Upon information obtained concerning 94 males under 18 years of age employed in the plant, it will be seen that 48.9 per cent earn under $1, 37.2 per cent from $1 to $1.25, 6.4 per cent from $1.25 to $1.50, and 5.4 per cent from $1.50 to $1.75, the remaining proportions earning from $2 to $2.50, and from $3 to $3.50, amounting to a fraction over 1 per cent in each instance. With the exception of 1 German, native-born of foreign father, earning from $3 to $3.50, 1 earning from $1.25 to $1.50, and 1 from $1.50 to $1.75, the males earning $1.25 per day or over are exclusively whites, native-born of native father. Among the foreign-born the small number of North Italians, concerning whom information was obtained, earn from $1 to $1.25, while the few South Italians, like the English, all earn less than $1 per day. As regards the native-born of native father, white, and native-born of foreign father, it will be noted that, with the exceptions previously mentioned, the former, while showing a slightly smaller proportion earning from $1 to $1.25, show a considerably smaller proportion earning under $1 than do the latter; each, however, showing a larger proportion earning under $1 than from $1 to $1.25 per day.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race and years in the United States, the number of male employees 14 and under 18 years of age or over who were earning each specified amount per day: TABLE 138.-Number of male employees 14 and under 18 years of age earning each specified amount per day, by general nativity and race and years in the United States.

*This table shows wages or earnings for the period indicated, but no account is taken of voluntary lost time or lost timef rom shutdowns or other causes. In the various tables in this report showing annual earnings allowance is made for time lost during the year.

Information obtained for 180 male employees of this plant 18 years of age or over discloses the fact that 47.2 per cent earn less than $2.50, while 52.8 per cent earn $2.50 or over per day. Of those earning less than $2.50 per day the proportion earning from $1.50 to $1.75, while slightly below the proportion earning from $1 to $1.50, is considerably above the proportion earning from $2 to $2.50 per day. Of those earning $2.50 or over, by far the largest proportion, or 73.6 per cent, earn $4 or over, while 26.3 per cent earn less than $4 per day. The largest proportion of foreign-born, it will be noted, earn under $1.75 per day, while of those earning this amount or over, the largest proportion earn from $2 to $2.50, and the next largest proportion $4 or over. As between the native-born of foreign father and whites native-born of native father, the former show a slightly smaller proportion earning under $1.75, and consequently a slightly larger proportion earning $1.75 or over than do the latter, each, however, showing a very much larger proportion earning over than under this amount. It will also be noted that of those earning $1.75 or over per day the proportion earning $4 or over, is, in each instance, larger than the proportion earning each of the other specified amounts combined the difference being very slight as regards the nativeborn of native father, while the proportion earning $4 or over among the native-born of foreign father is very much larger than the proportion earning from $2 to $4 per day. By referring to the foreignborn, as shown in the foregoing table, it will be noted that the longer the period of residence in the United States the greater the tendency toward increased earnings.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race, the number of male employees 18 years of age or over engaged in the manufacture of window glass who were earning each specified amount per day:

TABLE 139.-Number of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amount per day, by general nativity and race and years in the United States.*

* This table shows wages or earnings for the period indicated, but no account is taken of voluntary lost time or lost time from shutdowns or other causes. In the various tables in this report showing annual earnings allowance is made for time lost during the year.

TABLE 139-Number of male employees 18 years of age or over earning each specified amouni per day, etc.-Continued.

Of the 212 male employees in this plant concerning whom information was obtained, 51 per cent earn less than $2 per day. Of those earning under this amount, the proportion earning from $1.25 to $1.50 and from $1.75 to $2, combined, is but slightly in excess of the proportion earning from $1.50 to $1.75 per day, while of those earning $2 or over per day the proportion earning from $2 to $2.50 is considerably above that earning $4 or over, or from $2.50 to $3 largely in excess of the proportion earning from $3 to $3.50, and very largely in excess of the proportion earning from $3.50 to $4. As between whites native-born of native father and the native-born of foreign father, there is little difference in the proportions earning under $2 and $2 or over per day-each showing by far the largest number earning $2 or over. The reverse, however, is true of the

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foreign-born, who show a much larger proportion earning under $2 than $2 or over per day.

With one or two exceptions it will be noted of the foreign-born that the representatives of the several races earning the higher specified daily wages are those who have been in the United States for a longer period than five years, indicating that an increased length of residence is accompanied by an increased earning ability.

The following table shows the average amount and the range in amount of daily earnings of the employees of the window-glass manufacturing establishment. The range in earnings is shown separately for day and piece workers.

TABLE 140.-Number of employees in the window-glass manufacturing establishment earning each specified amount per day, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

Day rates.

*

Piece rates per day.

Average wage.

2

2

11

1 8

3

28

62

8

10

6

$2.72

2

2.36

1

2.38

1

2.82

1

3.23

* This table shows wages or earnings for the period indicated, but no account is taken of voluntary lost time or lost time from shutdowns or other causes. In the various tables in this report showing annual earnings allowance is made for time lost during the year.

a Figured on basis of actual earnings for a period of 20 days.

CHAPTER IV.

WORKING CONDITIONS.

Regularity of work-Methods of wage payments-Liability to accident or diseaseRelation between races employed-Labor organizations Welfare work—The plateglass workers' association.

REGULARITY OF WORK.

Regularity of work exists in all of the glass plants throughout the year under ordinary conditions. On account of the industrial depression of 1907-8, one plant was forced to close down entirely for several months, and the others were put on shorter time for a brief period.

METHODS OF WAGE PAYMENTS.

Wage payments occur weekly, semimonthly, and biweekly in the three glass plants. Wages are paid in currency or in checks upon local banks. In one plant the plan is in force of allowing employees to draw only a part of their earnings, leaving the remainder with the company, which acts in the capacity of a bank. A receipt for all money so deposited is given to each employee in a cash book, and he may draw out any or all of his deposit when and as he chooses. No interest is paid the depositor. In this plant, during the two weeks in which data was obtained, out of 300 employees only 56 left money on deposit.

LIABILITY TO ACCIDENT OR DISEASE.

In the bottle plant and the glassware and chimney plant general working conditions were good, in regard to ventilation, heat, and cleanliness. Unsanitary conditions, however, arise of course from the nature of the occupation in certain departments. These are extreme heat in certain departments, especially in the summer months, in, for example, the blowing rooms. Glass blowing results frequently in glass workers being overcome in the summer time. This danger is confined largely to the men and boys in the shops. The heat of the blowing rooms also has a tendency to break down the health of the blowers. It is stated by employers, although denied by employees, that a blower can not earn full wages by piecework after he reaches the age of 40 years on the average, and that he is practically unfit by the time he has reached 60. No records of the health of the employees were kept either by the companies or by the local physicians, and it was impossible to obtain exact data without watching results over a considerable period of time.

The liability to serious or fatal accidents in the glass plants in this locality are very small. In none of the three plants had any fatalities occurred, and accidents that caused permanent injury of any character