during the first few months that they are being taught. Banding of cigars and pasting of labels and stamps on the boxes is work of very low-grade skill and is performed by girls.

Women comprise a very large proportion of workers in cigar making. In places where beginners are trained for the skilled branches they are started at from 16 to 18 years of age at bunch making and rolling and require about a year to acquire a practical knowledge of the trade. Girls, however, for the most part start either as strippers or binders.

Returns were obtained from eighteen establishments, ten of which are in New York City and eight in other parts of the State. The largest number of persons employed in the manufacturing departments of these establishments during 1907 was 2,839 males and 5,208 females; the smallest, 2,071 males and 4,365 females.

The length of the working day varies from eight hours to ten hours, six firms giving nine hours, five firms eight hours and four firms ten hours.

The total number of adult employees of low-grade skill is given as 392 males and 772 females. The nationality of the males is noted as 72.5 per cent foreign born and 27.5 per cent American born; of the females 71 per cent are noted as foreign born and 29 per cent as American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this low-grade class ranges from $4.00 to $10.00, eight of the thirteen firms reporting wages ranging from $7.00 to $9.00; for females the range is from $5.00 to $9.50, thirteen out of the fifteen firms reporting wages from $6.00 to $8.00.

The total number of adult employees of high-grade skill is given as 2,426 males and 4,440 females. The nationality of 2,351 males is noted as 71.1 per cent foreign born and 28.9 per cent American born; of the females 58.9 per cent are noted as foreign born and 41.1 per cent as American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this highgrade class ranges from $8.00 to $20.00, eleven firms out of eighteen reporting wages ranging from $12.00 to $15.00; for females the range is from $6.00 to $15.00, eleven of the fifteen firms reporting give wages from $10.00 to $14.00. Four firms report employees under 16 years of age with a total of 52 males and 129 females.

A total of thirteen males and thirty-five females employed under 18 years of age are reported in the low-grade class of whom 12 males and 23 females are 16 or 17 years of age. The preferred age for beginners in this class ranges from 14 years to 35 years for males and from 14 years to 21 years for females; out of thirteen firms reporting for males three give 18 years and three give twenty-one years; for females out of fourteen firms reporting five give 18 years and four give 16 years. The weekly wage paid such beginners ranges from $3.00 to $9.00 for males, and from $3.00 to $9.00 for females; for males six firms out of the nine reporting from New York City give wages from $6.00 to $8.00; the five firms reporting from other places in the State give $3.00 to $3.50; for females six out of the eight firms reporting from New York City gives wages from $4.00 to $6.00; the six firms reporting from other places in

the State give wages from $3.00 to $3.50; the average time required for male beginners to gain full wages in low-grade work ranges from two weeks to three years, six firms of the thirteen reporting periods ranging from six months to one year; for females the range is from two weeks to two years, eight of the fourteen firms reporting periods ranging from six months to one year. Seven firms report that employees of low-grade skill have opportunities to advance to high-grade work and seven firms report the contrary.

Six firms (all outside of New York City) report apprentices or beginners under 18 years of age that are being trained for work of high-grade skill with a total of 63 males and 51 females. The preferred age for apprentice beginners varies from 14 years to 24 years for males and from 14 years to 25 years for females; of the fourteen firms reporting for males five give 21 years and two give 16 years the preference; 19 is the lowest preferred age noted in the returns from New York City; for females out of fifteen firms reporting five give 18 years and three give 16 years the preference; from New York City 17 is the lowest preferred age that appears in the returns. The weekly wage paid such beginners during the first year varies from $3.00 to $15.00 for males and from $3.00 to $14.00 for females; out of the nine firms from New York City reporting for males five give wages falling in the group from $14.00 to $15.00; these high wages are reported in cases giving a preferred age for beginners of 20 years or over; the five firms reporting from other parts of the State give wages ranging from $3.00 to $4.50; for females three out of the eight firms reporting from New York City give wages of $10.00; these wages are reported from establishments giving a preferred age for beginners of 18 years; the five firms reporting from other parts of the State give wages ranging from $3.00 to $4.50. The time given for beginners to reach full wages in high-grade work is reported as from six months to four years for males and from three months to three years for females; out of fifteen firms reporting for males six give one year; for females out of fourteen firms reporting seven give this period as one year.

One firm report that all and seven that a majority of their skilled employees are trained in their own establishments; five firms report that all and five that a majority of such employees are obtained from other sources; these other sources are reported by eight firms as application. Five firms report that they have difficulty either in obtaining or training skilled employees; eleven firms report no difficulty.

