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Complete data were secured for 934 individuals, of which number 36.6 per cent of those who have lived in the United States under five years speak English, of those having lived here from five to nine years 58.8 per cent speak English, while 84.3 per cent speak English who have been here ten years or over. The Swedes and Hebrews display the greatest proficiency in acquiring a knowledge of the English language. Each race showing over 70 per cent of those having lived here under five years who are able to speak English. By contrast the Poles show less than 4 per cent in this class. Of those who have been here between five and nine years, the Swedes show the greatest ability to speak English, over 95 per cent of them being thus qualified. The Hebrews, Germans, and Flemish are next, each showing over 70 per cent who speak English, while the Magyars and Poles, with a residence of from five to nine years, each show less than 40 per cent who can do so. Of those who have been here ten years or over, the Germans and Swedes show by far the greatest proportion able to speak English, and the Magyars the smallest.

The progress shown by non-English-speaking employees and members of their households in acquiring an ability to speak English after stated periods of residence in this country is exhibited by the two following tables. The first table shows, by sex, age at time of coming to the United States, and race, the percentage of foreign-born employees who speak English:

TABLE 86.-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.]

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TABLE 86.—Per cent of foreign-born employees who speak English, by sex, age at time of coming to the United States, and race-Continued.

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Information was obtained in this industry for 14,627 foreign-born employees. Of that number 64.2 per cent speak English. Of those who were under 14 years of age at the time of their arrival in the United States 98.7 per cent now speak English, as compared with 59.3 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over at the time of coming to this country, the males reporting 99 per cent of those who were under 14 and 62.1 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over at time of coming to this country and who now speak English, while the females report 92.6 per cent of those who were under 14 and only 10.6 per cent of those who were 14 years of age or over at time of coming to the United States and who now speak English. Among the males it will be noted that all Bohemians and Moravians, Danes, North Italians, Lithuanians, and Swedes who were under 14 years of age at time of coming now speak English, while the Germans, Poles, Magyars, and South Italians with this ability show proportions ranging from 99.9 of the Germans to 92.3 per cent of the South Italians. Of those who were 14 years of age or over at time of arrival and who now speak English the Danes, with with 97.4 per cent, show the largest proportion, while the Slovaks, with 33.6 per cent, show the smallest proportion. Closely following the Danes are the Swedes, who report 95.3 per cent, a proportion considerably in excess of that shown by the Germans and largely in excess of the proportion shown by any other race. The greatest difference in favor of those under 14 over those 14 years of age or over at time of coming is shown by the Magyars, who report a difference of 55.8 per cent, while the smallest difference in favor of those under 14 years of age is shown by the Danes, who report 2.6 per cent. Among the females it will be noted that of those who were under 14 years of age at time of coming and who now speak English the Germans and Lithuanians each report 100 per cent, as compared with 88.6 per cent of the Poles, while those who were 14

years of age or over at time of coming and who now speak English the Bohemians and Moravians, with 33.3 per cent, show a much larger proportion than do either the Lithuanians, Slovaks, or Germans, and a very much larger proportion than do the Magyars, Russians, North Italians, or Poles, the last named reporting but 6.2 per cent. The difference in favor of those under 14 over those 14 years of age or over at time of coming to this country among the females is shown by the Poles, who report 82.4 per cent. The totals shown in the above table are but a combination of the proportions shown for the males and females, and while the proportions shown in the total vary in some instances slightly from those shown for the males who were either under 14 or 14 years of age or over at time of coming to the United States, the relative position of the various races remains identically the same as if the males alone were considered.

The following table shows, by years in the United States and race, the percentage of foreign-born employees who speak English:

TABLE 87.-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 non-English-speaking races.]

MALE.

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TABLE 87.-Per cent of foreign-born employees who speak English, by sex, years in the United States, and race-Continued.

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Of 14,627 foreign-born employees shown in the above table 31.5 per cent of those who have been in the United States under five years can speak English, 62.7 per cent of those with a residence of from five to nine years and 92.4 per cent of those who have been in this country ten years or over can speak English. Of the total number reporting, irrespective of length of residence, 64.2 per cent can speak English. The Danish employees show the largest proportion-93.3 per cent of those who have been in the United States under five years and who can speak English. The Swedes report 76.1 per cent, while none of the other specified races show over 42.2 per cent who can speak English; only 18 per cent of the Poles have this ability. Of the employees who have been in the United States from five to nine years the Swedes show 98.1 per cent, the Danes 95.1 per cent, and the Greeks 80.2 per cent, while no employees who are of other specified races show over 80 per cent who can speak English, the Slovaks showing the smallest proportion, which is 40.7 per cent.

Of the employees who have been in the United States ten years or over the Danes show 100 per cent, the Swedes and Germans over 95 per cent, the Bohemians and Moravians, Greeks, North Italians, South Italians, Lithuanians, Poles, and Russians over 80 per cent, while the Slovaks and Magyars show over 75 per cent who can speak English. In the total, irrespective of length of residence, the Danes show the highest percentage and the Slovaks the lowest percentage who can speak English. In each period of residence and in the total a higher per cent of the male employees than of the female employees can speak English.

PART II. THE AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT AND

VEHICLE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

IN THE MIDDLE WEST.

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