IMMIGRANTS AS CHARITY SEEKERS.

METHOD AND SCOPE OF THE INVESTIGATION.

In order to determine to what extent immigrants are the recipients of charity, the Immigration Commission planned an extensive investigation covering this phase of the immigration question. In addition to the original investigation the Commission has compiled existing federal statistics relative to immigrants and pauperism. This compilation forms Part II of the Commission's complete report on immigrants as charity seekers and consists of statistics from the United States Bureau of the Census and the United States Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, covering the period from 1850 to 1908. In outlining this investigation it would have been highly desirable to secure information not only from organized city charity societies, but also from societies which confine their efforts to relieving the poverty of specific races, and from societies which are organized within the churches for the purpose of looking after the poor. To conduct such an investigation even in a few cities would be almost impossible, and the Commission therefore decided that, in addition to securing general information relative to charitable assistance received by immigrants in the industrial communities selected for study, it would undertake to secure data relative to aid furnished immigrants during a certain period by the charity organizations of a considerable number of cities.

The matter was thoroughly discussed with Mr. Francis H. McLean, Field Secretary of the Field Department for the Extension of Organized Charity in the United States, and a plan was devised to secure this information by preparing a suitable blank form which should be furnished the charity societies of the various cities selected for study. A schedule or form was drafted, on which information was to be entered for each member of the family at home for each case, native or foreign born, receiving assistance during a period of six months, from December 1, 1908, to May 31, 1909. The report for Boston, Massachusetts, however, includes only the new cases assisted during this period. The information required for each case was apparent cause of need and aid given, and for each individual was race, sex, age, conjugal condition, occupation, and country of birth, and for the foreign-born individuals the additional information of years in the United States, ability to speak English, and political condition. No account was made of a case unless some assistance was given. The information required was entered on this schedule by an employee of the society, usually the registrar, and for this service a small

payment was made by the Commission. A representative of the Commission visited these societies, with the exception of those in the far West, giving instructions as to the use of the schedule. Mr. McLean was of the greatest assistance to the Commission both in arranging for securing the desired information from the various societies and in assisting in preparing the blank form.

The schedule or form used in collecting the information and the instructions which were printed on the back of each schedule are shown on pages 687, 726, and 727.

In addition to the instructions printed on the back of each schedule personal instructions relative to filling the forms were given by an agent of the Commission, as has been already stated. After the filled schedules were returned to the Commission they were closely examined, and when necessary the slips were returned to the societies for further information or for corrections.

The study of immigrants as charity seekers made by the Immigration Commission includes the work done by the charity organization societies during the six months from December 1, 1908, to May 31, 1909, in 43 cities. The cities are

A report was also furnished by the charity organization society of Honolulu, Hawaii.

No figures are available showing, by race or people, the population of the cities included in this investigation. The census of 1910, however, will compile data by race or people (mother tongue), and a comparison of this report with the census will clearly establish the proportion of persons of each race who receive assistance from charity organization societies.

GENERAL NATIVITY AND RACE.

The summary table which follows shows for each of the 43 cities from which information was secured the number of cases reported. Each individual or family asking assistance the charity society calls a "case," and the term is used throughout this report to mean an individual or family assisted by some one of the societies furnishing reports. As before stated, no report was made of a case unless some assistance was given. The data are presented by general nativity and race, or people, of head of case. In a case consisting of a family the "head of case" is the husband, if living at home, or the wife, if a widow or deserted. In a case where there is no family, such for instance as brothers and sisters, the "head of case" is the person upon whom falls the responsibility of providing; or if such responsibility is apparently fairly divided the "head of case" is the person who makes application for assistance.