advantageously administered by the State or community at public expense and operated on a non-commercial product; representatives of eight firms answer this question in the negative. Representatives of eight firms state that in their judgment such schools would be practical if conducted by industrial establishments or a combination of such establishments and operated on a commercial product; representatives of ten firms answer this question in the negative. Eight firms report that practical evening, or part time, trade schools would be of value in helping unskilled workers, or those of low-grade skill, to advance to positions requiring high-grade skill; ten firms answer this question in the negative.

WOOLENS AND WOOLEN GOODS.

In both cotton and woolen mills there is always a demand for "small help." Advertisements for hands often contain the statement "families preferred." There are many operators about a textile mill where nimbleness and manual dexterity are required besides those of the "doffers" and "bobbin " boys. Small help is found mainly in the spinning rooms and the boys working about the machines have opportunities if they are quick and intelligent to become both mule and ring spinners.

In the weaving rooms small help is not generally found as old men not strong enough to do a regular day's work on the looms are employed to keep the weavers supplied with filling. In this department adult beginners are commonly taken on as helpers with an experienced weaver. In many mills certain particularly capable weavers give much of their time to teaching.

The weaver in a plain mill has to see that the warp ends are kept pieced up and that the shuttle is supplied with filling. Many looms to-day are supplied with automatic devices which stop the loom when so much as a single warp end breaks or when the filling runs out. One type of loom even changes the filling automatically and the weaver has merely to see that the magazine is full. In fancy weaving where there are more than two harnesses used or where more than one kind of filling is called for the weaver has to be very careful and more and more skilled as the degree of complexity of the pattern increases. When any bobbin of filling runs out, the weaver must find the particular "shed" where the next "pick" of filling goes, or the piece of goods immediately becomes a second." No weaver is allowed to touch a wrench to a loom. This is the business of the "loom fixer,"

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who makes all the necessary adjustments, but the weaver must watch the cloth, report loom troubles and see that the loom fixer makes the necessary repairs.

The different departments in a woolen mill are as follows: Wool sorting; scouring; carding; spinning; warping; weaving; fulling; and finishing. In a worsted mill the departments are: Wool sorting; scouring; carding; combing; spinning, (a) Bradford system, (b) French system; warping; weaving; and finishing. Returns were obtained from twelve establishments, one of which is in New York City and eleven in other parts of the State. The largest number of persons employed in the manufacturing departments of these establishments during 1907 was 2,607 males and 2,600 females; the smallest, 1,820 males and 1,815 females.

The length of the working day varies from 9 hours to 10 hours, eight firms giving 10 hours.

The total number of unskilled employees is given as 332 males and 719 females. Of 315 males 42.3 per cent are noted as foreign born and 57.7 per cent as American born. Of 708 females 43.1 per cent are noted as foreign born and 56.9 per cent American born.

The total number of adult employees of low-grade skill is given as 1,319 males and 1,818 females. The nationality of the males is noted as 33.2 per cent foreign born and 66.8 per cent American born. Of 1,767 females 29.3 per cent are noted as foreign born and 70.7 per cent as American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this lowgrade class ranges from $7.50 to $13.00; the distribution is too even to establish any very significant figures, but four of the ten firms reporting give wages ranging from $10.00 to $11.00; for females the range is from $7.50 to $12.50, seven out of the twelve firms reporting wages from $9.00 to $11.00.

The total number of adult male employees of high-grade skill is given as 581 males. The nationality of the males is noted as 40.8 per cent foreign born and 59.2 per cent American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this high-grade class ranges from $15.00 to $21.00, three firms out of six reporting wages of $15.00 and two giving $20.00.

Nine firms report employees under 16 years of age with a total of 88 males and 101 females. The effect of the law that went into operation October 1, 1906, relating to the hours of employment of boys and girls under 16 years of age is reported as follows: Five establishments not affected; no establishments have discharged employees under 16; seven establishments have ceased to employ children under that age.