Seven firms representing 2,114 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; ten firms representing 5,823 employees answer this question in the negative. Nine firms representing 4,414 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; eight firms representing 3,523 employees answer this question in the negative. Representatives of seven 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 nine firms answer this question in the negative. Representatives of seven 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; nine firms answer this question in the negative.

CONFECTIONERY.

The manufacture of confectionery is performed mostly by unskilled labor.

In the season preceding the holidays all employees work a considerable amount of overtime.

Both hand and machine work are employed in making the finished product as no machines have as yet been perfected that will perform all the necessary operations.

Different concerns vary considerably in their methods and organization according to the special nature of their product, but the common divisions are for handwork: Chocolate and bonbon dippers and confectioners; and for machine work: Chocolate dippers, panmen, cream makers and moulders.

Girls start in the chocolate department carrying placques (pans) or running errands and eventually become chocolate "dippers." Boys begin as errand or starch boys and in course of time become confectioners or cooks. They may in exceptional cases become panmen, who represent the highest grade of skill in the usual establishment. Many do not graduate from the duties they first perform. One large firm reports that about one boy in fifteen remains to become skilled. Beginners learn one branch from which as a rule they do not change.

Returns were obtained from nineteen establishments, twelve of which are 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 1,585 males and 2,993 females, the smallest 1,123 males and 1,788 females.

The length of the working day varies from 81⁄2 hours to 10 hours, seventeen firms giving 10 hours. The average hours of overtime per week during the busy season are reported by nine firms for males as from 1⁄2 hour to 15 hours and by eight firms for females as from 14 to 121⁄2 hours; five firms in each case report overtime ranging from 6 to 10 hours.

The total number of unskilled adult employees is given as 1,164 males and

2,146 females. The nationality of the males is noted as 66.3 per cent foreign born and 33.7 per cent American born; of the females 37.1 per cent are noted as foreign born and 62.9 per cent as American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this unskilled class ranges from $6.00 to $12.00, twelve of the seventeen firms reporting wages ranging from $8.00 to $10.00; for females the range is from $4.00 to $8.00, fourteen out of the eighteen firms reporting wages from $5.00 to $7.00.

The total number of adult employees of low or medium-grade skill is given as 340 males and 605 females. The nationality of the males is noted as 66.8 per cent foreign born and 33.2 per cent American born; of the females 40.5 per cent are noted as foreign born and 59.5 per cent as American born. The weekly wage of the greatest number of adult male employees in this skilled class ranges from $10.00 to $25.00, ten firms out of sixteen reporting

from CK 50

years; for females out of nineteen firms reporting seven give 16 years and six give 18 years. The weekly wage paid such beginners ranges from $5.00 to $8.00 for males, and from $3.00 to $6.00 for females; for males eight firms out of sixteen reporting give wages from $6.00 to $7.00; for females fourteen out of seventeen firms reporting give wages from $3.50 to $5.00. Fourteen firms report that employees of low-grade skill have opportunities to advance to high-grade work and no firms report the contrary.

Two firms report beginners under 18 years of age that are being trained for work of high-grade skill with a total of 1 male and 25 females.

Two firms report that all and eleven that a majority of their skilled employees are trained in their own establishments; five firms report that a majority of such employees are obtained from other sources; these other sources are reported by five firms as advertising. Eleven firms report that they have difficulty either in obtaining or training skilled employees; seven firms report no difficulty.

Eleven firms representing 2,508 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; six firms representing 1,537 employees answer this question in the negative. Four firms representing 1,189 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; thirteen firms representing 2,833 employees answer this question in the negative. Representatives of four 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 ten firms answer this question in the negative. Representatives of four 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. Five 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; eight firms answer this question in the negative.

9. BUILDING Industry.

The lack of provisions for training beginners is perhaps nowhere more apparent than in the building trades, especially in the large cities. These trades have probably more than any other of the so-called skilled trades been fed by immigration and in certain branches it might almost be said that no young beginners are being trained in the city of New York.

For lack of time and means the investigation into the building trades was of necessity confined to New York City, and it is undoubtedly true that the situation in regard to lack of training provisions is there revealed at its extreme. In the smaller cities and towns of the State there is undoubtedly a far larger relative number of youths being trained as skilled workmen and it is from these sources that a considerable proportion of the supply comes to the metropolis.

Other influences besides the indifference of the employer to bother with apprentices on account of the supply of adult workmen operate to reduce the number in training for these trades. One factor is the seasonal character of most of the trades which entails a dull period during which many workmen are laid off. In certain branches also the worker is liable to considerable physical exposure during the prosecution of his work entailing risks from illness and loss of health. Another influence that is felt by some observers to play a part is the disinclination of many American bred boys to enter trades where not only is the work performed with soiled clothes and hands in the open but where in many cases the