The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-17
LABOR PROBLEMS,
now BEING. MET
lconl!nusd tron Etrst page.l


die West, Northwest. sourh and Soul h.
west Inc Slovaks. Russians, Poles,
MaESars, Lithuunians. and Herzegovina
lans are almost exclusively at work In
the Eastern states, The Croatians nre
found in lnrgc proportions In the East
and Middle West. and the North Ital-
ians In tho Eastern and Southern
states. About ono-third of all the en-
pioycs IN the South are. native neg
rocs.
Period OF Residence md EARNINGS.
Most OF the Southern and Eastern
construction workers arc Of recent
arrival i'll the United states. About
three-fourths OF all the races COM
bined and all of the Hcrzegovinians
and Rumanlans, have been in this
country less than five years.
SiNty-nine per cent. OF the Croat ians
ana the North and South Italians In the
East, Sc per cent. OF those in the Mild
die West and Northwest, 81 per cent.
of the same races in the South and
Southwest, have been in this country
for shorter period than five years.
The laborers of more recent arrival in
the United States have usually beer,
first employed in the East and South,
and have afterward moved westward.
y study of more than 5000 wage
Gamers in all sections of the country
inSs of native white Americans were
s:i3. and of immigrants S1.GS. The
highest average daily earnings of any
race of southern and Eastern Europe
were shown by the North Italians. the
members of this race earning on an
average S1.S6 each day, while no 9TH
er recent immigrants had average
daily earnings In excess of s1.5e. The.
Irish of foreign birth averaged $2.33
n Var, Fox,
Eastern Europeans, as contrnstcd with
native white Americans and British
and Northern European immigrants,
In the higher lnssitication
of earnings. More than three-tenths
OF The native white Americans and
more than onc-fourth of the Irish OF
foreign birth. as against only one
twentieth Of the recent immigrank en-
ployes. earned $500 or more each day.
About one tenth OF the Americans AMI
foreign born Irish. and practically
none of the recent immigrants. showed
daily earnings In excess of si.n0.
Three lfths of the recent immigrant
laborcrs In the Fast. South. and South
west and more than four-hfths OF
thnsc in the Middle West and North
west, earned as much as $3.50 each
day.
On the other hand. none Of the
Southern and Eastern Europeans In tho
Middle West and Northwest, only
per cent. of those in the South and
ana 20 per cent. Of those in
the. Eastern states. earned $500 or
more each day.
characteristics of the Labor supply.
The recent Immigrant laborcrs are
marked by high degree Of illiteracy.
More than two-fifths, ~ per cent,
could not read nor write. The great
est illiterncy was exhibited ny the
South Italians, OF whom one-half in the
East and three hfths in the South and
West could not read IN any language.
l'ifty-nvc per cent. OF the immigrant
wagc-earners were married, but more
than thrcefourths Of these had loft
their wives and families in their ma
tive countries Practically all Of the
Bulgarians. Greeks. and Rum
nniuns had migrated to this country
without their wives and children.
About tilrec-fifth Of the immigrant
employees were under thirty years OF
age.
As regards the small extent to which
the Southern and Eastern Europeans
exhibit any tendency toward progress
and assimilation. 1t was found that
practically mono of the recent immi-
grants. except the North and South
italians, and only one-tenth Of these
we're fully naturaiizod. Moreover, only
abou, one third OF the Southern and
Eastern wage earners could speak
English In the case Of some races the
proportion was much smaller only
~ per cent. of the Russians and Ru-
manlans, per cent. of the BuIgarians.
and 8 per cent. OF the Greeks being
able to speak the English language.
Living Conditions In the West.
Housing and living conditions vary
little. or not at all, even among the
various communities in the Middle
West and Northwest. Freight cars.
lifted up inside with from eight 10 ten
hunks. are used as sleeping quarters.
separate cars are used as kitchens and
dining rooms. The hunks In the
together, four IN either end IF each
ear, leaving ample space in the middle
even when two extra hunks arc crowd
cd in. There is usually q table in this
clear space where the men play cards
ana sometimes cat instead of in the
regular mess car. Even with ten men
in one ear they could not be describ-
cd as crowded.
Everywhere the men pay their own
living expenses. The companies pay
the wages of the cooks, equal TO those
Of the laborerS. Fuel, sometimes old
ties. sometimes coal. sometimes both is
supplied free. Tho cooking ranges and
kitchen utensils are bought by the
men. Theoretically, the mon may buy
their provisions from whom they
please. the average amount put into
the common living fund is from So 10
so n month
Living Conditions in The South.
The houses occupied by the laborers
ON construction work throughout the
south ara OF cheap construction and
built only for temporary use. The
mild climate does not require houses
as closely built as are needed farther
North and tents are often used when
the work Is OF short duration. The
houses most frequently seen arc shan
ties built OF rough lumber and covered
with tar-paper. In building them
cheapness Is the governing principle.
y framework OF scantling Is set up. on
when boards are nailed vertically
forming the Sides. which may or may
not be covered with tar-paper Some