United labor bulletin., 1911-02-09
A. F. OF L. WANTS ACTION.
Continued from Page ~

the representatives of these homes, it
seemed wise to investigate their meth
DDS of work and the condition of their
homes. The results were surprising
While in number of cases the societies
were doing excellent work and the
homes were giving due attention to the
welfare of the young women placed in
their charge, securing them positions and
afterwards, seeing that the positions
were those suitable for the girls, in a
number of instances it was found that
the managers of the homes had appar-
emily deceived the directors and support
ers of the societies and were making of
the homes mere money-making estab-
lishments for the managers. In a few
cases, in order to promote their own fl
nancial advantage, the managers over
charged the immigrants, permitted the
immigrant homes to remain in filthy
condition from lack of care, and even
were ready to furnish to keepers of dis
reputable houses young girls as servants
in such houses. The Commission called
the attention of the immigration Com
missioner at Ellis Island and of the au-
thorities at Washington to these abuses.
In number of cases vigorous action was
taken, and representatives of seven So
migrant station until a complete change
in the management had been brought
about" Up. 23).
"A large proportion of the southern
and eastern European immigration of the
past twenty-five years has entered the
manufacturing and mining industries of
the eastern and middle western States,
mostly in the capacity of unslkilled labor
ers. There is no basic industry in which
they are not largely represented and in
many cases they compose more than so
nf nf
employed in such industries. Coincident
with the advent of these millions of un
skilled laborers there has been an unpre-
cedented expansion of the industries in
which they have been employed.
Whether this great immigration move
ment was caused by the industrial de-
velopment or whether the fact that a
practically unlimited and available sup
ply of cheap labor existed in Europe
was taken advantage of for the purpose
of expanding the industries can not well
be demonstrated Whatever may be the
truth in this regard it is certain that
southern and eastern European immi-
grants have almost completely monopo-
lized unskilled labor activities in many
of the more important industries" Up.
29).
"The effect of the new immigration is
clearly shown in the Western Pennsyl-
the bituminous coal worker is AZ cents a
day below the average wage in the Mid
die West and Southwest. incidentally,
hours of labor are longer and general
working conditions poorer in the Penn
sylvaia mines than elsewhere. Another
characteristic of the new immigrants
contributed to the situation in Pennsyl-
vania. This was the impossibilty of
successfully organizing them into labor
unions. Several attempts at organiza
ton were made, but the constant influx
of immigrants to whom prevailing con-
ditions seemed unusually favorable con-
tributed to the failure to organize. A
similar situation has prevailed in other
great Industries" Up. 30).
These groups have little contact with
American life, learn little of American
institutions, and aside from the wages
earned profit little by their stay in this
country. During their early years in the
United States they usually rely for as
sistance and advice on some member of
their race, frequently a saloon keeper or
grocer, and almost always a steamship
ticket agent and immigrant banker who,
because of superior intelligence and bet
ter knowledge of American ways, COM
mands their confidence. After longer
residence they usually become more self
reliant, but their progress toward assim-
ilation is generally slow (p. 30).