Among the recent immigrants, on the other hand, many of the accidents are unquestionably due to ignorance. Unlike the majority of the American miners, almost all the recent immigrants employed in the mines are without previous training or experience in their work. As has been seen, most of them were farm laborers in their native countries. Upon coming to the United States they decided to follow the occupation of mining because the work was better paid than any other obtainable. Many of them have been here only a few months and many more but a year or two. Under these circumstances it is not surprising that they know little or nothing of rock formations, of fire damp, of the properties of coal dust, and of the handling of explosives matters about which every coal miner should be thoroughly informed. To determine whether a piece of slate or roof is or is not likely to fall, often requires a considerable degree of experience, and the majority of the Slavs, Magyars, and Italians have not this experience.

Another element of danger is contributed by the fact that few of the recent immigrants speak or understand English, while almost none are able to read or write the language. It is probable that the instructions of the mine bosses and inspectors are, because of this fact, frequently misunderstood. An inspector, for example, tells an immigrant miner, in English of course, that his roof needs propping. The miner seems to understand, but does not, and a fall results. In some mines printed signs are used to indicate the presence of gas or other peril. These are quite unintelligible to most of the foreigners. Because, through lack of training, they are unable to recognize the presence of danger, and further because of their keenness for earning money, the immigrants are often willing to work in places where more experienced or more intelligent men would refuse to work. For the same reasons they will frequently be satisfied with and accept mine equipment too defective for safety.

As has been stated, it is generally conceded by the persons best informed upon the subject that the responsibility for a majority of the accidents in coal mines rests with the men injured. This being the case, it is evident that the relative number of fatalities among the employees of a given race or group of races will serve as a valuable indication of the extent to which the high death rate in the mines is to be attributed to the employment of men of this race or group. In other words, an inquiry as to the responsibility of a given race for accidents may perhaps best be answered by showing the extent to which its members are sufferers from accidents.

FATALITIES IN WEST VIRGINIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND INDIANA.

The extent to which the different groups of employees suffer from accidents may be shown for the State of West Virginia by statistics. In the table presented on page 228 information has been given as to the race or nationality of employees of the bituminous mining industry of the State. The tables next presented show the race or nationality of all the men killed or fatally injured in the mines during the period of five years, 1904 to 1908, inclusive.

TABLE 147.-Number of fatalities in the bituminous coal mines of West Virginia, by race or nationality of individual, 1904 to 1908.

[From annual reports of the State Inspector of Mines for West Virginia: Report for 1904, p. 132; Report for 1905, p. 143; Report for 1906, p. 161; Report for 1907, p. 205; Report for 1908, p. 212.]

TABLE 148.-Number of fatalities in the bituminous coal mines of West Virginia, 1904 to 1908, by racial groups a; per cent distribution.

[From annual reports of the State Inspector of Mines for West Virginia: Report for 1904, p. 132; Report for 1905, p. 143; Report for 1906, p. 161; Report for 1907, p. 205; Report for 1908, p. 212.]

In the second of the foregoing tables the figures for the period have been combined, the nationalities have been grouped, and the percentages have been computed. Comparing these percentages with those of the table on page 228, it will be seen that while, in 1908, only 28.9 per cent of all the employees were of the races classified under Group II, 43 per cent of all the men killed or fatally injured during the five years 1904 to 1908, inclusive, were of these races. This means that the proportion of fatalities is decidedly greater among the employees of Group II than among the employees of Group I. Upon the basis of the average yearly number of fatalities for the

period of five years, 1904 to 1908 inclusive, and of the number of employees classified according to race or nationality in 1908, the death rate per thousand is 8.89 for the natives of southern and eastern Europe, as against 4.80 for the northern and western Europeans and the native-born, and 5.99 for all employees.

Owing to the lack of comprehensive data as to the nationality of employees, to which reference has already been made, it is impossible to compute a death rate for any State or locality other than West Virginia.