A total of 163 males and 239 females employed under 18 years of age are reported in the unskilled class, of whom 84 males and 146 females are 16 or 17 years of age. The preferred age for beginners in this unskilled class ranges from 12 years to 16 years for males and from 12 years to 16 years for females; out of nine firms reporting for males, seven give 16 years; for females out of nine firms reporting, six give 16 years. The weekly

wage paid such beginners 14 or 15 years of age ranges from $3.60 to $5.00 for males, and from $3.60 to $5.00 for females; for males, six firms out of nine reporting give wages from $4.50 to $5.00; for females, six out of eight firms reporting give wages from $4.50 to $5.00.

The weekly wage paid beginners 16 years of age ranges from $4.20 to $9.00 for males and from $4.00 to $9.00 for females; for males, five out of ten firms reporting give wages from $5.00 to $5.13, and for females, five out of ten give wages from $4.84 to $5.10. The time required to gain a working efficiency in this class varies from two weeks to one year, seven out of eleven firms reporting two weeks. The increase of wages in the second year for males varies from 0 to $1.75, two firms out of six firms reporting an increase of $0.50; for females the increase ranges from 0 to $1.00, two firms out of six firms reporting an increase of $0.50. The average time that male beginners remain in this class ranges from two months to six years, three firms of the nine reporting two years; for females the range is from two months to six years, three of the eight firms reporting two years. Ten firms report that unskilled employees have opportunities to advance to skilled work and one firm reports the contrary.

Seven firms report employees under 18 years of age in the low-grade skilled class with a total of 146 males and 70 females; of these 136 males and 66 females are 16 or 17 years of age. The preferred age for starting employees in this grade of work is 16 years to 21 years; of the ten firms reporting for males, six give 16 years, and for females six out of nine firms give 16 years. The weekly wage paid such beginners during the first year varies from $4.50 to $13.00; out of nine firms reporting, five give figures ranging from $6.00 to $8.00; for females the range is from $4.00 to $11.00, and four out of eight firms reporting give figures within the group, $5.00 to $6.00. The time given for such male beginners to reach full wages in the low-grade class is reported as from two weeks to three years; out of six firms reporting, two give two years; for females the range given is from six months to three years, two of the six firms reporting one year and two giving two years. Four firms report that employees of low-grade skill have opportunities to advance to high-skilled work, and two firms report in the negative.

Nine firms report that a majority of their skilled employees are trained in their own establishments; three firms report that a majority of such employees are obtained from other sources; these other sources are reported by two firms as advertising and by one firm as application. Five firms report that they have difficulty either in obtaining or training skilled employees; seven firms report no difficulty.

No firm reports that the apprenticeship system meets the need for skilled employees in their business.

Five firms representing 3,137 employees report that the efficiency and future opportunities of their employees would be increased if they were given a training between the ages of 14 and 16, in a general public industrial or preparatory trade school, which should aim to give a knowledge of materials, shop mathematics and fundamental industrial methods, and some ideas of industrial organization, but not teach a special trade; four firms representing 1,514 employees answer this question in the negative. Six firms representing 2,861 employees state that practical day trade schools, giving a specialized training of one year or more after the age of 16, would

help to meet the problem of skilled employees in their business; four firms representing 2,051 employees answer this question in the negative. Representatives of five firms state that in their judgment the last mentioned schools could be advantageously administered by the State or community at public expense and operated on a non-commercial product; representatives of four firms answer this question in the negative. Representatives of three firms state that in their judgment such schools would be practical if conducted by industrial establishments or a combination of such establishments and operated on a commercial product; representatives of seven firms answer this question in the negative. Six firms report that practical evening, or part time, trade schools would be of value in helping unskilled workers, or those of low-grade skill, to advance to positions requiring high-grade skill; four firms answer this question in the negative.

CARPETS.

With the exception of "bank boys " who generally become "beamers" or warpers there is no small help reported in carpet manufacture. With this exception beginners start at once under the instruction of an operator or foreman into the various lines of work at which for the most part they remain. In some cases, however, beginners finding they are not adapted to the work at which they started shift to other departments where they may be

more successful.

