1917.02.21: MAYOR WILL ASK FOR MILLION TO FEED CHILDREN



February 21, 1917



MAYOR WILL ASK FOR MILLION TO FEED CHILDREN

Hears Plea of Mothers Who Send Committee to the City Hall



CITY MAY BUY FOOD TO DISTRIBUTE AMONG POOR



Unless Country is Prepared, Many Pleas Will Be Heard


[ASSOCIATED PRESS TELEGRAM] 

New York, Feb. 21.—After Mayor Mitchel had been informed by East Side housewives today that their children were "starving to death by hundreds" because of the high cost of food, he promised to place before the board of estimates ,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 East Side women intent upon personally calling to Mayor Mitchel's attention the increased cost of food.

About 200 of the women approached the building to find patrolmen blocking their progress 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 together in an East Side public square but the police forced them to more on. They assembled later, however, near the city hall, led by Marie Ganz, a member of the Industrial Workers of the World.

Mayor Mitchel before seeing the committee said he was not certain just what the city administration could do to relieve the food situation, but would be glad to have women present any plan. "For one committee which comes, now asking for food there will be one hundred committees if this country is not prepared,” he said.

The mayor declared he favored the establishment of state markets but that this plan had been blocked by legislation.

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 distribute one truck obstructed this track which, was quickly lifted out of the way by one of the wreck trains' der- [sic]

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...ing 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. 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 pushcart vendors out of business on Monday and Tuesday. Mayor Michel promised to receive a committee today if it came orderly.

A thousand or more women attended last night's mass meeting and at least 5,000 more fought to set into the hall. Two hours elapsed before there was order enough for the transaction of business. 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 his 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 made when potatoes are seven cents a pound, bread six cents, cabbage, 20 cents, onions 18 cents, and so forth.   

"We call to you, Mr. President, in this crisis that we are facing to recommend to congress or other authority measures for relief."

As yet no date has been set for the parade on Wall street and Fifth avenue. The organizers say they expect to have several hundred thousand women and children in line.

A movement has been started to call a strike of school children living in the tenements, on the ground that the high cost of living makes it necessary for all children old enough to go to work.   

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GET FOOD SPECULATORS BY THROAT SAYS THOMAS

(ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Washington. Feb. 21. — Yesterday's bread riot in New York claimed attention in the senate today during the debate on increases in salary for government clerks.

Senator Thomas, Democrat of Colorado, expressed the opinion that increases in salary were no cure for the increasing cost of living because he charged those who control food prices would raise them to keep pace with salaries.

“That is not the way to remedy bread riots such as we are having in the metropolis of this country,” said Senator Thomas. “The way to deal with that is to take those who ??? food supplies by the throats. I dislike to see food riots in America, but I can see that it might be the first step toward relief.”





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