CHAPTER II.

RACIAL DISPLACEMENTS.

History of immigration-Period of residence in the United States of foreign-born employees-Racial classification of employees at the present time [Text Tables 157 and 158, and General Table 108].

HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION.

As in the case of other sections, no satisfactory statistics are available to show the racial movements to the industry in the Eastern States. The history of immigration to a large establishment in the State of New York, however, is presented below as representative of the movements and racial displacements in the agricultural and vehicle manufacturing plants of the geographical area under discussion. For the purpose of avoiding publicity of the name of the establishment, it is designated by a number.

HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION TO PLANT NO. 1.

Native American whites, English, Irish, Scotch; Welsh, and Germans, who, with their descendants, constitute slightly over 50 per cent of the present force, were the first employees of this plant. The largest number of English, Irish, Scotch, and Welsh came to this immediate locality prior to 1860, while very few representatives of these races have come since 1870. Although the Germans began to settle in this locality along with the English, Irish, Scotch, and Welsh, the larger part of this immigration came about 1870, very few having come since 1880, and practically none since 1893. The Bohemians, a few of whom continue to come, settled in small numbers as early as 1865, while the Scandinavians, none of whom have come since 1893, first settled in this vicinity from 1880 to 1885. The Poles, who constitute a considerable proportion of the population, immigrated to this locality, and a few applied for work at this plant very nearly thirty years ago, however, it has only been within the last twenty years that they have been employed to any extent. The Italians, like the Poles, form a considerable proportion of the population of the city in which this plant is located. The first Italians came to this vicinity in 1895, and have been employed in the plant under discussion for the past twelve or thirteen years. This immigration increased rapidly from 1900 to 1905, the largest numbers coming in the last two years of this period. Since 1900, a few Slovaks, Ruthenians, Russians, and Hervats have settled in this locality and have been employed in this plant, the Ruthenians and Slovaks having preceded the Russians by two or three years. While it is true, that the more recent immigrants constitute a considerable proportion of those employed, no displacement of the native American or older immigrant races has occurred, as the representatives of these races have been advanced from the unskilled to the more skilled occupations, and in their stead, in the unskilled occupations, the more recent immigrants have been employed.

Approximately, the racial complexion of the present force is as

follows:

American...

per cent English).

1, 150 Polish..

English, Scotch, and Welsh (70

Irish..

German.

Scandinavian..

Italian (chiefly South)..

450

40

50

10

100

2,390

PERIOD OF RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES OF FOREIGN-BORN

EMPLOYEES.

An insight into the general racial movements to the industry in the East may also be seen in the table next presented, which shows, by sex and race, the percentage of foreign-born employees who had been in the United States each specified number of years:

TABLE 157.-Per cent of foreign-born employees in the United States each specified num ber of years, by sex and race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[By years in the United States is meant years since first arrival in the United States. No deduction is made for time spent abroad. This table includes only races with 80 or more persons reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]

MALE.

Of 2,334 foreign-born persons employed in the manufacture of agricultural implements in the East the largest proportion, or 43.4 per cent, have been in the United States under five years, 24 per cent having had a period of residence of twenty years or over, 17.8 per cent from five to nine years, and 14.8 per cent from ten to nineteen years. Over 75 per cent of the North Italians, South Italians, Poles, Ruthenians, and Slovaks, as compared with less than 25 per cent of each other race, except English, have been in the United States less than ten years. Over 70 per cent of the French Canadians, Germans, and Irish and over 50 per cent of the Canadians other than French and English, as compared with less than 10 per cent of each other race, have been in the United States fifteen years or over. Only 40.2 per cent of the total number of males, as compared with 80.3 per cent of the total number of females, have been in the United States under five years. The proportion of males with each other specified period of residence is larger than the proportion of females, 25.9 per cent of the males and only 1.6 per cent of the females having been in the United States twenty years or over.

RACIAL CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AT THE PRESENT TIME.

The racial composition of the industry at the present time is set forth in the following table, which shows, by sex, the number and percentage of employees of each race for whom information was secured:

TABLE 158.-Employees of each race for whom information was secured, by sex.

TABLE 158.-Employees of each race for whom information was secured, by sex-Contd.

Of 4,892 persons included in the foregoing table, 4,644 are males and 248 females. Of the males 46.3 per cent are foreign-born, 30.6

per

cent native whites born of native father, 22.8 per cent nativeborn of foreign father, and less than 1 per cent natíve negroes born of native father. Of the females 75.8 per cent are foreign-born, 10.9 per cent native whites born of native father, 13.3 per cent native negroes born of foreign father, and none native-born of native father. Of the total number of foreign-born males 10.2 per cent are Poles and 6 per cent Irish-less than 5 per cent being of each other given race. Of the females 55.2 per cent are Poles and less than 5 per cent are of any other given race. Of the total number of those native-born of foreign father it is seen that those whose fathers were born in Ireland constitute a larger proportion of both males and females than do those whose fathers were born in each other specified country.

CHAPTER III.

ECONOMIC STATUS.

Principal occupation of immigrant employees before coming to the United StatesWeekly earnings-Relation between period of residence and earning ability-[Text Tables 159 to 163 and General Tables 109 to 114].

PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OF IMMIGRANT EMPLOYEES BEFORE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES.

Before entering into a discussion of the economic status in this country of the employees engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements in the East, the principal occupation of the foreign-born employees while abroad is set forth. In this connection the following table is submitted, which shows, by race, the percentage of foreignborn male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States.

TABLE 159.-Per cent of foreign-born male employees in each specified occupation before coming to the United States, by race.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 80 or more males reporting. The total, however, is for all foreign-born.]

Over 50 per cent of the 1,606 foreign-born males employed in the manufacture of agricultural implements in the East were either farmers or farm laborers before coming to the United States, the next largest proportion, or 12.7 per cent, having been engaged in hand trades, and 11.8 per cent having been engaged in manufacturing. The proportion who were engaged in general labor is 8.7 per cent, and a slightly smaller proportion, or 7.8 per cent, were engaged in other occupations. Of the several races, the proportion who were either farmers or farm laborers ranges from 91.8 per cent of the Ruthenian to 7.2 per cent of the English, the English being the only race showing less than 30