Following are the departments commonly represented: Carding, worsted spinning, mule spinning, setting, beaming, weaving, print mills, finishing. Of these mule spinning, beaming and weaving involve the highest skill.

Returns were obtained from eight establishments, one of which is in New York city and seven in other parts of the State. The largest number of persons employed in the manufacturing departments of these establishments during 1907 was 6,115 males and 6,065 females; the smallest, 4,783 males and 5,174 females.

The length of the working day varies from 8 hours to 10 hours, six firms giving 10 hours.

The total number of unskilled employees is given as 1,070 males and 915 females. The nationality of the males is noted as 67.9 per cent foreign born and 32.1 per cent American born; of the females 65.2 per cent are noted as foreign born and 34.8 per cent as American born.

The total number of adult employees of low-grade skill is given as 2,022 males and 1,375 females. The nationality of the males is noted as 51.3 per cent foreign born and 48.7 per cent American born; of the females 62.6 per cent are noted as foreign born and 37.4 per cent as American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this lowgrade class ranges from $6.00 to $10.00, five of the eight firms reporting wages of $9.00; for females the range is from $5.50 to $9.00, six out of the eight firms reporting wages from $7.50 to $9.00.

The total number of adult male employees of high-grade skill is given as 2,926 males and 3,866 females. The nationality of the males is noted as 38.2 per cent foreign born and 61.8 per cent American born; of the females 30.4 per cent are noted as foreign born and 69.6 per cent as American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this high-grade class ranges from $15.00 to $18.00, three firms out of seven reporting wages of $15.00, and three giving $18.00; for females the range is from $10.00 to $15.00, four of the seven firms reporting wages from $12.00 to $12.50.

Five firms report employees under 16 years of age with a total of 130 males and 100 females. The effect of the law that went into operation October 1, 1906, relating to the hours of employment of boys and girls under 16 years of age is reported as follows: Four establishments not affected; two establishments have discharged employees under 16, amounting to 45 boys and 22 girls; two establishments have ceased to employ children under that age.

A total of 390 males and 349 females employed under 18 years of age are reported in the unskilled class of whom 330 males and 276 females are 16 or 17 years of age. The preferred age for beginners in this unskilled class ranges from 14 years to 17 years for males and from 14 years to 17 years for females; out of six firms reporting for males, three give 14 years and two give 16 years; for females out of six firms reporting, three give 16 years and two give 14 years. The weekly wage paid such beginners, 14 or 15 years of age, ranges from $3.00 to $5.00 for males, and from $3.00 to $5.00 for females; for males, four firms out of six reporting give wages from $3.50 to $4.50; for females, four out of six firms reporting give wages from $3.50 to $4.50. Weekly wages paid beginners 16 years of age range from $3.50 to $7.50 for males and from $3.50 to $7.00 for females; for males, five out of seven firms give $3.50 to $4.70; for females, five out of six give $3.50 to $5.00. The time required to gain a working efficiency ranges from two weeks to six months, three out of six firms reporting two weeks. The increase of wages in the second year for males varies from 0 to $1.00, two firms out of five reporting an increase of $1.00; for females the increase ranges from 0 to $1.25, three firms out of five reporting an increase of $1.00. The average time that male beginners remain in this class ranges from six months to three years, two firms of the five reporting one year; for females the range is from six months to three years, two of the six firms reporting one year and two giving three years. Eight firms report that unskilled employees have opportunities to advance to skilled work and no firms report the contrary.

Three firms report employees under 18 years of age in the low-grade skilled class with a total of 38 males and 95 females; of these all are 16 or 17 years of age. The preferred age for starting employees in this grade of work varies from 14 years to 21 years; of the seven firms reporting for males two give 18 years and two give 20 years the preference, while for females four out of seven give 18 years. The weekly wage paid such employees during the first year varies from $5.80 to $9.00 for males and from $5.00 to $8.25 for females; out of eight firms reporting for males five give $7.00 to $8.25; for females the returns are as follows:

Firms. Wages.

1 3 1 2 1 $5.00 $6.00 $6.60 $8.00 $8.25