IMMIGRANT INSTITUTIONS 
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American institutions have not developed facilities 
for the handling of immigrant business; and (3) the 
ability of the immigrant proprietor to perform for his 
countrymen services that otherwise it would be im 
possible for them to obtain. Possibly the greatest 
hindrance in securing immigrant patronage for Ameri 
can banks lies in the alien’s ignorance of the English 
language. 
A possible explanation lies in the fact that these 
races, largely agricultural in character prior to coming 
to America, are not a'ccustomed to the extended use 
of banking facilities, or, if so accustomed, they confine 
their relations to the financial institutions operated by 
the government in their respective countries. They 
have learned that banks of this country are not gov 
ernment institutions, and for that reason look with 
disfavor upon them. Ignorant of American customs, 
unable to use the English language, and finding but 
little encouragement to overcome his hesitancy, the 
immigrant turns to the bankers of his own race as the 
only ones really able to perform the services he needs. 
Ownership and Organisation 
The tendencies of the members of different races to 
become bankers seem to be largely dependent upon 
the numerical importance of the several races in dif 
ferent localities and as a consequence upon the oppor 
tunity for doing business. Italians, Hebrews, Poles, 
Magyars, and Croatians are most frequently en 
countered as heads of banking institutions, altho scat 
tered representatives of other races are also often en 
countered. 
Immigrant banks are almost without exception un