Speech #620097393

Skipping a part of it. I read: The racial composition of Lawrence and the racial displacements which have occurred in the worsted and woolen mills there ape typical of other woolen goods manufacturing centers In New England. This has recently been disclosed by the United States Immigration Commission and the Tariff Board. Only about oneeighth of the woolen and worsted mill operatives at the present time are native Americans. Slightly more than threefifths are foreign born. chiefly recent immigrants from southern and eastern Europe. The remainder are the nativeborn children of parents who were born abroad. During the past 20 years the American and the British and northern European immigrants have been rapidly leaving the mills. owing to the pressure of the competition of the recent immigrant. The south Italian. Polish. and north Italian are the three principal races of southern and eastern Europe engaged in the industry. while the English. Irish. and German of the races of past immigration are represented in the largest numbers. Of the foreignborn employees. about onefifth of the males and tvofifths of the females have had experience in the same kind of work before coming to this country. while twofifths of the male employees and onethird of the female have been farmers or farm laborers in their native countries. The average weekly wage of the male operatives. 18 years of age or over. is only $10.49. and of the female employees $8.18.