians, English, Germans, Greeks, Macedonians, Poles, and Slovaks are citizens, and of these races only one Bulgarian, one Englishman, and six Slovaks have first papers. On the other hand, 38.5 per cent of the French and 9.7 per cent of the South Italians have acquired full citizenship, and 11.5 per cent of the former and 2.9 per cent of the latter have secured first papers.

ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH.

The following table shows by sex and general nativity and race of individual the per cent of persons 6 years of age or over, in the households studied, who speak English.

TABLE 715.—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 a total of 1,888 persons reporting complete data in the above table, 32.9 per cent speak English. The females report a slightly larger proportion than the males as regards the foreign-born, while the males show a slightly larger proportion than the females as regards the native-born of foreign father. Considering the several foreign-born races, it will be seen that the Slovak, followed by the North Italian, shows the largest, and the Bulgarian, followed by the Greek, the smallest proportion of males who speak English. The Slovak has the largest and the South Italian the smallest proportion of females who speak English.