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]
(Continued on Page 2. Col. 5.)
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(Continued from Page 1.)
...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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