In the twenty-two cities investigated by the agents of this bureau, the average age at which girls began work was found to be 15 years and 4 months.  Charleston, S.C., gives the highest average, it being there 18 years and 7 months, and Newark, N.J., the lowest,—­14 years and 7 months.  The average period in which all had been engaged in their present occupations is shown to be 4 years and 9 months; while of the total number interviewed, 9,540 were engaged in their first attempt to earn a living.

As against the opinion often expressed that foreign workers are in the majority, we find that of the whole number given, 14,120 were native born.  Of the foreign born, Ireland is most largely represented, having 936; and Germany comes next, with 775.  In the matter of parentage, 12,907 had foreign-born mothers.  The number of single women included in the report is 15,387; 745 were married, and 2,038 widowed, from which it is evident that, as a rule, it is single women who are fighting the industrial fight alone.  They are not only supporting themselves, but are giving their earnings largely to the support of others at home.  More than half—­8,754—­do this; and 9,813, besides their occupation, help in the home housekeeping.  Of the total number, 4,928 live at home, but only 701 of them receive aid or board from their families.  The average number in these families is 5.25, and each contains 2.48 workers.

Concerning education, church attendance, home and shop conditions, 15,831 reported.  Of these, 10,458 were educated in American public schools, and 5,375 in other schools; 5,854 attend Protestant churches; 7,769 the Catholic, and 367 the Hebrew.  A very large percentage, comprehending 3,209, do not attend church at all.

In home conditions 12,120 report themselves as “comfortable,” while 4,692 give home conditions as “poor.”  “Poor,” to the ordinary observer, is to be interpreted as wretched, including overcrowding, and all the numberless evils of tenement-house life, which is the portion of many.  A side light is thrown on personal characteristics of the workers, in the tables of earnings and lost time.  Out of 12,822 who reported, 373 earn less than $100 a year, and this class has an average of 86.5 lost days for the year covered by the investigation.  With the increase of earnings, the lost time decreases, the 2,147 who earn from $200 to $450 losing but 37.8; while 398, earning from $350 to $500 a year, lost but 18.3 days.

Deliberate cruelty and injustice on the part of the employer are encountered only now and then; but competition forces the working in as inexpensive a manner as possible, and thus often makes what must sum up as cruelty and injustice necessary to the continued existence of the employer as an industrial factor.  Home conditions are seldom beyond tolerable, and very often intolerable.  Inspection,—­the efficiency of which has greatly increased,—­the demand by the organized charities at all points for women inspectors, and