largely predominating. A few Swedes and Poles also were among the first employees. It was not, however, until 1890 that the Poles, the first of the more recent immigrant races, were employed in considerable numbers. Since 1890 the Poles have steadily increased in numbers until, at present, they represent a little over 45 per cent of the entire force. The Magyars, who have never been represented at this plant in large numbers, were the next to be employed, this employment dating from 1898. The Slovaks were first employed about 1903 and the Greeks and Servians a little later on. The Slovaks, Greeks, and Servians, like the Magyars, are represented by a very small number of each race, and have never been considered a factor in the operation of the plant. In all twenty-eight races are represented, but of this number seven constituted 92.36 per cent of the entire force in 1909, as follows: Poles, 45.40; Germans, 21.80; Americans, 17; Swedes, 2.70; Irish, 2.30; Greeks, 1.59; and Servians, 1.57. A tabulation made in 1905 shows that the percentage of these same races there was: Poles, 41.61; Germans, 25.93; Americans, 17.69; Swedes, 3.25; Irish, 3.14; Greeks, 1.13; and Servians, 0.95. From this comparison, it will be seen that these seven races from 1905 until 1909 lost only 1.34 per cent. This loss has been about equally distributed among the other races represented which, with the exception of two additional races, are the same as in 1905. Not one of the twenty-one remaining races during this period-with the exception of the Danish, which, in 1905, represented 1.03 per cent of the force-has ever exceeded 1 per cent of a force numbering now about 5,000, approximately the same as employed in 1905. The most noticeable change during this four-year period is the decrease in the number of Germans and a corresponding increase of the Poles, amounting to a fraction over 1 per cent loss each year to the Germans and a fraction under 1 per cent gain each year for the Poles. During this same, and for the entire, period of four years, the native Americans, Swedes, and Irish each have suffered a loss of less than 1 per cent, while the Greeks and Servians have gained only about one-half of 1 per cent each. Of the entire force at this plant, about 10 per cent may be classed as skilled; 80 per cent semiskilled or specialized; and the remaining 10 per cent as "common" labor. All of the more recent immigrants, with the exception of the Swedes, were employed in the first instance as "common" or unskilled laborers. In this plant the native American whites and the older immigrants have been almost entirely displaced by the more recent immigrants as unskilled laborers. This displacement has also extended, to a very large extent, to the semiskilled or specialized occupations. HISTORY OF IMMIGRATION TO PLANT NO. 2. This plant was established in 1882 and occupied the works previously occupied by plant No. 1 until 1894, when it was moved to what is now a suburb of the urban center, in which center plant No. 1 is located. Upon beginning operations in 1894, in its present location, by far the largest number of employees were native American whites, Germans, and Irish. A few Poles, Danes, and Swedes were also employed and had been prior to the removal of the plant from its former location. In the latter part of 1894 and during the following year the Poles became quite numerous and continued to increase until 1905, since which time they have steadily lost ground until at present only about 70 or 75 are employed. The Lithuanians and Russians secured employment in this plant in 1900. Since 1905 the Lithuanians have decreased, while the Russians during the same period have increased about 8 per cent. It is stated that several Magyars could have been found among the force as early as 1894, but it was not until 1903 that this race secured a foothold, which has been strengthened by a steady increase since that time. Here, as elsewhere, many other races are represented, but of the more recent immigrant races the Magyar, Lithuanian, Russian, and Polish are the only ones who, it may be said, have become an important factor in the operation of the plant. Here, as in plant No. 1, the more recent immigrants were first employed in the unskilled occupations. The superintendent of this plant classifies his force as follows: Skilled, 20 per cent; semiskilled or specialized, 40 per cent; and unskilled, 40 per cent. The plant at present has between 1,000 and 1,100 employees. Here, also, as in plant No. 1, the native American whites and older immigrants have been almost entirely displaced by the more recent immigrants as unskilled laborers, and to a very large extent is this true of the semiskilled or specialized occupations. PERIOD OF RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES OF FOREIGN-BORN EMPLOYEES. The character of recent and past immigration to the industry in the Middle West is also indicated by the following table, 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 89.-Pcr cent of foreign-born employees in the United States each specified number 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.] TABLE 89.—Per cent of foreign-born employees in the United States each specified number of years, by sex and race- -Continued. Upon information obtained for 13,560 foreign-born employees of this industry, it will be seen that 33.5 per cent have been in the United States under five years, 19.5 per cent from five to nine years, and 5.7 per cent from ten to fourteen years, while 12.3 and 29.1 per cent have been in the United States from fifteen to nineteen years and twenty years or over, respectively. The proportion of males, it will be noted, in each specified period of residence varies only slightly from the proportion shown in the total for all employees, while of the females by far the largest proportion, or 74.1 per cent, have been in the United States less than five years and only 13 per cent have been in the United States ten years or over. Among the males it will be noted that with the exception of the North Italians and Poles, who show 34.9 and 34.1 per cent, respectively, over 50 per cent of each of the more recent immigrant races has been in the United States less than five years-the proportions ranging from 93.5 per cent of the Servians to 50.5 per cent of the Lithuanians. Of the older immigrant races, on the other hand, the proportions with a period of residence of less than five years ranges from 25.7 per cent of the Dutch to 7.3 per cent of the Irish. Of those who have been in the United States from five to nine years the Croatians, with 33.3 per cent, show the largest proportion and the Irish, with 6.4 per cent, the smallest proportion. With the exception of the Poles, and to a less extent the North Italians, only a very small proportion of the more recent immigrant races have been in the United States ten years or over-the Servians reporting no males with a residence. of ten years in the United States. Among those with a residence of twenty years or over, it will be noted that with the exception of the Poles, who show only a slightly smaller proportion than the Dutch, the small proportions of the more recent immigrant races are a marked contrast to the proportions of the older immigrant races with this period of residence. With the exception of the Irish, over 50 per cent of the females of each race have been in the United States under five years the Servians reporting the largest proportion, or 85.7 per cent, while the Irish report only 40 per cent. The Irish, it will be noted, report an equal proportion from ten to fourteen years, which is largely in excess of that shown by any other race. No Irish females, however, have been in the United States longer than fourteen years, while the Germans report 33.3 per cent with a residence of fifteen years or over. The proportion of Bohemian and Moravian females with a residence of twenty years or over is slightly in excess of that shown by the Germans the Poles reporting the lowest proportion with this period of residence, or 1.9 per cent. The totals in the above table are merely a combination of the proportions shown by both males and females in each period of residence group and, as will be seen by comparison, vary only slightly from the proportion shown for the males only. RACIAL CLASSIFICATION OF EMPLOYEES AT THE PRESENT TIME. The racial composition of the operating forces of the industry at the present time is set forth in the table next submitted, which shows, by sex, the number and percentage of employees of each race for whom information was secured. |