internal and racial quarrels, have no doubt been largely instrumental in creating the conditions. It was stated by the Roman Catholic Italian and the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic priests that the benefit societies in operation in their parishes were directly connected with their respective churches. On the other hand, the societies operated among the Russian Union Greek Catholics and the Slovak Lutherans, according to the statements of their respective ministers and priests, have no direct connection with the churches. The Rochdale Benefit Fund mentioned in the table is operated in connection with the Belgian cooperative store. Only shareholders of the store who have purchased not less than $100 worth of commodities during the year previous are allowed to receive benefits for sickness or accidents. The weekly benefits are equal to one-half of the weekly average of purchases during the year preceding date of beginning of benefit payments. The benefit payments are made out of a reserve fund which is provided for out of the profits of the store, one-fifth of the dividends for each quarter being placed in this reserve. It has been recently decided to pay death benefits, but at the time of this investigation their exact nature had not been determined. This benefit fund is limited to no race or creed.

SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.

The Germans, Belgians, and French maintain a social club known as the Turnverein. The Germans practically control the club, but the other races named are well represented. A few Americans are included among the members. The club owns one of the most pretentious buildings in the town, in which are a hall for public gatherings, a swimming pool, and several rooms for beer drinking, dancing, card playing, and social gatherings. The gatherings take place at least once a week, and are orderly in conduct, well attended by members and their families, and, it is stated, conducted according to the customs of the "old country." Even Americans who belong to the club must obey the established customs and rules. The meetings serve to promote intercourse among the several races, as well as to create a common spirit among immigrants of a class who expect to become or have become citizens of the United States.

IMMIGRANT CHURCHES.

There are six immigrant churches in Community A, as follows: One Slovak, Roman Catholic; one Slovak, Lutheran; one Russian, Orthodox Greek Catholic; one Russian, Union Greek Catholic; one Italian, Roman Catholic; one Belgian, Protestant (Presbyterian).

The number of years each church has been established, the denomination, race, number of families and members, and dues per month of each are shown in the following table:

In the foregoing table the absence of entries of monthly fees for certain churches is due to the employment of assessment or collection methods of obtaining funds from members. All of the foreign priests and ministers advocate a policy of permanent residence and citizenship for their parishioners and members. The influence of the immigrant churches is unquestionably in this direction, for in the efforts to establish and maintain themselves they are forced to rely on a membership that must be fixed to a considerable degree. At the same time, the influence of the immigrant churches in the community is to create a segregation of the immigrants, first, according to denominations, and second, according to races. It was stated by one Catholic priest that the immigrant churches in the community are losing their religious as well as racial influence over their members because of the following reasons:

(1) Absence of class distinctions in the United States.

(2) The weakening of religious ties on account of greater individual freedom as evidenced by: (a) Drinking to excess, and disorderly conduct, and (b) loss of respect for those in authority.

(3) Industrial advancement and the growth of the spirit of commercialism.

This statement, as representing the point of view of an immigrant priest, may be taken to some extent to show the effect of residence in the United States upon immigrants themselves.

No special work is attempted or done by the native churches among immigrants living in the town. The Young Men's Christian Association is now disbanded, and when active attempted but little work among the immigrants. The only evidence of any tendency on the part of the immigrants to attend the native churches that was found was in the case of the German Protestants and English Protestants and Roman Catholics, who attend the native churches in limited numbers. With this exception, the racial and denominational lines are distinctly drawn.

PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.

The following table presents the number of immigrant children enrolled in the parochial schools of Community A, by race and denomination:

TABLE 143.-Number of foreign-born children enrolled in parochial schools, by race and denomination.

The total number of immigrant children in the community is stated. in the above table to be 1,395. Of this number 581 are of school age, but only 157, or 27 per cent, are found enrolled in the parochial schools. All of the children of school age in the parishes of the Slovak Lutheran Church and the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church are enrolled in the schools. The Belgians of the Presbyterian Church and the Italians of the Roman Catholic Church support no parochial schools. The school of the Russian Greek Catholic Church was the first parochial school established in the community. None of the parochial schools interfere with the work of the public schools, since all are conducted in the afternoons or evenings and on Saturdays, except in the case of the Slovak Lutheran School, which is maintained only during the summer months. No tuition fees are charged in the parochial schools, and their courses of study are restricted to religious subjects and reading and writing in the foreign languages, which are taught in from one to five hour periods a day. One exception to this is found in the school of the Russian Greek Catholic Church, where, in addition to the above-mentioned subjects, the history and geogra phy of Russia are taught.

CHAPTER VIII.

GENERAL PROGRESS AND ASSIMILATION.

Investments Immigrants in business [Text Tables 144 and 145].

INVESTMENTS,

The tendency to save on the part of the immigrants in Community A, as shown by the number owning property, funds on deposit in the savings departments of local banks, and the annual amounts of money sent abroad, is indicated by the following table:

TABLE 144.-Number of persons owning property and the financial rating of Community

American.

French..

Slovaks.

Race.

A, by race.

Russian..

Talian.

11,500

Statistics for the Germans, English, and French for the above table were not available. The statistics for the Germans and English are included under Americans.

A comparison between the Americans and the Russians, for instance, is obviously impossible in view of this fact when the above table is used as the basis. The opinions of the bankers coincide in the statement that the Germans, Finns (of which there are only a very small number in the community), Belgians (including French), and English, in the order named, are the most thrifty. This statement, however, should be qualified by the consideration that these races earn on an average considerably higher wages than the immigrants from southern and eastern Europe, particularly in the case of those doing skilled piecework in the glass factories, and their savings consequently show considerably larger amounts per capita. Of the other races the Slovaks are stated to possess the most noticeable tendency to save and to keep their funds on deposit the longest. The Italians, on the other hand, while equaling the Slovaks in thriftiness, do not keep their savings on deposit any length of time, but withdraw them for exportation. It is interesting to note that during the panic year of 1907 the Italians were the most frightened and the most insistent on the withdrawal of their deposits. All withdrawals during this period were limited to $50 per week, but the Italians left for their native land as fast as they could secure enough funds for passage money. The Italians, particularly those from southern Italy, unquestionably send the largest amount of money from the community, the Rus slans are next in proportion to their numbers, and the Slovaks third.

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IMMIGRANTS IN BUSINESS.

The table presented below shows the number of immigrants as compared with Americans engaged in each specified business in Community A.

TABLE 145.-Number engaged in each specified business in Community A, by race.

Of a total of 149 business establishments, 55 are conducted by immigrants. The number of French establishments is shown to be greater than for any other one race, although the Hebrews are best represented when the respective numbers of each race in the locality are taken into consideration. Among the Slovaks are two firms of particular interest. One is estimated to have a value of $25,000, and the other a value of over $30,000. One of the Italian firms is valued at $20,000, and a Russian banking institution carries capital of over $10,000, The Slovaks, Italians, and Russians show initiative in methods of billboard advertising, window displays, local newspapers, and advertising. There is no discoverable difference between the methods employed by the natives, Belgians, Germans, or French in business in the community. The methods of the latter two races are the same, even to the slightest details. Some exception in the case of French and Belgians, however, is noticed in connection with their cooperative store. This establishment is almost entirely under the control of French and Belgian socialists, although its shareholders