While there are no complete data available as to the race or nationality of employees in the mines of Pennsylvania or Indiana, the mine reports of these states have in recent years contained tables showing the race or nationality of persons killed. The figures for Pennsyl vania for the five years, 1904 to 1908, inclusive, are given in the following table:

TABLE 149.-Number of fatalities in the bituminous coal mines of Pennsylvania, 1904 to 1908, by nationality or race of individual.

[From Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Report, 1907, p. LXIII; and Pennsylvania Bituminous Coal Report, 1908, p. 85.]

In the following table the nationalities have been rearranged in groups and the percentages have been computed.

TABLE 150.-Number of fatalities in the bituminous coal mines of Pennsylvania, 1904 to 1908, by racial groupsa; per cent distribution.

The data for Indiana cover but two years, 1907 and 1908. They are presented in the following table:

TABLE 151.-Number of fatalities in bituminous coal mines of Indiana, 1907 and 1908, by nationality or race of individual.

[From reports of State Department of Geology, 1907, p. 566, and 1908, p. 242.]

In the following table the nationalities have been rearranged in groups and the percentages have been computed.

TABLE 152.-Number of fatalities in the coal mines of Indiana, 1907 and 1908, by racial

groups a; per cent distribution.

The foregoing tables are, for the reasons already mentioned, of no value for purposes of comparison. The figures and percentages are of interest, however, as indicating the large number of immigrant workmen killed or fatally injured in the mines.

OPINIONS OF STATE MINE INSPECTORS AND AGENTS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

The indications of the foregoing statistics are sustained by the evidence of the men best informed with regard to existing conditions, as can be seen from the statements and opinions of agents of the Federal Government who have made a special study of accidents in mines, of the mine inspectors of different States, and of skilled mine workers, which are quoted below.

The following statement is taken from the Annual Report of the Pennsylvania Department of Internal Affairs, Bureau of Mines, for the year 1905:a

It is also a fact that 50 per cent of the employees, especially the miners and loaders, are men that can not understand the language of this country and are ignorant of the dangers that surround them.

Lack of experience and inability to understand instructions given them (on part of foreigners) cause frequent accidents.

It would be a most humane act if the foreigners could be prevented from working in the mines until they have acquired at least the rudiments of the English language, unless they can be put to work with competent men of their own nationality.

The department is unable to say what proportion of the employees in the mines are English-speaking persons, but it is evident that the fatalities among the employees designated as non-English-speaking are largely in excess of their proportionate number. This is not surprising, however, and will continue to be the case until these people acquire sufficient knowledge of the English language to understand orders given by foremen, and thus be able to protect themselves in the performance of their duties.

From the annual report of the state inspector of mines for West Virginia for the year 1902, the following statement has been selected:

It is the confirmed belief of the inspection forces of this State that this increase [in the number of fatalities] is due to the inexperience and carelessness of a very large number of the underground employees relative to existing dangers.

In this State the larger number of mine employees come from parts without the State and are composed of foreigners from Europe, and the negroes from Virginia and North Carolina. With this class of employees, many of whom have had no experience in coal mines prior to their introduction into the mines of this State, it becomes necessary that the mine foremen should exercise special care to see that these workmen adopt the proper precautions to keep their working places safe.

In his annual report for the year 1907, the chief mining inspector of West Virginia gives expression to the following opinion:

The mining industry of the State is passing through its most crucial period-in the transition from English-speaking workmen to those who, speaking the tongue of many European countries, are a menace to the safety of a mine."

Until a new generation is had, which has taken on the intelligence of a practical mine worker and which embraces the teachings of American institutions, there will remain a factor of danger within our mines that legislation can not easily eliminate.

When the foregoing statements appeared in the West Virginia reports, Mr. James W. Paul, who is now with the United States Geological Survey, was chief of the state department of mines. Mr.

a Several of the Pennsylvania mine reports of recent years contain statements to the same general effect.