February 21, 1917
MAYOR ACTS ON PLEA FOR FOOD
Children Are Starving to Death by Hundreds, Mr. Mitchell is Told
ESTIMATE BOARD TO GET REQUEST
Urges $1,000,000 for Food to Be Distributed at Reasonable Price.
New York, Feb. 21.—After Mayor Mitchell had been informed by
Eastside housewives today that their children "were starving to death by
hundreds because of the high cost of food, ho promised to place before the
board of estimate on Friday their plea that $1,000,000 be appropriated by the
city to buy food for distribution at reasonable prices.
Policemen guarding the city hall prevented today another demonstration by the women intent upon personally calling to Mayor Mitchell’s attention the increased cost of food. About 200 of the women approached the building to find patrolmen blocking their progress…
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…at, every entrance. Reserves went among them informing them
that if they dispersed quietly the mayor later would talk with a committee. The
women scattered, some of them weeping.
Earlier in the day groups of women attempted to gather in an Eastside public square but the police forced them to move on. They assembled later, however, near the city hall, led by Marie Ganz, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World. Miss Ganz was arrested yesterday for addressing hundreds of housewives who made the first demonstration at city hall.
Wild Protest Meeting
One of the wildest protest meetings the city has ever known broke up early today after making arrangements for great parade of women and children to march all day through Wall street and at night through Fifth avenue.
An appeal was sent to President Wilson and a committee was appointed to demand that the city appropriate $1,000,000 to be used immediately for buying and distributing food among the poor at cost. Impassioned speakers called upon the poor of the east side to organize and pledged the financial support of the Hebrew trades union.
Capitalists Blamed.
The capitalists were blamed for the high cost of food on the ground that they were amassing wealth by sending it to Europe.
Mass meetings and demonstrations continued today. The police were on the alert to prevent a fresh outbreak of rioting such as put many push cart venders out of business on Monday and Tuesday. Mayor Mitchel, who was absent when several hundred women tried to force their way into his office yesterday, promised to receive a committee today if it came quietly.
A thousand or more women attended last night’s mass meeting and at least 5,000 more fought to get into the hall. Two hours elapsed before there was order enough for the transaction of business.
Appeal to President.
The following appeal to the president was carried with a shout:
“We housewives, of the city of New York, mothers and wives of workmen, desire to call your attention. Mr. President, to the fact that in the midst of plenty, we and our families are facing starvation.
“The rise in the cost of living has been so great and uncalled for that even now we are compelled to deny ourselves and our children the necessaries of life.
We pay for our needs out of the wages of our husbands and the American standard of living cannot be maintained when potatoes are 7 cents a pound, bread 6 cents, cabbage 20 cents, onions 18 cents and so forth.
"We call to you. Mr. President, in this crisis, that you may recommend to congress measures of relief."
According to railroad officials, efficiency experts are at work on behalf of virtually all the trunk lines, particularly at Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and other points where the freight congestion is most serious, endeavoring to make it possible for food trains to be rushed to New York. Indications were, they asserted, shipments of perishable foodstuffs were now reaching New York in greater volume than at any time during the past weeks. Weather conditions are considered more favorable for moving freight.
Earlier in the day groups of women attempted to gather in an Eastside public square but the police forced them to move on. They assembled later, however, near the city hall, led by Marie Ganz, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World. Miss Ganz was arrested yesterday for addressing hundreds of housewives who made the first demonstration at city hall.
Wild Protest Meeting
One of the wildest protest meetings the city has ever known broke up early today after making arrangements for great parade of women and children to march all day through Wall street and at night through Fifth avenue.
An appeal was sent to President Wilson and a committee was appointed to demand that the city appropriate $1,000,000 to be used immediately for buying and distributing food among the poor at cost. Impassioned speakers called upon the poor of the east side to organize and pledged the financial support of the Hebrew trades union.
Capitalists Blamed.
The capitalists were blamed for the high cost of food on the ground that they were amassing wealth by sending it to Europe.
Mass meetings and demonstrations continued today. The police were on the alert to prevent a fresh outbreak of rioting such as put many push cart venders out of business on Monday and Tuesday. Mayor Mitchel, who was absent when several hundred women tried to force their way into his office yesterday, promised to receive a committee today if it came quietly.
A thousand or more women attended last night’s mass meeting and at least 5,000 more fought to get into the hall. Two hours elapsed before there was order enough for the transaction of business.
Appeal to President.
The following appeal to the president was carried with a shout:
“We housewives, of the city of New York, mothers and wives of workmen, desire to call your attention. Mr. President, to the fact that in the midst of plenty, we and our families are facing starvation.
“The rise in the cost of living has been so great and uncalled for that even now we are compelled to deny ourselves and our children the necessaries of life.
We pay for our needs out of the wages of our husbands and the American standard of living cannot be maintained when potatoes are 7 cents a pound, bread 6 cents, cabbage 20 cents, onions 18 cents and so forth.
"We call to you. Mr. President, in this crisis, that you may recommend to congress measures of relief."
According to railroad officials, efficiency experts are at work on behalf of virtually all the trunk lines, particularly at Chicago, Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and other points where the freight congestion is most serious, endeavoring to make it possible for food trains to be rushed to New York. Indications were, they asserted, shipments of perishable foodstuffs were now reaching New York in greater volume than at any time during the past weeks. Weather conditions are considered more favorable for moving freight.
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