The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-03-06

valuable report upon labor condi-
tions in the iron and steel industry is
now being published as the result of
extensive investigation made by the
United States immigration Commission.
This investigation covered iron and
steel manufacturing in all its aspects
in the territory east OF the Mississippi
River. Detailed information was Sc
cured for $4,000 employees of the in
dustry, and an intensive study was
made of $500 families the heads of
which were employed In iron and steel
manufacturing establishments. In the
tabuiation and presentation of these
data results are first shown for the in
dustry as whole, followed by general
surveys of conditions in the East. Mid
die West and South. The section of
the report dealing with conditions in
the East also includes an exhaustive
study of the Pittsburg and youngstown
districts, and in the section on the
South separate and detailed treatment
is given to the Birmingham district.
These divisions of the report render
possible a comparison of wages and
conditions of employment which pre-
vail in different parts of the country.
Employees Mainly of Foreign Birth.
found that almost three nfths. or ST.
per cent. of the total number o. en-
ployees are of foreign birth, while 1874
per cent are of the second generation
of immig rants or of native birth but
of foreign father. Only slightly more
than fourth or 2s.S per cent, of
the iron and steel workers are native
Americans. Native Americans and I'M
migrants from Great Britain, Germany
and northern Europe were exclusively
employed until the early part of the
decade 1SS0-1s9o. During the past 25
years the greater part of the labor
forces for the industry has been re-
cruited from recent immigrant races
from southern and eastern Europe. OF
these races. the Slovaks. Poles and
Croatians are employed in the largest
proportions al the present time. al
though all races of recent immigration
have a representation in the operating
forces of the blast furnaces and steel
mills. The old immigration from Great
Britain and northern Europe is repre-
scented chiefly by the English, Irish
and Germans. although considerable
numbers of Swedes are employed in
the sheet and tin plate establishments
and of Bohemians in foundry and ma
chine shops.
! The southern and eastern Europeans
unlike the races of older immigration
lave had little experience training
in their native countries for the work
in the iron and steel manufacturing es-
. Establishments. OF the total number OF
employees of foreign birth less thar
one tenth. or only SIS per cent. had
| been employed in the steel industry be-
f, fore coming TO the United States. Or
the other hand. more than three fifth
or GA per cent, had been farmers OIL
| farm laborers in their native lands. Al
the present time the native Americans
| English. Irish, Welsh and Germans II
the iron and steel plans occupy the
skilled and executive positions. Will,
the recent immigrants from the south
and east of Europe do the rough ant
| unskilled labor. The Industrial pro
gress and efficiency of the southern ant
! eastern Europeans has been slow OF
| account of their illiteracy and thei
Inability to speak English. For thf.
reason and the additional fact that tn,
sons of Americans and older immi
/ grants are entering the industry ii
constantly decreasing numbers. man,
employers express grave doubts as t
the efficiency of the operating force