February 21, 1917
FUNDS FOR PROBE OF FOOD JUGGLING ASKED BY WILSON
Great Mass Meeting Adopts Resolutions and Plans Wall-st Probe.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.— President Wilson is determined congress
shall pass at once the $400,000 [2013 CPI: $9,099,766] appropriation which the federal trade
commission ties requested for the nation-wide food price probe he directed the commission
and the department of agriculture to make.
It was stated officially at the White House today that the president
will give his personal attention toward swinging in line behind his food probe suggestion.
He made this decision following receipt of the news of the New York food riots.
As a result administration leaders in congress today began
lining up forces to compel congressional acquiescence.
Senator Borah today demanded that congress remain in session
until adequate steps are taken to bring prices back to normal.
"We want bread," was the cry of tile French
revolutionists as they marched to Versailles, Borah said.
"It is the most ominous cry that can be heard in a
republic. These people are in large measure the victims of speculators and
combinations which are filching millions of food.
"There is at the bottom of things no justification for
this condition. Congress cannot ignore the cries of the hungry. The situation
must be met at once!"
The federal trade commission had detailed plans completed
for a sweeping investigation into the New York and Chicago food markets as soon
as congress grants the necessary money.
Under present plans grand jury investigations are to be
carried on simultaneously.
Appeal To Wilson.
NEW YORK, Feb 21—President I Wilson will receive an appeal
from' thousands of women in the world's richest and largest city who are unable
to get food. They are pleading for some action that will bring food to their
starving children. They have pointed out that their husband's wages have failed
to keep pace with the rapid advance in food prices. The resolution to be
forwarded to the president was adopted at a mass meeting just after it had been
decided that 500,000 women will march in Wall-st past the offices of J P.
Morgan and company and that another huge throng will parade Fifth-av at night
in protest against food prices.
The hall in which the meeting was held was entirely
inadequate for the meeting. One thousand women were jammed through the doors
before order was restored and then they tried to fill it more, with the result
that several were dragged beneath the feet of the crowd and trampled. The
greatest confusion precipitated by the shouting women and screaming children
followed. Speakers shouted and pleaded for quiet, but it was an hour before anyone
could make himself heard.
Jacob Panken, a lawyer, told the people that J.P. Morgan
& Company is holding thousands of tons of food for shipment to Europe and
advised…
(Continued on page Eight.)
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(Continued From Page One)
Funds For Probe of-Food Juggling Asked By Wilson
… the women of the east side to organize for a huge
demonstration in Wallet. He pledged the funds of Hebrew labor union to aid in
the fight for food.
As a result of yesterday's Demonstration at the city hall,
Mayor Mitchel is expected to hear a committee of five at his offices today.
Another demonstration also is planned.
Mayor Mitchel this afternoon promised to do all in his power
to cope with advances in food prices; which have resulted in food riots in the east
side.
Women who called on him demanding action today threatened to.
"starve on the city hall steps" unless he look some action in the
food price situation.
There was a stir in City Hall park just before noon today when
about fifty women headed by “Sweet Marie" Ganz appeared and again demanded
to see the mayor. They were told that Mitchel had set 12:30 as the hour to
receive delegations protesting against the food prices and were advised to
disperse until that hour. Within a few minutes an immense crowd had gathered
but the women left, Extra police were on duty in City Hill park throughout the
cay, keeping ail pedestrian moving.
At 12:30 seven women representing the mothers' anti-high
price league appeared at City Hall. They said they were delegated to see the mayor
by the meeting held at Forward hall last night. A few minutes later one
hundred other women appeared. They were denied permission to enter City Hall
park and were told to appoint a small committee for the conference with the
mayor.
The Mothers Anti-High Price league committee was not the one
asked to return to the City Hall today when the demonstration occurred yesterday.
They came, they said, from the meeting held last night in Forward hall and had
made an appointment to meet the mayor at 12:30. They were taken into a waiting room
until another committee should arrive. The mayor planned to dispose of all
their cases at the same time.
Mitchell said he would order the department of charities and
the board of public health to make an immediate investigation results of which would
be reported to the board of estimates at its meeting Friday. At this meeting
the women were asked to present an outline of what they would like to see done
to improve food conditions.
The meeting was most drastic. Poorly clad, with tears streaming
down their faces, little children in their arms, they told the mayor they would
send some of their number to starve on the city hall steps unless he gave them
relief from the food prices.
One by one they told their troubles. Some spoke in English
and others in Yiddish through an interpreter.
Mrs. Ida Harris, who led several hundred women in an assault
on the city hall yesterday started the speech making when she cried:
"We want justice and mercy. We come to you because all
the people elected you. We are American citizens. Our sons would be willing to
fight America's battle but they can't do it if they starve to death. We
deserve and we demand better treatment."
Marie Ganz (Sweet Marie) told the mayor that many persons
are starving to death every day in New York.
Mayor Mitchell suggested to his visitors that they write personal
letters to their congressmen or representatives in the state legislature making
suggestions.
A protest against the refusal of congress to provide funds
for President Wilson's proposed federal investigation of the high cost of
living was forwarded to the president in a telegram from the Housewives' League
of America today.
With it went an outline of "the critical food situation
confronting the people of the United States" and a personal appeal to the
president to use his influence in forcing through the investigation. The
telegram said:
"The food riots in New York, in our opinion,
demonstrate conclusively the vital importance of this investigation, not only
to bring down prices but to let the people feel that the federal government is
in charge of the situation.
"This need is particularly emphasized by the fact that
producers are stating that they are only going to produce this season enough
farm products for their immediate families. The situation is not only serious
but chaotic.
"We have suspended, and brought our influence to bear
throughout the country to have legislatures and others suspend, local agitation
and investigation, awaiting results of your proposal, believing the federal
probe the logical means to bring the best results.
The Housewives of America appeal to you, Mr. president, to
use your great influence to alleviate the situation; and we urge congress to
support you in this measure. We feel that in refusing to provide funds for this
investigation the congressmen cannot possibly feel the pressure of the
housewives in their respective states."
"And that," said Mrs. Jennie Dewey Heath,
president of the league, to the United Press today, "is a very mild statement
of the situation.
"There is a real food shortage. It is caused by the
farmers and gardeners declining to increase their acreage because they cannot
get labor and marketing facilities for what they produce.
"Production will not Increase until the government
takes hold of the marketing and labor situation and makes tie production of
food a patriotic duty.
"In addition to this the tendency of farm producers is
to hold what products they have to get the best of the constantly soaring
prices.
"That the food price situation is acute is demonstrated
by the fact that I specially have hundreds of letters, telegrams, telephone
calls and oral statements from well-to-do men and women who feel the pinch on
their ample pocket books and want to know what they can do about it.
"If this is true of comfortably fixed people, what must
be the situation confronting the woman who has $8 [2013 CPI: $145.60] a week or less to provide food
for a large family?"
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