In a total of 660 households, the average number of persons per apartment is 5.53, the average number of persons per room is 1.28, and the average number of persons per sleeping room is 2.44. In each specified space the foreign-born show a higher average of persons than do the native-born of foreign father. In the households the heads of which are whites, native-born of native father, the average number of persons per room is less than 1 and the average number of persons per sleeping room is less than 2. In the households the heads of which are foreign-born, the Magyars show the greatest degree of congestion. In households the heads of which are of that race the average number of persons per apartment is 9.59; the average number of persons per room is 2.14, and the average number of persons per sleeping room is 3.41, an average that is in each case larger than that shown by any other race. The households the heads of which are foreign-born French show the smallest degree of congestion among all the foreign-born.

The range in the number of persons per room is exhibited by the following table, according to general nativity and race of head of household:

TABLE 68.-Persons per room, by general nativity and race of head of household.

The above table shows that 660 households in all have an average of slightly more than 1 person per room, this average being notably lower in the case of the native-born of foreign father than in the case of the foreign-born. Among the races, the Magyars, Poles, and Slovaks have large percentages of those households having 3 or more persons to a room, and the two latter are the only ones having 4 or more persons to a room. Native-born whites are far below the average in each class.

In the table next presented the range in the number of persons per sleeping room is shown according to general nativity and race of head of household.

TABLE 69.-Persons per sleeping room, by general nativity and race of head of

household.

The above table shows the average number of persons per sleeping room to be 244 persons per 100 sleeping rooms, while 73.6 per cent of households have 2 or more persons per sleeping room, 37.9 per cent 3 or more, 15.3 per cent 4 or more, 5.2 per cent 5 or more, and 2.3 per cent 6 or more. Foreign-born show an average of 259 persons per 100 sleeping rooms as compared with 217 persons per 100 sleeping rooms in households of native-born of foreign father and 184 persons per 100 sleeping rooms in households of native-born of native father. The foreign-born show a considerably higher percentage of households having 2 or more persons per sleeping room than do the nativeborn of native father, the percentage of foreign-born households continuing higher than that of persons native-born of native father for each succeeding specified number of persons per sleeping room. Of the foreign-born, the Magyars show a considerably higher average number of persons per sleeping room than the other races given, while French show the lowest average. Magyars show 100 per cent of households having 2 or more persons per sleeping room and Flemish the lowest percentage. The same racial order is preserved by households showing 3 or more persons per sleeping room as was shown for those with 4 or more, Magyar households reporting the highest percentage and German the lowest. Slovak households report the highest percentage, having 5 or more persons per sleeping room, and North Italians show no households having that number of persons per sleeping room. Slovak, Polish, and Flemish households alone report small proportions with 6 or more persons per sleeping room.

The effect of congestion within the households upon sleeping and living arrangements is set forth in the final table of the series, which follows below. This table shows by general nativity and race of head of household the number and per cent of households regularly sleeping in all except each specified number of rooms.

TABLE 70.--Number and per cent of households regularly sleeping in all except each speci fied number of rooms, by general nativity and race of head of household.

a Not computed, owing to small number involved.

The above table includes data as to sleeping accomodations in 660 households. The average number of rooms per household is 4.31 and the average number of sleeping rooms per household is 2.26. Slightly more than 35 per cent of the total number of persons sleep in all rooms except 1 and 28 per cent sleep in all rooms except 2. Of the total number, 2.6 per cent sleep in all rooms. The foreign-born show a much greater degree of congestion in sleeping quarters than do the native-born. Less than 1 per cent of the native-born of native father, whites, sleep in all rooms; only 5.2 per cent sleep in all rooms except 1, and 21.7 per cent sleep in all rooms except 2. Among the households the heads of which are foreign-born, the Slovaks show the greatest degree of congestion. Nearly 5 per cent of the persons of that race sleep in all rooms and 61.2 per cent sleep in all rooms except 1. Of the races that are computed in percentages, the North Italians show the largest proportion of persons who sleep in all

rooms except 2.

CHAPTER VI.

SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE IMMIGRANT LABOR

SUPPLY.

Literacy-Conjugal condition-Visits abroad-Age composition of employees and members of their households-[Text Tables 71 to 99 and General Tables 52 to 761.

LITERACY.

The degree of literacy which prevails among the glass workers is important in its bearing upon the possibilities of their industrial progress and efficiency as well as significant from the standpoint of the problem of assimilation. For these reasons a series of tables have been prepared which set forth the general literacy of employees of glass factories and the members of their households. The first table submitted shows, by general nativity and race, the per cent of male employees of plate-glass factories who could read and the per cent who could both read and write:

TABLE 71.-Per cent of male employees who read and per cent who read and write, by general nativity and race-Plate glass.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 40 or more males reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

Of the total number of male employees, 89.5 per cent read and 88.3 per cent read and write. Literacy is most general among the nativeborn of foreign father, 99.7 per cent of whom read and 99.3 per cent read and write. Literacy is general only to a very slightly less degree among the native whites born of native father. The native negroes born of native father have a less degree of literacy than any other class,

only 72.8 per cent being able to read and only 64.1 per cent to read and write. Of the foreign-born male employees, 84.4 per cent read and 83.4 per cent read and write. There is, however, wide variation in the literacy of the specified races. The Germans, English, French, Magyars, and Slovaks have from 90.3 per cent to 99.2 per cent who read and write. Of the Bulgarians, on the other hand, 49.3 per cent are literate, and only slightly larger proportions of the Macedonians, Russians, and Roumanians.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race, the per cent of male employees in window-glass factories who could read and the percentage who could read and write:

TABLE 72.-Per cent of male employees who read and per cent who read and write, by general nativity and race-Window glass.

(STUDY OF EMPLOYEES.)

[This table includes only races with 40 or more males reporting. The totals, however, are for all races.]

General nativity and race.

Native-born of native father, White

Native-born of foreign father, by country of birth of father, Germany.

Foreign-born, by race:

English.

Italian, North.

Italian, South.

Polish

Swedish.

Grand total..

Total native-born of foreign father.

Total native-born..

Total foreign-born.

Upon information obtained for 1,506 male employees in this industry, it will be noted that 92.8 per cent can read and 92.3 per cent can both read and write the foreign-born in each instance reporting a proportion considerably below, while the native whites born of native father report a proportion considerably above the proportion shown in the total for all male employees. On the other hand, it will be noted that there is no illiteracy among the nativeborn of foreign father. Among the foreign-born it will be noted that there is no illiteracy among the English or Swedes, and only 14.4 per cent among the North Italians. On the other hand, both the Poles and South Italians show a smaller proportion who can read and write than who can read only, each showing a much lower per cent of literacy than is shown by the North Italians.

The table following shows, by general nativity and race, the percentage of male employees engaged in the manufacture of bottles who could read and the percentage who could read and write.