The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-04-04

Italy, Austria Hungary and Slavic
Countries of Europe at
Present Time
Are the Sources of the Unsklled
Labor Supply Of the
T. United States.

According to a late bulletin issued
by the Bureau Of Labor at Wash
lngton Italy, Austria Hungary and
the Slavic countries of eastern Europe
are at the present time the. principal
sources Of the unskilled labor supply
| OF the United States, more than two.
thirds of all the emigrants now en-
| tering the country coming from these
countries. Italy contributes about
| one-fourth and Austria Hungary and
| the Slavic countries of eastern Eu-
! rope something over two -fifths of our
Immigrants. This latter group in
| cludes the Jews from eastern Europe
who, while not Slavs, economically
and industrially represent practically
the same classes
! Their Former Occupation.
About half the unskilled laborers
coming from these countries had pre-
v1ously been at work as farmers or
farm laborers. After their arrival in
the United States, however, they do
not seek employment in agriculture,
partly because of the difficulties in
the way of securing it, but mainly
! because Of the higher rates of wages
in other Industries. In transportation
manufacturing, mining, and in build
ing the demand for common labor
has been very great.
The Italian migrant shows a mar
ked preference for railroad construc-
ton, tunnel building, grading, ditch
ing, building excavation, and work in
factory industries, while the Slav and
the Hungarian turn to those indus.
tries where the pay is somewhat
higher and the work somewha,
heavier-where strong men are re
quired, as in blast furnaces, iron and
steel works, iron-ore handling, and
coal mining.
Their Destination Here.
Lage numbers of the immigrants
seek work and are distributed through
employment agencies, but the great
mass, through information derived
from relatives and friends, go Direct,
to the States where wages are high
est and their services are in greatest
demand. Thus, in 1906, 1882 per cent
of all immigrants entering the IN.
tied States during the year and 1888
per cent Of the Italian, Slavic, and
Hungarian immigrants went to seven
States-New York, Pennsylvania
Illinois, New Jersey, Massa chusetts
Ohio and Connecticut-th States
where the demands Of industry were
expressed in teIms of the highest
wages.
Record in New York.
Records of New York City employ
ment agencies covering period of
twenty seven months ending with
July 81, 1906, show the distribution
of 4O.737 persons, mostly outside of
city employment. A large, part of
this was of course. redistribution,
| rather than the first distribution of
immigrants. Of this number AZ per
cent were Italians and about 10 per
| cent Slavs and Hungarians. Of the
| Italians about one sixth went to
Southern States, while the Slavs and
Hungarians were nearly eaqually d.
| vided between Northern and Southern
| States
Objection to paying long distance
railroad fares, the great demand for
labor in the North, and a seeming
Discrimination to work in the South
except in some cases for northern
contractors building railroads in tn;
south, kept the majority Of the italian
laborers in the Northern States. Tt
this may be added the desire of the
italian padrone agency to keep the
men where it can again distribute
them to it's own advantage and furn-
ish the commissary after the temper.
airy employment cease.
Of the 36,176 unskilled laborer.
distributed by the New York City
agencies, tehe average rate of wage:
per day for the Italians were s1.46
for the Stays and Hungarians s1.46
and for the other nationalities s1.41
OF the Italians, one third received les
than $3.50 day, 60 per cent $1.5'
day, and 7 per cent over $3.50. O
the Slavs and Hungarians, 80 pc
cent received less than $3.50 a day
Al per cent $3.50, and Fl per cent ovel
$3.50 These rates are for 1905 an,
the first seven months of 1906.
Padrones Supply Railroads.
The railroads still secure theil
supply of unskilled labor through
Italian agents. These agents 20
padrones) supply all the laborer
needed at any place and at any tim
free Of cost to the companies. In
return for this service they are per
mitted to establish sleeping shantie
and commissary stores for the sal
of food, clothing, and sundry supple
to the laborers. The Italian laborer
dislike the American plan of havin1
three hot meals a day at common
dining table, each preferring to bu
his own food and cook it himself A
tehe end Of each month the deduc
tions for rent and for food, clothing
4 and sundries furnished the laborer a
the padrones commissary are reporte
to the conrpany's office, and the la
bGrer receives the balance due hir
Il for his months work, after the de