It is generally believed that Italians constitute the greatest percentage of gangsters in the United States. As a matter of fact, this assumption is always taken for granted. Perhaps it is because Italian names figure so prominently in the press and much needless noise is made over them.

But a little examination will prove that in comparison with other races, the number of criminals who are Italians or of Italian extraction is very small. A little study of the following facts and figures will show that the contention about Italian gangsters holds little water.

Take Chicago, for instance, it is considered the most notorious gangster city in the country. The Italian community there is large - very large and influential. It is estimated that there are at present some 200,000 Italians in this city of stockyards. From the annual report of the Chicago Police Department for 1926, (compiled by Giovanni Schiavo in his book "The Italian in Chicago"), out of a total of 211,317 persons arrested, 4,954 were Italian - a trifle over two per cent. Thus, since the Italian population of Chicago is 2about ten per cent, you can readily figure that as a criminal, the Italian is way down the line.

The following table, (also from Mr. Schiavo's book), graphically illustrates the case for the Italian criminal:

Race Distribution of Commitments and Crimes, Year Ending June 30, 1926.

The Italian, with the exception of the English, always an honorable race, has the lowest percentage of commitments and crimes.